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

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

The 14th interviewee is Ms. Minami Asano, who runs the running community “GOGIRL” for women. 

We asked her about the appeal and value of the Tokyo Marathon from the perspective of a community organizer, the changes the Tokyo Marathon has brought to the city and running culture, and how she wants to spread the joy of running and exercise to women in the future.

The Tokyo Marathon is one of my goals in my running life.

 

–From the perspective of a running community organizer, how do you view the significance and value of the Tokyo Marathon?

The Tokyo Marathon is a leading marathon event in Japan that every runner dreams of running at least once. It’s a source of admiration. Having the Tokyo Marathon gives people a goal in their running journey, and even if you can’t participate yourself, you’ll want to cheer on your community members and running buddies as if it were your own race.

 

–How did you feel about the atmosphere in the city and the excitement of the event on the day of the Tokyo Marathon?

 The whole city has a festive atmosphere on the day of the race. The people cheering along the course come prepared with cheering goods like flags with names written on them and message boards, and some even cheer in costumes, so just watching them makes me feel really excited. When I actually run in marathon races myself, I’m encouraged by those cheering messages.

 

–As the Tokyo Marathon has started and has become one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, what changes have you noticed in the running culture?

 Until a few years ago, running and marathons used to be seen as something older people did, but since the Tokyo Marathon got more prominent, we have seen many younger runners. The growth of different running communities has definitely played a part in that too. I also think the increase in various running communities has contributed to the rise in younger marathon runners.

 

We value “enjoying running with friends.”

—How do you feel running is perceived as a sport among women? Also, if there are any unique running cultures or ways of enjoying running specific to women, please tell us about them.

 I think marathons have an image of being a tough sport for women, but in our community, we value “enjoying running with friends,” so we feel that participating in races and other events with members of the same community makes them even more enjoyable. Running with other women also makes the presence of female runners more visible, which is one of the reasons we run a women’s running community.

 

—What do you find appealing about the Tokyo Marathon? Why do you think runners want to run the Tokyo Marathon?

It’s one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, making it one of the world’s seven major marathons, and as a leading marathon event in Japan, it attracts many runners from all over the world. Also, because the course takes runners past tourist attractions, it’s an event that both runners and spectators along the course can enjoy, which I think is why it’s such a popular event.

 

–How is the Tokyo Marathon perceived among the members of GOGIRL?

 Many members of GOGIRL see the Tokyo Marathon as “a dream race they want to run someday.” We often hear things like, “I want to challenge it someday,” or “I want to participate with everyone.”

 

Experiencing the “Warmth and Kindness”

–Please tell us about a memorable story you have related to the Tokyo Marathon.

 I haven’t run it myself yet, but I look forward to cheering on my many friends who participate every year. One particularly memorable experience was about five years ago when I made energy balls—which I often serve through my catering business—and went to cheer them on along the course. The race was held in the rain that day, and all the runners looked very cold. However, having raced in the rain myself, I can relate; I have the impression that you tend to get better times in the rain. Many of my friends actually set personal bests that day, and I remember thinking, “Maybe it’s thanks to the energy balls!” (laughs).

 

–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 view on this?

 I think the three pillars are a great concept. I especially like “The warmest and the most friendly race in the world,” and I hope they can create a race that is kind to everyone—runners, spectators, people not involved in the race, the city, and the environment. Having seen the race on-site myself, I felt that the warm support from the people along the course and the way the volunteers called out to the runners truly embodied a “warm and kind race.”

 

Events to make running even more enjoyable

 

—What does the Tokyo Marathon mean to you?　#MyTokyoMarathon is…？

 Since I haven’t run it yet, it’s a race I admire and hope to run someday. Having lived in Tokyo for 15 years, I feel it’s also an event that makes me feel close to home. If I ever get the chance to participate, I want to enjoy running through the city of Tokyo. And I want to achieve my long-held goal of finishing in under four hours (sub-4)!

 

–Do you have any expectations for the future Tokyo Marathon? What would you like to see as a way to further promote the running culture?

 I think it would be fun to have events like “Running x 〇〇” (Running fusing with something else) held before the race for people who are interested in running but haven’t started yet. In our community, to help people enjoy running, we’ve held sports days where people of all ages can participate, and we’ve also organized running festivals with live music and markets, which have helped people discover the fun of running. So, I would be happy if there were fun events that fused running with something else.

 

–At “GOGIRL,” how do you plan to spread the joy of running and exercise to women in the future?

 We plan to organize many fun events besides just running practice. I hope that these fun events will lower the barrier to entry for participating in marathon races and make it easier for people to give it a try. Women, in particular, often face many things they have to give up as their life stages change, but running and exercise can be continued at their own pace. So, we want to promote the idea that people can continue to enjoy running and exercise throughout their lives.