Atami Yurakusu Marathon - 5km

Two years ago, I ran in my first-ever organized race event - the Atami Yurakusu Marathon. I ran 5km that time, at 32 minutes, 47 seconds (I blogged about it at the time - here). It is a great "first race" - the view is spectacular and the terrain flat (there are not many runs or rides or anything in Japan that do not involve steep climbs!).

This year, I ran that same race again. Truthfully, I'd intended to sign up for the 12k, but got careless with the online form and clicked the "sign up" button for the 5 by mistake. But 5km was good for me, and I got to run with a friend for whom this was also a first race. We ran together and came in at 34 minutes and 27 seconds. Not too shabby, really.



Four other friends ran this race, but in the 12km so I was able to get a few photos of them. In this one, they are at the start line, getting ready for take-off:


Pav, the woman on far right, came in at 58 minutes and something; Joe, doing the 'thumbs up' next to Pav came in at 1 hour and 1 second (a brutal victory perhaps!).


I also took pics of people I didn't know:


Gotta love some of the "sports" wear!


It was, all in all, a really good Sunday!