about marathon and ekiden

         A marathon is composed of events of long-distance. Runners run 42.195km and they compete ranking or time. For general runners, there are half marathon(21.0975km)and quarter marathon(10.54875km).  We call the race on the road "Marathon" even if a course is shorter than 42.195km.

         The origin of name dates back to the 450 B.C.(the war of Marathon).  Miltiades, the general of Athēnai(now; Athens) , won the war.To convey the win to state men,  a soldier,Philippides was selected. He ran from Marathon to Athens and tell them that they were win.  A French, Michel Breal, recalled that episode and suggested the event to run from Marathon to Athens in the 1st Athens Olympic games in 1896. In Olympic games, it was 1972 that women's marathon was admitted officially.


         An ekiden is Japanese name. In English, it called a "a long-distance relay race"or "road relay". This event is Japan in origin, so we call it ekiden in foreign.Runners run long distance a relay form and they pass a sash(Tasuki).Since a public road is used, the team separated from the head too much may run with a spare sash(advanced start).  That is, the sash of the team isn't passed runner to runner. I think this is one of the real thrill in ekiden.

        Probably ,Hakone ekiden is the most popular in Japan. It held in 2rd and 3rd on January. Only the student who has joined in the Kanto student track-and-field league can participate in Hakone ekiden. It is only a student applicable to the following conditions that can participate in Hakone ekiden also in the student.

•  The student of the university which won a prize less than of the 10th place in the convention last time
• The student of the university which won a prize less than of the 9th place by the elimination contest
• The student who was not above applied and was chosen as the Kanto student track-and-field league(Kanto-gakuren) all-star team

        That is,there are 20 team in one convention.

The next  topic  is  "about hardle".