Aoyama Gakuin Univ. Athletics Club will act as a pace runner at the Kochi Ryoma Marathon 3-4 hours!

[R7.1.7] At the 101st Hakone held on January 2-3, 2003, he set a new record for the tournament (10:41:19), and achieved the eighth overall victory for the second consecutive year. And four people who served as pace runners of the Ryoma Marathon this time also contributed to the overall victory.
　Hiroki Wakabayashi, 5th ward, 1st place in section (new section record)
　6th ward Akira Nomura Yume player section 1st place (new section record)
　9th place in the section of Kosei Shiraishi, 7th ward
　9th ward Yuto Tanaka section 2nd place

At the Kochi Ryoma Marathon 2025, which will be held on February 16, next year, four athletes from Aoyama Gakuin University Athletics Club will run as pace runners for the first time in Japan. In addition, it was decided that it would be a pace of 3 to 4 hours rather than an athlete level time. This time, I would like to introduce the comments of the participating players. The detailed time will be the final decision after the Hakone Ekiden at the beginning of the year.

Yuto Tanaka [4th grader]

As this year's team captain, Tanaka plays an important role in demonstrating leadership and organizing the team among the powerful members of Aoyama Gakuin Univ.

Last year's 99th Hakone Ekiden achieved good results, such as 8 wards, 5th in sections, and 8th in sections and 3rd in sections at the 55th All Japan University Ekiden.

As the first pace runner in the Kochi Ryoma Marathon, what kind of support do you want to support?

Tanaka: "I think that there are various levels of runners from those who are really running for citizen runners, so I hope that such people can be self-best renewal and support so that they can feel the fun of running I'm thinking. "

I think there are runners who are looking forward to running with Aoyama Gakuin Univ., who controls Hakone Ekiden. What kind of run do you want to run?

Tanaka: "I want you to do your best under the motto of enjoying the first one, and it is usually difficult for us to run, but after doing your best, what to eat and what to update your self-best If you practice while imagining fun things, such as feelings, you will be able to overcome painful practice, so I hope you will do your best while having such an image. "

Akira Nomura Yume (4th grader)

Nomura performed in the 100th Hakone Ekiden this year, ranking second in the 6th ward and section, contributing to the overall victory.

In addition, at the 36th Izumo Ekiden the other day, he ran in the 2nd ward and achieved sixth place in the section.

How do you feel as a pace runner for the first time at the Kochi Ryoma Marathon?

Nomura: "I myself couldn't go to the Kochi training camp due to the injury, so I'm going to go for the first time this time, but because I can run with the people of Kochi, I want to support firmly by running. "

What is the joy of running?

Nomura: "Yes, the practice itself is tight, and there is no such joy, but after all, if we win the Hakone Ekiden we are aiming for the first place, or if we win such a big tournament, it is good to come after all I feel like it was. "

Kosei Shiraishi [4th grader]

Shiraishi has achieved 16th place in the 2nd ward and section at the 54th All Japan University Ekiden.

Shiraishi's race style is characterized by active running from the beginning. After all, at the Kochi Ryoma Marathon 2024 tournament, we competed with the top players in the prefecture until the end, and excited the roadside.

As a support runner for the Kochi Ryoma Marathon in February next year, what kind of support do you want to support?

Shiraishi: "I myself have the Beppu Oita Marathon ahead of that, and I want to run firmly there and try a full marathon as a subsequent competition life, so in the Kochi Ryoma Marathon, I think it as a solid training I want to do a support run. I hope to take advantage of the blue training I have cultivated over the past four years to run while having fun conversations with the runners running together."

How do you want the general runners to enjoy it?

Shiraishi: "I want to have various conversations, so I can answer anything, such as running expertise, so I want to teach you everything from muscle name to training content. It will be difficult to run, so I hope you can talk about it before and after you run."

Hiroki Wakabayashi [4th grader]

Wakabayashi contributed to the overall victory by demonstrating his talent in the mountain climbing section of the 5th ward at the 100th Hakone Ekiden last year, setting a new section record.

In addition, in the Izumo Ekiden the other day, he ran in the 5th ward and achieved fifth place in the section.

On the day of this interview, I was sick due to the fatigue of Izumo Ekiden, and the interview was not possible. Let's look forward to running in Hakone Ekiden and Kochi next year.

The pace is 3 to 4 hours

This time, the pace for four people has been decided from 3 hours to 4 hours.

It is a time where there are many general runners, not elite runners, and at the Kochi Ryoma Marathon, there is a turnaround zone, so the number of people who can see the running of fresh green has increased compared to last year, and it is a tournament close to general citizen runners Isn't it?

Exercise scenery with a sense of tension

On this day of the interview, the training in the morning and afternoon, and the round trip from the dormitory (5km one way) were combined, and the distance was about 50km.

At the practice area, there was a tight atmosphere throughout the team, and the tension was felt tight.

In order to aim for the top, I realized that such a harsh practice environment was indispensable. Also, after the practice, the players will have a peaceful atmosphere, and these strong bonds between players will lead to the performance of the entire team.

At the 101st Hakone Ekiden next year, I would like to expect the 8th victory for the second consecutive year.