I participated in the Tour de Tohoku 2023 held on Sunday, September 17, 2023.
The situation the day before the event is ``The previous day”.
This article describes the situation on the day of the event.On the day”.
- Wake up to venue
- Start (5:45) ~ Onagawa AS (6:20)
- Onagawa AS - Ogatsu AS (7:20)
- Ogatsu AS ~ Kamwarisaki AS (8:40)
- Kamwarizaki AS to Utatsu AS (9:50)
- Utatsu AS - Otani Kaigan AS (10:50)
- Otani Kaigan AS ~ Namijo/Norikan AS (12:20)
- Waveside/Tshokan AS ~ Utatsu AS (13:30)
- Utatsu AS ~ Hotel Kanyo AS (14:20)
- Hotel Kanyo AS ~ Kamwarizaki AS (15:00)
- Kamwarisaki AS - Kitakami AS (15:30)
- Kitakami AS ~ Goal (16:45)
- After the finish line - Sendai city
- Closing Thoughts
Wake up to venue
Last night I turned off the lights around 8pm and went to bed, but I think I finally managed to fall asleep around 9pm.
It was around 2:30 when my eyes got cold.
I was able to sleep for at least 5 hours, so I didn't feel too sleep deprived.
I finish my breakfast with the rice balls, energy drink, and protein that I bought last night.
Supplement to prevent cramps2RUN” I will also drink it.
『2RUN'' is really recommended, and I have never had a leg cramp after drinking it.
On long rides like this one, I try to drink once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
Reception starts at 4:30, so check out of the hotel around 3:30 and head to the starting point, Ishinomaki Senshu University.
It is about 10km from the hotel to Ishinomaki Senshu University, and of course you will have to drive there by yourself.
It's a flat road, so if you go slowly you can drive without affecting the rest of your journey.
I relied on the guidance of the Wahoo (older model), but the route it recommended cut through residential areas and made many unnecessary turns.It was around 4:40 when we arrived at the venue via a strange route.
Registration for such events is often held the day before, but for this Tour de Tohoku 2023, registration was only accepted on the day.
At the reception on the day, I checked to see if I had a bib and handed over a document, and it was over in less than a minute.
After that, check your baggage and stand in line for the start.
By the way, baggage storage was free. (I think it cost about 700 yen for the Sado long ride.)
When lining up to start, you will be checked to see if the front and rear lights are on and if the IC tag on your bib is responding.
We finished lining up around 4:50 and waited for the start.
The ceremony will begin at around 5:20, and everyone will start at 5:30.
Start (5:45) ~ Onagawa AS (6:20)
At the start, there are about 10 people in a horizontal line, and then 3 vertical lines, which means about 30 people start all at once.
I started 3rd in line, but the queue is first come first served.
The earlier you line up, the sooner you can start and the longer you have until the finish line, so if you are not confident that you will be able to finish the race, it is better to line up as soon as possible.
Now it's the start of the 210km long road to Kesennuma Fondo.
The weather was cloudy and the temperature felt a little chilly while we were waiting, but once we started moving, it was warm enough to wear short sleeves and short pants.
It's a mostly flat road from the start to the shooting range with the first climb.
I followed the people around me as I was cruising, but I think I was traveling at an average speed of about 35km/h.
When I usually ride the Arakawa Cycling Road, my speed is about 28km/h if there is no wind, so even though I'm downstream of the person in front of me, I'm clearly pushing too far.
Even after leaving the shooting range, there were many people who were still flying fast (perhaps they were already fast...), and their pace became faster.
If I keep going like this, I might end up halfway through, and I'm thinking it's time to slow down.We arrived at Onagawa AS (aid station: a resting point where food and drinks are distributed) around 6:20.
At Onagawa AS,Saury sauce soup' was provided.
Since the temperature is still low, I'm happy to have some warm soup.
Fishballs have a bit of a fishy flavor to them, so I find them delicious, but I have the impression that some people who don't like fishballs might not like them.
Fishball soup alone is not enough calories, so I start by drinking a bottle of gel.
While driving,Amino Vital Perfect Energy” I try to take it.
It has 180kcal and can also provide amino acids.
Most gels are sweet, but since it has a grapefruit flavor, it has a slightly sour taste and is easy to eat.
This time I drank it with AS, so I threw it in the trash on the spot, but since it has a cap type, the jersey won't get dirty even if you put the garbage after drinking in the pocket of your cycling jersey while riding.
Onagawa AS - Ogatsu AS (7:20)
From here on, the ups and downs become intense.
Fast people often skip Onagawa AS, so the people around them will gradually reach the same level and pace, allowing them to maintain their own pace without being influenced by those around them.
I think there was one slope with a slope of about 8%, and even if there were others, the slope was about 4%.
If the slope is about 4%, it's still early and you can progress without difficulty.
But I was thinking that I don't like hills because they are hills.Arrived at Ogatsu AS around 7:20.
At Ogatsu AS,grilled scallops' was provided.
As I thought the last time I participated, the grilled scallops I eat here are the most delicious of my life.
The amount of salt, the crispy texture of the scallops, the crunchy texture of the shellfish string, and the sweetness are all the best of my life.
If there wasn't a limit of one drink per person, it would be so delicious that you could bring your own alcohol here and DNF it.
『Dorayaki” was also received.
I'm a little unprepared in terms of calories, so I drink a bottle of gel and leave.
Ogatsu AS ~ Kamwarisaki AS (8:40)
I think this section was the one with the most ups and downs.
There was only one very steep hill, and since it was only the beginning, I was able to progress easily.
However, I feel a little nervous thinking that I will be taking this route on my way home as well. .
Now that I think about it, I remember that during the ceremony, the weather forecast said something ominous about a headwind on the way there and a headwind on the way back, but let's try not to think about the way back.
There were some ups and downs just before the AS, and that took a bit of a toll on my mental health.Arrived at Kamiwarizaki AS around 8:40.
At Kamiwarisaki AS, “Salmon wakame rice' was provided.
It was salty and delicious, and I appreciated the calories, but it was packed with rice, so it was quite filling.
Of course, eating rice is enough for me in terms of calories, so I didn't drink the gel here.
Kamwarizaki AS to Utatsu AS (9:50)
There are still ups and downs.
The temperature was around 25-26 degrees Celsius, a comfortable temperature for running, but it felt chilly when going downhill.
Although I wore short-sleeved clothing, I thought it would have been nice to have a vest or arm warmers.
I arrived at Utatsu AS around 9:50.
At Utatsu AS,Kamaboko' was provided.
Good for protein supplementation.
I don't have much to worry about in terms of calories, so I drink a bottle of gel and leave.
Utatsu AS - Otani Kaigan AS (10:50)
Once you get to this point, there will be some ups and downs, but you will be able to climb up the hill using the momentum and inertia of the downhill.
Rather than taking a rest on the downhill slope, I was able to gain some speed by stepping on it to a certain extent, and then use that momentum and inertia to climb the uphill slope.
At Otani Kaigan AS, there is a cut-off line with a turnaround time limit of 11:30.
If it is after 11:30, you will not be able to proceed further and will have to turn around here.
I arrived at Otani Kaigan AS around 10:50, so I had about 40 minutes left.
At Otani Kaigan AS,peanut cream bread” and “strawberry sorbet' was provided.
Peanut cream bread is fluffy, delicious, and high in calories, so it's perfect as a supplementary meal.
strawberry sorbet
Then, I started to feel some discomfort in my right knee. .
From here it's a flat section, so I hope you can hold out until the section where the ups and downs start.
Otani Kaigan AS ~ Namijo/Norikan AS (12:20)
Although it is mostly flat, it runs through Kesennuma city, so there are many cars and traffic lights.
There are a lot of cars passing by, so I can't overtake, and I can't increase my speed, so to be honest, it doesn't feel good to drive.
Once you get to the Kesennuma fishing port area, the fishing port and roads are beautiful and worth the drive.
Around here, a light rain started to fall, so much so that there were water droplets on my computer and sunglasses.
The weather forecast says it will be cloudy, and the rain cloud radar says it won't rain. .
We arrived at Namijo Fossil Museum AS around 12:20.
There is a time limit for passing after the wave top/lore hall AS, and if you cannot pass the AS by that time, you will run out of time and retire (DNF).
The time limit for passing was 13:20, so I was able to save nearly an hour.
At Waveside/Tshokan AS, “Scallop cooked rice” and “Miso soup with seaweed' was provided.
Perhaps to equalize the number of scallops, the scallops were added later, and although the cooked rice was warm, the scallops were cold. .
The miso soup was consistently delicious.
Up until now, there have been signs along the way saying that this is the only section that was flooded by the tsunami, but as reconstruction has progressed, buildings and roads have been maintained in good condition, and as someone who doesn't know the original townscape before the earthquake, I think I'm in a state where I even wonder if there was any damage at all.
At this waveside folklore museum AS, you can see the remains of the earthquake, such as a school building that was destroyed by the tsunami, and it was the only place on the course that made you realize how terrible the damage was caused by the tsunami.
Waveside/Tshokan AS ~ Utatsu AS (13:30)
The early part of the trail was mostly flat, and since it was close to the city center, I got the impression that there was still a lot of traffic.
Otani Kaigan AS is on the way, but once you pass here there will be less traffic and it will be easier to drive.
However, ups and downs are coming back. .
So,We arrived at Utatsu AS around 1:30 p.m.
The time limit for passing is 14:30, so I am keeping my savings for almost an hour.
At Utatsu AS,pudding' was provided.
It's soft and the sweetness permeates your tired body.
I'm glad ``Scallop curry” I was also able to receive it.
It was originally served to the participants of the Minamisanriku Fondo, but apparently there was some left over, and they said that the Kesennuma Fondo participants could also eat it, so I was grateful for it.
It was a seafood curry that tasted like seafood stock, and the scallops were sweet and chewy.
Kitakami Fondo and Minamisanriku Fondo both offer curry, but why is Kesennuma Fondo the only one that doesn't? .
I feel some discomfort in my knee, but it hasn't gotten any stronger or painful, so I've managed to maintain it.
The ups and downs will get serious from here, soFor painkillers and to prevent cramps,2RUN” I will drink it.
Utatsu AS ~ Hotel Kanyo AS (14:20)
It's not as steep as a steep hill, but there will be some climbs that you can't climb due to the momentum and inertia of the downhill.
The distance between AS is only 12km, so you can get there in no time.We arrived at Hotel Kanyo AS around 14:20.
The time limit for passing was 15:10, so my savings were reduced to 50 minutes, probably because I ate curry.
At Hotel Kanyo AS,shark fin soup' was provided.
It's delicious, but honestly, I don't want to eat something warm during the day when the temperature is at its peak.
I wanted to eat it in the morning when it was still chilly. .
We received support from each AS, but I think the employees of Hotel Kanyo were the ones who gave the most support.
https://hb.afl.rakuten.co.jp/hgc/1dbf8fad.4a5d8164.1dbf8fae.092c41c8/?pc=httpstravel.rakuten.co.jpHOTEL1922819228.htmlcidtr_af_1632&link_type=hybrid_url&ut=eyJwYWdlIjoiaXRlbSIsInR5cGUiOiJoeWJyaWRfdXJsIiwic2l6ZSI6IjB4MCIsIm5hbSI6MSwibmFtcCI6InJpZ2h0IiwiY29tIjoxLCJjb21wIjoiZG93biIsInByaWNlIjowLCJib3IiOjEsImNvbCI6MSwiYmJ0biI6MSwicHJvZCI6MCwiYW1wIjpmYWxzZX0
I would like to come stay someday without having to do anything related to the Tour de Tohoku.
Hotel Kanyo AS ~ Kamwarizaki AS (15:00)
There are about two steep hills in this section, and I think this is the one that hits the legs the most.
When I participated five years ago, I participated in the Minamisanriku Fondo 170km, and at that time I walked up one of the steep hills in this section. .
However, this time I was able to climb the mountain without losing my footing.
The distance between Hotel Kanyo AS and Kamwarisaki AS is only 12 km, so you can arrive in no time.
The arrival time was around 15:00 and the passage time limit was 15:45, so the savings were reduced to 45 minutes.
On the way back, at Kamiwarizaki AS, no meals were provided, only hydration was provided.
The distance to the next AS is also short, so it might have been a good idea to skip this one instead.
Kamwarisaki AS - Kitakami AS (15:30)
There is one steep hill before the aid, but other than that there is nothing particularly difficult.
The distance between AS is only 9km, so you can get there in no time.We arrived at Kitakami AS around 15:30.
The time limit for passing was 16:10, and the savings were reduced to 40 minutes.
At Kitakami AS,Mekabu udon' was provided.
Of course, my goal is to complete 210km, but I also have a secret goal of eating all the AS menu items.
There's still some scallop curry left in my stomach, but let's eat it.
It's noodles, and thanks to the stickiness of the mekabu, you can eat it smoothly.
It seems that the noodles were sold out right after I was there, so they were only offering mekabu.
Inject yourself with calories and caffeine before you hit the road with our secret weapon: caffeinated gels.
Kitakami AS ~ Goal (16:45)
It is a flat section that runs parallel to the Kitakami River for about 30km towards the goal.
We left Kitakami AS at around 15:40, and the time limit for the finish was 17:30, which gave us nearly two hours to spare, and we had plenty of time on our feet, so it seemed like we could complete the race without any major mechanical problems.
Let's go back to the secret weapon, caffeine, that I mentioned earlier.
Caffeine has effects such as improving concentration, making you feel less fatigued, and increasing performance (although there are individual differences), and it is said to be effective not only for long rides but also for long distance sports such as marathons.
You can see that the caffeine you added earlier is starting to take effect and your concentration is improving.
If you consume too much caffeine on a daily basis, you will develop a tolerance to it, so in order to improve the effects of caffeine, I had severe withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, but in preparation for this, I cut out caffeine for a week.
As of this morning, the wind was forecast to be against us on the way back, but thankfully it was a tailwind.
With the help of caffeine and a tailwind, I was able to maintain a speed of approximately 35km/h.
As I got closer to the city and the tailwind lessened, my speed slowed down a little.I safely crossed the finish line at around 16:45 without any trouble.
This includes the time you took a break at AS.It was an 11-hour ride, departing around 5:30 in the morning and arriving around 16:45.
When I was running, I didn't pay much attention to the time limit for passing the leg cut, but now that I'm writing it down like this, it may have been surprisingly dangerous. .
I would like to run with a little more leeway.
After the finish line - Sendai city
After finishing the race, you can collect your luggage and change your clothes as there is a tent as a changing room.
After that, I drove myself to Ishinomaki Station and put it in a bicycle bag in front of the station.
We expected the train to be crowded with participants, but probably because most of the participants came by car, we were able to safely find a space on the train to put our road bikes in an out-of-the-way place without getting too crowded with people on bicycles.
I tried to issue a completion certificate.
Five years ago, completion certificates were given on paper, but this time they are digital.
Only the name and bib number are written on it, and there is no time written on it, so it's a bit bland. What does the IC tag mean? I think so, but let's not worry about it.
After arriving at Sendai Station, we headed to the hotel we had booked in Sendai City.
Since I came to Miyagi Prefecture, I decided to stay overnight and do some sightseeing, but since I arrived at Sendai Station around 7:00 pm, I could have just taken the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Closing Thoughts
I was able to successfully complete the 210km Kesennuma Fondo in Tour de Tohoku 2023.
I was also able to achieve my secret goal of eating all the AS menus.
I participated in “Sado long ride” was a DNF due to running out of time, so I'm relieved that I was able to get my revenge.
I would like to take part in the Sado Long Ride next year, and I would also like to participate in the Tour de Tohoku next year as an indicator that my physical strength has not declined.
The Tour de Tohoku is often held by lottery, so I think I'll pay an extra 20,000 yen to make sure I can participate next year.
