Notes
2015 HM 9
2015 Race 11
Out to Tomakomai the night before and crashed at the local Road Station. Up the next morning and out to the goal at the sports grounds. Weather was cool and cloudy. Looked perfect, but it was set to deteriorate...around start time. Seriously! No registration needed as they had already sent my race number in the post. Just had to get on the bus and get out to the start at Komazawa University.
The only other foreigner in the race sat down beside me on the bus. Turned out to be living in Niseko. Knew a guy doing Kona even. Kinda funny! Good guy though.
Got set up inside the university until I got an email from MHM about thunder, lightning and heavy rain at the start. Looked outside and saw that it was much the same here. Thunder and lightning too. On man. Not pumped on that, but got out the plastic raincoat I bought in Takikawa. Least I am getting my money's worth on that purchase...
So...started the race in the rain at 10:10. Batman, Catwoman and Jushin Liger seemed to be in the race too. However I guess I didn't look at the course properly again. Being Tomakomai, I knew that it would be flat, but I thought there was a short loop at the start, then a straight 19K on the main drag, before another little loop to the end. It didn't turn out to be quite that bad. Close, but not quite that bad...
The first loop out to the campground and back was about 6K...in the rain! Didn't really need to be worrying about cutoff points, but I did need to make 18K by 2:15. Anyway, made it to the water station at 5K in 32:00. No worries there. Had water and my first jelly drink.
After that it was a left turn, past the university and a straight line for about 13K. Still wet, but just light rain now. Although it was a six lane road, it wasn't that bad as it was tree-lined...with trees running down the middle too. Didn't feel that crazy...except going through intersections. The road wasn't completely closed off and, naturally, we had the right of way, but I always stressed that the policemen directing traffic wouldn't see me coming. Only once did I see a runner have to swerve out of the way of a taxi. (A little slack that that even happened though...)
Anyway, just cruised it along the main drag, trying to conserve as much energy as possible. Walking through the water stations, stretching a little too even. Water and my second jelly drink at the 10K in 1:02, 15K at 1:34 and then the 18K at 1:51.
Started to pick up the pace in the last 3K and passed a bunch of people. Finally made a left turn at about 19K and headed back towards the sports grounds. Apart from the weather, it was a fairly uneventful race. Just flat and really straight.
Entered the sports grounds and finished with one lap on the athletics track. Got rice balls, sports drink and a race towel at the finish. Good to get it DONE.