School Ekiden

              Today, I talk about school ekiden. Concretely, they are junior high school ekiden and high school ekiden. I ran junior high school ekiden. It was very interesting. Students who run long distance aim at national athletic competition. Unfortunately, I could not take part in national athletic competition.

              First, I talk about national athletic competition of junior high school ekiden. It is held in Yamaguchi on December. How do junior high school students take part in it? They must win the championship in prefectural athletic competition. If they reach a goal in second place, they could not take part in it. In ordinary circumstances, each of runner run different course, but they run same course if they run same distance in this competition. Men’s competition is 18 kilometers. Six men run and each of them run 3 kilometers. Women’s competition is 12 kilo meters. Five women run. The first runner and last runner run 3 kilometers. The second runner, the third runner and the fourth runner run 2 kilometers. Junior high school is compulsory education. So, supervisors could not get good runner. As a result, people who don’t belong to track and field club sometime take part in ekiden competition. Women’s team whose members belong to basketball club wins the championship in national athletic competition in 2011. Some of member who run this competition run national competition of high school ekiden.

              Second, I talk about national athletic competition of high school ekiden. it is held in Kyoto on December. How do high school students take part in it? They must win the championship in prefectural athletic competition too. In the beginning, I talk about women’s competition. Five women run 21.0975 kilometers. The first runner runs 6 kilometers. It is the longest course in this competition. End of course is up slope  Foreigners cannot run this course. I think it is point worthy of note. The second runner runs 4 kilometers. This course has up and down slope. The third runner runs 3 kilometers. This course has a lot of crossings. So, runner must turn well. The fourth runner runs 3 kilometers. Most of team cannot put powerful runner in this course because this course is the shortest and easy to run. So, this course is point to win the championship. Last runner runs 5 kilometers. Runners who run this course are a big responsibility. If two runners compete, both of them may get nervous. I think person who is strong-minded will win. Next, I talk about men’s competition. Seven men run 42.195 kilometers. The first runner runs 10 kilometers. This course is the longest, so ace of team run this course. Foreigners cannot run this course. The second runner runs 3 kilometers. This course is chance to get momentum. The third runner runs 8.1075 kilometers. This course is upslope. And a head wind blows on upslope. The fourth runner runs 8.0875 kilometers. This course is a downward slope. The fifth runner runs 3 kilometers. The sixth runner runs 5 kilometers. Last runner runs 5 kilometers. This course is the same as women’s last course. Most of people who are active in this competition run Hakone ekiden.