The Josai University men's ekiden team has decided to participate in the Hakone Ekiden at New Year's for the first time in two years, and is aiming to be seeded in the race. Hideaki Makino, who produces running apparel for a major select store, will talk with them about Ekiden and running in this second installment of a special talk.
Following Director Shizuji Kushibe, we asked team leader Masato Fujii to reflect on his year as captain. We also asked him about his passion for running gear, from shoes to clothing and socks.
PROFILE
. born in 2000. Graduated from Meikei Daigaku Kozo High School . . Captain of the Josai University men's ekiden team. . His main achievements include placing 13th in the 7th section of the 97th Hakone Ekiden and 16th in the 5th section of the 52nd All-Japan University Ekiden. His personal best times are 14'19"72 for 5000m, 29'01"93 for 10000m, and 1:03'02 for the half marathon.
PROFILE
Born in 1980. Born in Tochigi Prefecture. Worked at a major select store. Utilizing her fashion skills and experience as an active sub-three runner, she is also active as a fashion running advisor. The theme of her everyday clothes is always to coordinate with a 10-km runner. She is enthusiastic about following the Hakone Ekiden since her school days.
Hakone Runner's thoughts on gear selection.
Makino: Hello . The Hakone Ekiden (relay race) for New Year's Day is coming up, and congratulations again on your third-place finish in the qualifying round!
Fujii: Thank you very much. The team is working hard together to earn the seeding for the Hakone Ekiden.
Makino: I love the Hakone Ekiden, and as a citizen runner, I have been looking forward to hearing many questions from Captain Fujii.
Fujii: I am looking forward to it as well! Thank you very much for your time today.
Makino: By the way, since I usually work in fashion, I am interested in the items that runners wear as well as their running. Do you have any preferences for clothing in terms of design, coloring, etc.?
Fujii: Yes, that's right. We often choose loud fluorescent colors for our running clothes. We spend almost all of the year in running clothes, so we want to make a sharp contrast with our casual clothes, which we wear only occasionally. For everyday wear, we tend to spend most of our time in simple, monotone outfits.
Makino: You switch between running and the rest of the time.
Fujii: Yes. When I'm not running, I like to think about something other than track and field.
Makino: In my case, it's the opposite. I choose clothes that I can run in at any time. . A style that is comfortable to wear on the street, but also comfortable to run in.
FUJII: So your everyday clothes and running clothes are the same? Why is that?
Makino: I enjoy the crossover between a sense of fashion and the functionality of running. With this outfit today, I can walk around town and feel comfortable running at any time.
Fujii: In my case, I try to pay attention to the material of my running clothes. I like thin, quick-drying materials, so I often choose clothes with a crisp feel. I especially like windbreakers that are windproof and heat-retaining, and I like windbreakers without mesh material because they are not thick and are easy to move around in.
Makino: I see. Do you also have a particular attachment to shoes and socks?
Fujii: Yes. . For example, I wear only five-toed socks.
Makino: Isn't it unusual for a player to wear five-finger socks?
Fujii: You may be right. In the past, when I used to run wearing the regular type, the skin on the soles of my feet peeled off. . Since then, I have become a five-finger type, which gives me the feeling of gripping with my fingers.
Makino: Lately, I've been in the mood for long socks. I like to find items that look casual at first glance, but are actually functional and made for running.
Fujii: I also wear long socks when I run long distances at a slow pace, but basically I prefer ankle-length socks. With long socks, the material absorbs sweat and weighs me down gram by gram.
Makino: Wow, that's great. I guess that's what we runners do not care about, but at the athlete's level, we do. How about shoes?
Fujii: Even the same thick-soled model has different resilience and cushioning depending on the manufacturer. So, I wear them differently depending on my training menu.
Makino: Do you wear them differently depending on the scene?
Fujii: When jogging, I choose a heavier model that is hard to feel the rebound when running slowly for more than 5 minutes per kilometer, and a lighter model that allows me to feel some rebound when jogging in the 4-minute range per kilometer.
Makino: So you use the same jog for different purposes?
Fujii: Yes. Furthermore, when I run at a faster pace of 3:30-40 minutes per kilometer, I wear a lightweight model with a stiffer sole for easy rebound. Apart from that, I also have shoes for racing.
Makino: You are indeed very particular. What do you think are the advantages of wearing different shoes?
Fujii: I had almost no injuries during my four years of college, but it may be important to choose the best shoes for the situation , in terms of preventing breakdowns.
Makino: Do you have any particular attachment to the shoes as a whole?
Fujii: Yes, that's right. . We emphasize the fit when you put them on. Especially with thick-soled models, I check not only the cushioning but also whether the arch of the sole will not collapse. Also, there are models that provide a pleasant rebound when the ground contact is timed correctly, so I think a major point is to choose shoes that suit your running style.
Makino: I have more shoes than I can count, but shoe selection is really deep.
To be a real strong team.
Makino: Now, the Hakone Ekiden is less than a month away. As the captain, what kind of team building have you been trying to achieve over the past year?
Athletes take their time running 25 km , as a way to build stamina.
Fujii: Last year I was unable to participate in the Hakone Ekiden, so I could not miss the main race for the second year in a row. Because of the pressure I felt as captain, I also want to achieve results with this year's team. But at the same time, I also want us to become a really strong team over the next few years. . Someday, I want people to say, "Josai has become stronger since that year. . I hope that we can build the foundation for that.
Makino: I see. So you are looking at growth not only for this year, but also for next year and beyond.
Fujii: I also think that while it is important to produce results and achieve satisfactory results, it is even more important to experience frustration. At the preliminary round of the All-Japan University Ekiden in June this year, I was disappointed to come in 40 seconds short of 7th place, but I think that is why I was able to pass the Hakone Preliminary Round in 3rd place.
Makino: As captain, what specific changes did you make?
Fujii: Yes, that's right. In order to improve the atmosphere of the team, first of all, I have tried to keep a smile on my face at all times. Personally, there were many times when I was depressed because I could not set records, but I tried to smile in front of everyone.
Makino: That is a wonderful spirit. The atmosphere of the team seems to become brighter when the captain has a smile on his face. On the other hand, what challenges do you face?
Pre-practice meeting. Communication and confirmation of practice intentions are made.
Fujii: I would like to keep the good atmosphere and increase competition within the team. We have an A team and a B team according to running ability, and if the B team becomes more active and competition within the team increases, we can become a stronger team.
Makino: Are there any new rules you have set since you became captain?
Fujii: In the past, first- and second-year students were responsible for cleaning the team, but starting this year, third- and fourth-year students have also been assigned to do so to improve the openness between seniors and juniors. In addition to this, we regularly take anonymous questionnaires to understand the status of the team.
Makino: Anonymous survey!
Fujii: We started this project to get the true opinions of each member of the team. . Since it is anonymous, it is easy for us to understand the issues and situations within the team.
Makino: You have thought this through very well. You are indeed a captain! Such is the Hakone Ekiden that you will take on with this year's team, but what are your goals again?
Fujii: The goal is to be seeded. Personally, I would like to run in the first or third section, but if I can make it to the return leg, I think that would put us in good shape as a team. I have run poorly in the qualifying rounds for both the All-Japan University Ekiden and the Hakone Ekiden, so no matter which section I run, I will aim to earn the seeding as a camp captain.
Makino: I will be cheering for the main race in the New Year, paying attention to which section Captain Fujii will be running. Thank you very much for your time today!
Photo_kentaro Hisadomi
Text_Kenji Hashimoto
