42.195 Frequently Asked Questions

On March 12th, I participated in the Nagoya Women's Marathon.
I will answer some questions I am often asked by those around me.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Q Why do you go out of your way to do something so painful?
Is it for the sense of accomplishment when you reach the finish line?

A At first, it was because I wanted to try the challenge.
I thought I would feel a sense of accomplishment, but I didn't really.

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Q Is there something beyond the finish line?

A I just get a prize and go home.

I like running,
and there happened to be a marathon race at the end of that,
do you really need a reason?

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Q Is it because you want a Tiffany?

A If I wanted one, I would buy it myself.

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Start off feeling energetic.
Along the way, it gets painful and I want to run away.
The cheers from the roadside make me feel energetic again.
When I feel like I can do it, it gets painful again.

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I hear voices saying, "The Tiffany is almost here, keep it up."
I'm not running because I want a Tiffany.

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There are times when it's fun, but there are also times when it's painful.
There are times when I want to run away.
There are times when I'm happy for the support and can keep going.
There are also times when I can't honestly accept the support.
It's a cycle.

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When I think about my pace and manage to build up speed at the end to finish, it feels great.

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It's just like life.
There are joys and there are sufferings.
You recover, then you get depressed again, then you crawl back up.
I can keep going because there is a finish line.

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How can I finish life feeling good?
I suppose it's by doing what I want to do and reaching the finish line.

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What do I want to do?
I know what that is.
It's not a radius of 42.195...
It's to make the people in my "5-meter radius world" happy.
I have to think about my pacing, though.

*Why 42.195??
A long 42.195 kilometers.
For runners, this subtle 0.195 kilometers can be painful.
The marathon was initially set at only about 40 kilometers. The 4th London Games were the reason that marathon became 42.195 kilometers. The reason seems to be a single word from Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom. It is said that the distance was extended from the original to the current 42.195 kilometers so that "the starting point is the palace garden, and the finish line is in front of the stadium's box seats."

I thought there was a deeper meaning...
Maybe that's just how it is?
I guess it means we should live easily without overthinking things.