[Race Report] 2026 Itabashi City Marathon | My past self and my present self. What I saw beyond the 30km mark
March 15, 2026. I stood on the Arakawa riverbed in Itabashi.
Even though the pandemic has ended and daily life has returned, the one thing I just cannot seem to reclaim is the title of "Sub-4."
My personal best is 3 hours 42 minutes, set in 2018.
Now in my 40s, I wanted to regain the sharpness I had back then. That was the single-minded determination with which I took on this race.
Preparation: The "feel" from two weeks prior
For the two weeks leading up to the race, I was able to put in high-quality training by my own standards. (Though the overall training volume was clearly low 💦)
• Two weeks before: Confirmed my stamina with a 20km long run
• One week before: Stimulated my heart, lungs, and leg strength with hill sprints
• Final period: Two 5km runs. Adjustment was perfect.
Looking back at my ASICS Runkeeper data, my mileage for this month is already 70km. A significant increase from last month's 38km, and with an average pace of 6 minutes 35 seconds per kilometer, I had steadily built a foundation.
The Race: The Arakawa wind and well-stocked aid stations
The day was blessed with good weather, with perfect conditions at 12.5 degrees Celsius.
The Itabashi City Marathon is known for its frequently placed aid stations. I was helped by their abundance this time as well. Every time I grabbed water, I was able to reset my mindset, thinking, "Okay, onto the next 5km," and I could feel the warmth of the organizers as I ran.
Development: An aggressive middle, a baptism in the final stretch
I passed the halfway point in 2 hours 14 minutes 17 seconds. I intentionally increased my pace, thinking, "This is where it starts." The sensation of passing runners ahead of me overlapped with the memory of when I clocked that 3 hours 42 minutes back in the day.
However, a full marathon is not that easy.
• 30km mark: 3 hours 06 minutes 01 second
• 35km mark: 3 hours 57 minutes 35 seconds
As soon as I passed 30km, the price for my mid-race pace increase came due. My legs stopped dead, and I suffered a massive slowdown, taking over 50 minutes to run 5km.
The back of the "Sub-4" goal was pulling away from me all at once.
The distance that my past self could have endured felt far too long for my present self.
Conclusion: 5 hours 09 minutes 18 seconds. But, I won't stop.
The result was 5 hours 09 minutes 18 seconds.
It didn't reach my goal, and it's a number far from my personal best.
But I believe that the experience of putting one foot in front of the other during the hellish suffering after 35km was not in vain. Although I slowed down, the fact that I can feel this "frustration" is proof that I took on this challenge with all my heart.
What is missing in my current self? Is it how I increase my pace in the middle, or perhaps a strategy suited for my 40s?
Looking at the data, my monthly mileage is trending upward. I won't stop this momentum, and my challenge will continue until the day I cross that "Sub-4" line again.
Thank you to the Itabashi wind and the warm cheers at the aid stations.
Starting tomorrow, one step at a time.
[This race's record]
• Record (Gross): 5 hours 09 minutes 18 seconds
• Net time: 4 hours 59 minutes 02 seconds
• Personal best: 3 hours 42 minutes (2018)