The Nihon Gakuen Triathlon club attended the 2019 All Kids Triathlon held on September 7th at Showa Memorial Park.
Open to children from elementary grade 1 all the way up to junior high school grade 3 this year’s event had a noticeable turn out. Combined with family, friends and school supporters the atmosphere was energetic despite the possibility of bad weather due to the coming typhoon.
The Nihon Gakuen Junior Boys team were in good spirits as they waited for their heat which started at 14:20 for junior third years, junior seconds at 14:22 and finally the junior first years at 14:24 in the last boys heat. While they waited they ate, they talked and some even valiantly tried to study, but not before long many were on their smartphones. Having checked in at 8:30 it was inevitable that all their time wouldn’t be spent on academics. It was after all a Sunday.
The weather, which had been growing darker and darker over time, finally let lose with sudden heavy rain which lasted for over half an hour and caused many who had set up in the open to scurry for shelter. Back at the covered Nihon Gakuen camp the talk was of how the rain would affect the road worthiness for the biking part of the event.
As a result of the bad weather start times were adjusted causing the start time for the junior 3rd years to be pushed back by half an hour and all following heats after accordingly.
Finally, however, it was race time. The third year students, Kurokawa Ko and Endo Shingo, already seasoned veterans of triathlon racing, were calm and collected at the start gate making great time in their swim. Endo was the first to exit the pool and made a smooth transition to biking. Junior second year Yamashita Ryo, also no stranger to the race scene, had a good start. Junior first year students Koyama Morisu and Tanaka Hiroki were visibly nervous at the start gate, but did their best.
While Nihon Gakuen members didn’t place in the top ten, they performed admirably despite the bad weather. Junior high 3rd year and 2nd year students kept a good pace and managed to finished accident free. First year junior members, despite some confusion on the run, finished the race successfully.
Also included, please enjoy junior 2nd year student Yamashita Ryo’s impression of the event:
9月8日オールキッズトライアスロン大会に出場しました。目標は中学2年生の中で5位以内を目指していましたが12位と言う結果で自分の体力の無さとスピードの遅さが身に染みました。
この大会は去年、僕がトライアスロンを初めて始めて出場した大会で1年間練習してきた成果を出したいと思っていた大会でした。結果として、去年よりswimで、20秒bikeで、6分短縮したにもかかわらずrunが去年より2秒遅くなってしまいました。
何故かrunの記録が去年より伸びなかったのか考えました。
・暑くてバテた
・bikeで体力を使い果たした
・水分補給のボトルが1本じゃ足りなかった
来年のオールキッズに向けて、今までの部活での練習時間が少なくなってしまったのでいつものメニューよりも辛いメニューをこなして体力とスピードを身につけ、runの姿勢を直し、上の何故伸びなかったか書いてある 3っつのことを注意して来年に挑みたいと思います。