The Perfect Storm of Idiocy

We promised drama. We never disappoint. Ups and downs but we’re okey dokey now and reveling in the lunacy of the last weekend. So we lined up for our debut Marathon in Tokyo Sunday. Woke up to pouring rain, naturally. Rarely venture outside even on cold wintery wet days, let alone go for a 42.195km run in one.

At 7am the tunnels of Shinjuku Station were transformed into an underground warm-up room. A veritable mass of dencorub, impressive stretches and taping. We toileted, dropped off our bags and climbed the hill to the starting block.

Here we were with 35,000 new friends. Shivering, freezing at the start line in our lovely plastic bags. The temperature at the start was 5C. After 30 minutes it dropped to 4C and never went up.  Documenting it all on the old Fuji Finepix. Feet wet. Hands blocks of ice. But we were so excited we could hardly stand it.

The gun went off at 9.10am. We eventually got over the start line about 9.25ish, dancing to Footloose and wondering where Governor Ishihara was…(we weren’t aware of the tsunami warning, but he was... and as a result had been evacuated. It was just us and the amazing volunteers and supporters…)

So we started to run. And for the first time in a long time I think we both loved it again. We were running for something. Not just doing endless blockies around Arima. We felt exhilarated and it made the cold fade. Seeing Tokyo in a new way. Bodies moving. It was a human Nike swoosh – 35,000 raincoats swishing through the streets. 3km went in a blur. I think I high fived everyone on the right side of the road. We did our first 5 km in about 30 minutes, which for us is incredible, especially with my gammy calf.

But of course it is here that things go wack. Hello 7km. Trace needed the toilet. Why will always remain a mystery. We had just been. Hadn’t over hydrated on Amino Supli. But it was cold and wet, mixed with nerves and excitement and so nature called. There was nothing to do but go. We stopped at a conveni. 1 toilet, at least 20 people in line. Do the math. Forget it. Keep running. Get to 8km, see more portaloos. We had been warned that the toilet situation is chaotic and ridiculously crowded up to 10km, but we were thinking if we stopped now that would be it. Trace urged me to go on. But we were having such fun running together. No, I run with you. Always. So we waited near Takabashi. 4 loos for a line that snaked up and down the street. We waited and watched despondently as thousands ran past us.

Prior to this we were in such a nice position. Situated just behind the 5:30 pace setters, then we found a TV crew following some talent. And if there’s ever a chance for us to get on the telly, you know we’ll be there. But we thought just do the toilet thing now and get it over with. So we stayed in line. Really needed to go. Starts raining heavier. Body heat all gone. Waiting, waiting waiting - 15 minutes... Shivering, shivering… Then the lovely staff come up to us in their official yellow jackets and tell us that the train station underground has toilets for runners. Runners are coming up. Looks faster. It’s gotta be warmer down there. We run downstairs. 2 toilets for the ladies 20 people in the line. Waiting waiting waiting. Factor in everyone is wearing TIGHTS. And it’s women... and it’s RAINING!!! And random pedestrians were using them too….sigh. Finally used the facilities about 35 minutes after we first stopped. Breathe a sigh of relief. Now not expecting any stops for at least the next 25 kms.

We run upstairs from the station – and now of course it is…SNOWING. Wring out our sopping wet gloves and try to get them back on. It was comedic. And hardly any runners left. Only the toilet people, injured and stragglers. Trace looked at her watch as we came up to the 10km checkpoint. We had run the next 5km in about 35 minutes &  then there was the 35+ minute toilet wait... so that was over an hour for the next 5km. 1:10... Ok, let's get a move on. Need to make up time.

Just as we were getting the sprint on, an official put a big orange rope in front of us and screamed "TIME OVER". We are all confused and start asking what's happening... "TIME OVER" the yellow coat officials keep yelling over the rain. "You must retire because you have to complete the 10km in 1:54:00". The big official clock is flashing 1:54:48... Yes, we were 48 seconds too late. Trace looked down at her watch – and started screaming "YOU'RE ALL WRONG". “My watch says 1 hour 40 minutes.” Showing them the watch… “A-ha!” Said the little old man with scissors trying to snip off Tee’s electronic timer - …”that time is from when you passed over the start line - not from the 9.10am gun time”. So you are out for the count. Get on the shuttle bus. You're going home.

While all this was going on, all the other people from the toilet queues starting arriving. An angry mob formed. Tee almost got arrested for shoving her Garmin in front of everyone's face. The married couple (who recently wed and were doing this as a start their marriage thingy) were in tears, the girl next to Dee inconsolable on the phone, some professional looking runners started screaming about the lack of toilets. Dee explaining to anyone in a yellow jacket that we were in "the toiley line" forever and that this was zurui…And then the big yellow bus of shame came and we all piled on. There were tears. A nurse got on and called out – “Does anyone need medical attention?” Someone yelled back - "This is not the injured bus. We are the toilet people." 

And that is how our first marathon experience was. Highly emotional, so joyous and freakishly fun for the first 10km. And then it was over before it had even begun.

Filled with so many "what if" moments…

For our many friends and loved ones waiting for us all over Tokyo…thank you so much for all your support. We wished we could have seen you. We feel so bad because you all came out IN THE TORRENTIAL RAIN. Oh well, it was educational, we have learnt a lot from our many rookie mistakes and looking at the forums and the post race report, it affected thousands – much more so than past years. Yes, it was the perfect storm of idiocy – ours and theirs. We’re guessing the weather was a big factor here…plus the popularity of those compression tights. Our friend who is quite the pro marathon runner needed a toilet at km31. He had to wait 25 minutes and lost all his body heat. Had to retire with only just over 10km to go. And then there was the man who got the big orange rope pulled in front of him at km41. No, not allowed to finish his last little bit... TIME OVER. He too got stuck at the toilet. Perhaps in hindsight & considering the conditions it was better to get the rope at 10 rather then meters from the finish. Not enough lavs for 35,000 people. Shame on you 'big mikan'. 

Good things came out of it though. There's always a positive spin. We realized that we can run 10km and not feel tired, out of breath or even feel like we have exerted ourselves at all. And we like it. How cool is that? We have a long ways to go to become anything other than fun runners, but for us that is the point. A little over 20 months ago Trace couldn't walk to the 7-11 down the road without having a coronary. Then when we did the first 10km fun runs, they used to wipe us out for days and days afterwards. And Sunday - well, 10kms done and we felt like we had just had a little stroll. That's a miraculous feeling and one we never ever thought would be a part of this life. And it was 4C and we were running in literally freezing rain. So that was good. We’re over it now. The atmosphere was fab. Even with a tsunami warning. And just running the streets of Tokyo and seeing the city like that was almost worth not finishing. Even if it was only from Shinjuku to Hibiya.

But we will run a marathon this year. Count on it.

If Trace gets drawn in the lottery next year she’s going to dehydrate herself for a week beforehand.

And soon we begin our new entrepreneurial venture - production of our prototype Marathon Omutsu (The Marathon Diaper/Nappy). We think this has potential. Investors???

Comments

[David]

Awesome story, sorry to hear you got the Orange rope.
But like you said you have to looking at the positive side.
Well done for the 10 km and looking forward on the whole story of a full marathon.

[Shannon]

Wow that is some story....and you have both given me even more inspiration....even if you did get the orange rope...seriously what were those people thinking....