If I decide to do something, I'll do it no matter what

RRC member interview

Text: Shun Sato

11th Course A2 Team (Goal: Full marathon sub 3 hours 10 minutes) MVP Mami Niisato

Awakening from 20km

In Tsukuba, things unfolded as usual. I was really weak in the first half and started to wake up around 20km. This time too, I was doing poorly in the first half, but I-pon (Nanako Iizuka) pulled me along. But around the halfway mark, she said, "If you keep going like this, you'll probably barely make it," and I thought, "That's not good," so I moved forward and picked up the pace. Around 30km, RETO's cheering gave me energy, and I still had some leeway, so I was convinced, "I can do this." I ran with I-pon to the end, and finished in a personal best time of 3 hours, 5 minutes, and 28 seconds.

A strong feeling is important

To be honest, marathons are all about willpower. I think I'm competitive, but once I decide to do something, I'll do it no matter what. When that goes well, it leads to results, but sometimes if I push myself too hard, it can go in the wrong direction, like my DNF at the Mito Man'yu Marathon. But I think it's that strong will that allows me to run marathons.

Taking running seriously

I did track and field in junior high school, the 100m sprint. The training was pretty tough, but I loved running, and that was one of the reasons I started running again after I entered the workforce. I started running around the time Sally (Nishio Saria) joined RETO. At the time, I was running to lose weight and stay in shape. I thought Sally was also doing it for the same reason, but after joining RETO, she started taking running seriously and changed drastically. Influenced by that, I gradually became more serious about running, and ran my first marathon at the Shonan International Marathon in 2011. I walked and did a terrible job, but I was frustrated, so I practiced and entered the Osaka Marathon the following year. I then ran a sub-3.5 time (3 hours 23 minutes), which was amazing and amazing (laughs). That's when my passion for marathons was sparked.

The target is Osaka International

After I ran in Osaka, the people at RETO told me, "You might as well aim for Osaka International." The minimum required time was under 3 hours and 7 minutes, so I thought, "That might be a good idea," and set my goal to first beat the set time and then compete in Osaka International. My training was basically just the RETO menu. Even the A2 team was set up to be able to run sub-3, and the Tamken training focused on distance running, so completing both helped me gain confidence.

The presence of my precious I-pon

I owe a lot to I-pon for setting my personal best in Tsukuba and clearing the set time for Osaka International (3 hours and 7 minutes). I met him for the first time at last year's Osaka Marathon when Sally said she wanted to take a group photo and I tagged along. I asked if anyone in Block D was aiming for a 3.5 mile time, and I-pon replied, "I'm aiming for sub-3.5," and we ran together for 42 kilometers. We became good friends, and I joined RETO in May. We started following each other on Strava, and have run together in RETO and Tamken training. I couldn't have gotten this far without I-pon.

-Why do you run?

I'm the type of person who will do whatever it takes once I set a goal, so I run with the sole desire to achieve it. Also, alcohol tastes better after a run (laughs), so that's why I run.