Interview Relay 42 Stories of the Tokyo Marathon
〜Connecting Hearts〜

Interview Relay: 42 Stories of the Tokyo Marathon ~ Connecting Hearts~ 

The 11th interviewee is Mr. Takaya Mitsuka, who is very active in various fields as running adviser, influencer, model and many more and also ran the Tokyo Marathon three times consecutively in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

What are the appealing points of the Tokyo Marathon and why is it admired from the perspective of Mr. Mitsuka who has run marathon races held in various areas throughout Japan? He will touch on his prospects for the future of the Tokyo Marathon leading up to the milestone 20th anniversary in 2027, on behalf of runners.

Marathon is not about just running.

–What made you start running marathon?

 I was a middle-distance runner, covering 800 meters and 1,500 meters, in the track and field club in high school and university and was also running for a corporate team after graduation. Then, I earned a spot in the JAAF Athletics Championships.  When I participated in the competition, it completely lacked excitement. There were very few spectators. It was the Championships I had dreamt about. I was very disappointed with the reality. I stood on my dream stage but I did not gain any rewards or attention. I wanted to change this situation, so I started posting on TikTok. 

Since then, I have kept on posting videos under the theme of “let’s liven up running,” around that time, an acquittance asked me to run Hokkaido Marathon. I ran it and it was a lot of fun. Together, we traveled, ran the marathon, held the after-party and ate local tasty food, and it was great fun. I realized that “running is such fun.” In addition, close to 20,000 runners participated in Hokkaido Marathon, and I found it fantastic to pursue a goal together with so many people. I do no need to compete against anyone and can run as I like. That was so enjoyable and opened the door for me to learn a new way to enjoy running. For the track and field sport in which I had engaged, I felt like I always “had to do my best.” Since then, I have been really into marathon. 

 

–So, it is fun including other aspects like the after-party?

Yes. My theme is “marathon is not about just running.” Let us enjoy both before and after the race. That applies to the after-party held after crossing the finish line, and if we were to get to the venue by taking a flight, it would also be fun as a trip.  Or taking a bath in a hot spring (or onsen) after the race is also nice. Thus, in the YouTube videos I create and post, 1 to 2 minutes is about the marathon, while the remaining 6 to 7 minutes is about things for fun. The audience may be those who wish to watch more about marathon but intentionally, I’m showing myself enjoying things other than marathon because I want to convey that there are other ways to enjoy it. From such angle, I’m hoping it would lead to an increase in running population. 

 

–It is the same thinking as what Mr. Tadaaki Hayano, the Chairman and CEO of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, advocates, which is “Fusion Running.” Mr. Hayano also encourages us to enjoy running by fusing it with something we like.

 Yes, I think exactly the same thing. I’m always thinking about how many things I can fuse running and I want to do everything in a race including music and drinking. And after all, it is important to have companions to enjoy together. I value making companions in a marathon, and how I can make horizontal connections. I hope that those who run 42 km will make as many friends as possible until they cross the finish line. 

Regardless of age, gender or marathon skill, we can make friends and feel connected which I find another amazing aspect of running. Through marathon, I want everyone to expand their network. And the most important thing is to share the joy we experienced with everyone.

 

Hoping that people give first priority to “have fun.” 

–The Tokyo Marathon Foundation upholds the theme of “Change the future, through the joy of running” and aims to realize three missions of “1. Connecting people through the joy of running,” “2. Creating healthy lifestyles through the joy of running” and “3. Building a better society through the joy of running.” Please share about what you would like to convey through running. 

They are wonderful missions.  It partially overlaps with them and what I value the most is “how we can enrich our lives through running” and “how we can enhance the quality of life.” Running is often associated with something negative like being forced to push hard in club activities or P.E. in our student days. However, in fact anything goes to enjoy running.  I want people to find their own way to enjoy running and I have been communicating that there are so many ways to enjoy running. It is fun as a sport and also fun to connect with someone. 

For example,  at the NAHA Marathon in Okinawa, it is not an official service, but in the middle of the course, Awamori (an alcoholic beverage unique to Okinawa) or Habushu (Awamori-based liquor) are served. Surprisingly, the completion rate of the race is 60%. It does not mean that runners have no intention of finishing the race, but apparently, many runners would go home just after running a bit.  When I learned about this, again, a new running revolution took place in my mind. By communicating these various ways to enjoy running, I want to loosen up the image of running. Plus, I have no intention of undermining those who wish to master it as I know how fun it is to master it, so I communicate it from this angle, too. I am hoping that everyone shares with others about these various ways to enjoy, which is one of the things I value. 

 

–Oh, your mission sounds very good, too. 

 And another factor is not to restrict anything. Speaking of health, we tend to imagine “physical health.” However, I think “mental health” is very important. As soon as we decide to do our best in marathon, we all tend to start “restricting” for some reason such as diet restriction, alcohol restriction and sweets restriction. I hate the word “restriction” the most; we cannot feel satisfied due to the restriction. Physically, we may have become healthier, but we may not be fully nourished mentally, and therefore, it does not lead to running habits. 

Ultimately, how we can keep running habitually and how we can incorporate running into our own life in the long-term lead to “how we can enrich our life.” In order to incorporate running into our life in the long-term, we should not restrict anything. Therefore, I will never restrict myself from eating, drinking, eating sweets, doing things for fun, etc. ever again.  I want to do everything, including things for fun, eating sweets, drinking alcohol and I would extend the running hours a bit longer for the extra calories. 

 

–Hearing such a story from a leading influencer like you lower the expectations of running. 

 Yes, when people start running, I want them to stop “restricting” or “doing their best.” I am hoping that they give first priority to “have fun.” And I am also hoping that they communicate the fun part of running and things for fun more and more. 

 

Running through the center of Tokyo in flocks; it is like a festival.

–What is the value and the role of the Tokyo Marathon?

 First, there are 38,000 participants. It is amazing. Plus, looking at the breakdown, there are many more runners from abroad. Those who do not have running habits would still want to participate in the Tokyo Marathon, which is the most remarkable point.  People would give a try just because they win a lottery and gain a spot in the Tokyo Marathon, and how they can think this way is just amazing. What I think it fantastic is that not only do we all know the presence of the Tokyo Marathon, but also the value is also recognized.

 

–Well, then, why do people who do not have a running habit want to run the Tokyo Marathon?

 Oh, it is such a difficult question to answer. If we can figure out the “reason,” we can probably make the marathon as a whole be livened up more. From my perspective, it is because the Tokyo Marathon is held in the capital city of Japan. It is quite rare for a marathon to take place on major roads across the city, and for all other marathon races, apparently, the most major road of the city cannot be closed out.  However, the Tokyo Marathon clears the issue, and moreover throughout 42 km, the main roads are closed out.  I have been wondering how it is possible to do so in a megacity like Tokyo. We get to run through the center of Tokyo in flocks, and we must say that it is like a festival. That sums it all up.  

 

–What is your impression of the volunteers?

 Well, there are also so many volunteers. I always feel grateful to the volunteers at the water station who are super energetic and passionate. How passionate the volunteers and staff often affect the rating of a marathon. The rating of the marathon would change when the staff and volunteers address each runner.  In the successful marathons in rural areas, they are highly passionate and energetic. Therefore, I find that in the Tokyo Marathon, staff and volunteers give exceptional hospitality, and thanks to it, I find it easy to run the Tokyo Marathon and I always make a good record. 

 

The Tokyo Marathon with “tears” and “a smile”

 

–Please share about your striking episode with the Tokyo Marathon. 

 The Tokyo Marathon 2023 was “the Tokyo Marathon with tears,” which I also entitled the YouTube video I posted the same. It was the marathon I cried so hard. From the start, I could not stop running at too high pace and it ended up being a very tough race. However, at the time, people on the sidelines cheered me up a lot, and there I learned this is what ear-shattering means!   I had heard from the Hakone Ekiden (or the Hakone long-distance relay) runners that “people on the sidelines cheer out loud and burst eardrum of the runners,” and for the first time, I had a chance to go through a similar experience in the Tokyo Marathon. In addition, in the Tokyo Marathon, runners get to cross each other several times during the course, and both runners and people on the sidelines cheered me up, and I was so touched that I kept crying even after passing the 30km mark. 

With this incident, I had determined to cross the finish line with a smile for the Tokyo Marathon 2024 and actually broke my personal best. Further, throughout the race, I was able to afford to wave back to everyone who cheered me up and still marked 2 hours 38 minutes and 7 sec. It could not have gone any better in the Tokyo Marathon last year, where I achieved my perfect performance.  I enjoyed myself and believe everyone else also had fun. I felt that there would not be any better race, so entitled the video as “the Tokyo Marathon 2024 with a smile” and posted it.

 

–What is your plan and theme for the Tokyo Marathon 2025?

 This time, I would like to focus on “fascinating.” I plan to run in a way that participants and people on the sidelines would enjoy in terms of entertainment.  On top of that, I still plan to aim to finish within 2 hours and 28min. In order to show my growth, I am aiming to perform better than last year and am fully motivated to surpass what I achieved last year in both entertainment and PB. 

 

Hoping that the age and gender proportion will become equal in future

–The Tokyo Marathon Foundation has set a vision of the “Tokyo Marathon, the best marathon in the world, held in Tokyo, the best city in the world” based on three pillars: “The safest and most secure race in the world,” “The most exciting race in the world,” and “The warmest and most friendly race in the world.” What is your expectation for the Tokyo Marathon, covering also these three pillars?

 I eagerly anticipate the day when the Tokyo Marathon becomes a race where many more people can have fun. I think that currently, only certain people enjoy it and as proven in the data, it is occupied by men in their 40s and 50s. Therefore, I would like to increase the proportion of men and women in their 20s. In particular, if the proportion of women in their 20s increases, automatically, the proportion of men in their 30s and 40s will also increase, right? Just like with sauna and golf, it will be great if the proportion of age and gender in the Tokyo Marathon becomes equal in future through various measures so that young people can enjoy running. In fact, in my YouTube and SNS, I intentionally make efforts to make the proportion of age and gender become equal. It is also my target to have young people run the Tokyo Marathon. 

 

–Finally, what does the Tokyo Marathon mean to you, Mr. Mitsuka? #MyTokyoMarathon is…？

 It is difficult to express in one word. It is the summit of my own marathon. I achieved my personal best in the Tokyo Marathon last year, where people also showed the best reactions in SNS. Thus, it is like a culmination of that year. After a year of hard work, I bring out all my best in the Tokyo Marathon. Actually, around that time of the year, I run a full marathon for four consecutive weeks, and the Tokyo Marathon is the last one of all. It starts from the Ehime Marathon to the Kumamoto Castle Marathon held in the town where I am originally from, to the Tamana Idaten Marathon, in which I play a role as a tourism ambassador, and finally the Tokyo Marathon.  It is the culmination of my month-long or year-long full efforts. Thus, my cycle stats are from April and end in March. From April, marathon season begins again with races held in fall and winter, and I run to bring out all my best in the Tokyo Marathon in March.