From an Office Worker Who Averaged 2,000 Steps a Day to Running 10 Kilometers

The reason I moved a few years ago was that it would put me within a 10-minute walk of my workplace.

Since my student days, I was the type who could study well but was absolutely hopeless at sports.
In footraces, I was always put in the group of the slowest people, and my physical education grade was a 2 out of 5.

I entered the workforce without ever being able to shake off my sense of inferiority regarding exercise.
I became a typical office worker, living a life where I strained my eyes under blue light and suffered from stiff shoulders.

Wanting to increase my life efficiency, I moved near my workplace.
My living environment and convenience improved; no matter how much overtime I worked, I could get home in 10 minutes, and no matter how much I overslept, I could get to work in 10 minutes.
I spent years living like that.

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I could feel that I had clearly gained weight from the zipper of my skirt screaming for help.
One day, I stepped on the scale I had been avoiding. I took a deep breath for the first time in a while and faced reality.
Looking at the number displayed, I told myself, 'No, no, no, no, I must have just eaten too much yesterday, that's definitely it,' and stepped on it again the next day. It hadn't changed.

Weight isn't proof of beauty, and I was within the healthy range in terms of BMI, but I felt I couldn't go on like this.
Because my average daily step count was 2,000 steps.
Searching Google for things like 'average daily steps for women' was a foolish question; it was clear my physical activity was far too low.
I'm the kind of person who moved just to avoid moving around, but gaining this much weight was unexpected.

Around that same time, a decisive event occurred.
It was announced that Fumiya Sano of the group I support, OWV, would be participating in a 100-kilometer survival marathon.

At this moment, I thought, 'I should walk, since Sano-san is working hard enough to run 100 kilometers.'

Fumiya Sano is a very fast runner, but it's not that he likes running;
he runs to raise the group's profile and increase the places where they can perform.

He had achieved victory in the previous Akasaka Mini Marathon and was steadily raising his profile.
The 100-kilometer marathon was an extension of that, and knowing that he was running night after night to achieve results made me want to work hard at something too.

Unlike Sano-san, I'm just a person who gained weight starting a diet, but
this was the beginning of my 10-kilometer run.

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Around late May, I started walking.
I began by walking 2 to 3 kilometers a day, gradually increasing the distance, and within about three months, walking 5 kilometers became a habit. I was able to lose 3 kilograms.
Even just this was an amazing change for me personally.
I went from only walking 2,000 steps a day to exceeding 8,000 steps a day.

Around that time, Sano-san was running 100 kilometers. It's too amazing.
Sano-san, who runs so much while carrying the name of his team, is truly cool.

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Inspired by Sano-san's hard work, although the scale was completely different, I was able to continue exercising.
I was genuinely happy that the distance I could walk increased and that I saw results.
My diet was also going well, and I eventually lost 5 kilograms. My self-esteem grew, thinking that was genuinely impressive.

Just as I could see the goal of working hard until my health checkup in August,
it was announced that OWV's Honda-san and Sano-san would be participating in the 7.2-kilometer section of the Osaka Marathon.

Do you ever see words like 'Click here to enter the marathon!' when supporting a boy band?If it's OWV, you do.

Even if I entered, it didn't mean I would run with them, and there was no guarantee I would see my favorites, but I had an intuition that I just 'wanted to try it'.
I had naturally never run 7 kilometers in my life, and it was an unknown world.

After much deliberation, I decided to trust my intuition that I wanted to try this, and
out of spite because a concert I was looking forward to was canceled due to a typhoon, I signed up for a marathon for the first time in my life.

In my life up until now, I would never have thought to "go out of my way to apply for a lottery and pay to enter a race just to run a long distance."
You never know what might happen.

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"In February, I will run 7.2 kilometers" With this new goal, I shifted my exercise from walking to running.

In September, I tried walking 7 kilometers for the first time. I was unbelievably exhausted.
Honestly, 7 kilometers felt like a long way. I was incredibly anxious about whether I could run it, but I had no choice but to do it.

Like Mr. Sano's 100-kilometer marathon, I started practicing by running only the final stretch.
At first, I walked 6 kilometers and ran 1 kilometer, then next I walked 5 kilometers and ran 2 kilometers, gradually increasing the distance I ran.
In any case, my goal was to increase the amount of time I spent moving without stopping.

Around this time, I installed a running tracking app and started recording the distance and speed I ran.
I looked at the records of followers who were participating in the same marathon, and we practiced while encouraging each other.
There were days when work was busy or practice felt like a chore. At those times, seeing the records of followers who were running motivated me to practice.
(Thank you all so much, really!)

At first, even walking 7 kilometers was all I could do, but by November, I was able to run 7 kilometers without stopping.

Then, one day in December after continuing my practice, I succeeded in running 10 kilometers for the first time.

I can run about 10 kilometers on my own two feet! The sense of success from this was far, far greater than I had imagined.
I wondered why I was so happy, and I think it was because I was able to experience the cliché that "if you keep at it, you will succeed!" and because it was a success in an area I was not good at, which made it even more joyful.
There are many good things about having started running.


I no longer give up even if it says it takes 20 minutes to walk to my destination.
I can sleep soundly on the days I run, and my physical condition is excellent.
I have also been able to maintain a slimmer physique.
The time I spend running with a clear mind serves as a digital detox and is a great way to relieve stress.
Above all, the best thing is that by looking back at the numbers in my running records, I can feel that "

I am doing my best in my own way."Around this time, I was feeling like my heart was dying during a busy period at work, but thanks to accumulating even a little bit of running records despite being busy,
I felt it was good for my mental health. I can't say "everyone should run!" but I think you should try it once.

By the way, around that time OWV had "all of them" complete the Honolulu Marathon.

All four of them are running; it's amazing.
They say it casually, but a full marathon is an outrageous distance.
Led by Mr. Sano, they run so much that their units of measurement are broken, but they are doing something truly insane.
I thought I might be supporting an incredible group.

With members who aren't particularly good at running, the feeling of not wanting to let only Mr. Sano run, and the fact that they ran to create buzz, I felt their passion and bond.
I truly feel glad that I am supporting these people.

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Thus, the goal of running 7.2 kilometers was successfully in sight, and I even became able to run 10 kilometers.
I repeat, half a year ago, I was an office worker who only walked 2,000 steps a day.
You never know what will happen in life that running would become a hobby, and when I tell people around me about this, they are surprised because the circumstances are so unique.

Thank you, OWV, for such a success story.
As a result of being able to think that I should do my best because the four of them are running so much, my next goal is to run a half marathon! This is the dream I want to achieve now. I'll do my best~

#DreamIWantToAchieve

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Bonus

Around that time, Sano-san was on the path to becoming the fastest speedster in the entertainment industry.

It's truly amazing. Taking first place and setting records as if it were natural is not something to be taken for granted; I believe it is the result of Sano-san's unseen efforts and strength of character.

Supporting a celebrity who can keep working so honestly and diligently, and feeling that I can do my best too—I truly appreciate the blessing of being able to believe in such idealistic sentiments.

If you keep giving 100%, you will eventually hit a home run, but since that is never a guarantee, it is difficult to always give your all.
I always think from the bottom of my heart that the way Sano-san lives, doing that so calmly, is cool.

I know I keep saying the same thing, but it is rare to be able to support someone who makes you think, 'I want to do my best too.' I am truly grateful.

To Fumiya Sano, thank you for always running at full speed; you always give me courage.
I will keep following you so that I don't get left behind.

I, too, will do my best in my own way!!