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February 29, 2024
Members of Hachioji CampusEkiden (Road Relay) Club participated as volunteer escort runners in a training camp hosted by the Japan Blind Marathon Association (JBMA).
From Saturday, February 17th to Wednesday, February 21st, 2024, a training camp sponsored by the Japan Blind Marathon Association (JBMA) was held in Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture, and Yuutaro Nomura (3rd year, Faculty of Economics) and Ryosei Kayama (1st year, Faculty of Medical Technology) from Teikyo University's Ekiden (Road Relay) Club participated as volunteer escort runners.
Since the club's head coach, Takayuki Nakano, took office, the club has been actively sending members to the team, and will continue to support para-athletes in their competitions.
Comments from participating students
Yutaro Nomura (3rd year, Faculty of Economics)
I learned a lot from interacting with the blind marathon runners. They practice on as flat a surface as possible to prevent falls, and they don't just follow the prescribed training menu, they adapt it to suit their own needs. It was very impressive and educational for me. I also got a firsthand experience of the incredible support and difficulties faced by the guide runners.
Ryosei Kayama (1st year, Faculty of Medical Technology)
This was my first time participating in a blind marathon training camp. As an escort runner, you have to run like a three-legged race, holding a single rope, so at first it was difficult to synchronize our strides and rhythms. However, with repeated practice I gradually got used to it and was able to accompany the other runner successfully. What I found important was to act as the other runner's eyes and relay information immediately so as not to make them feel uneasy. I learned a lot through this training camp, such as cooperation, communication, and trust, and I plan to use these things in my future life.
Japan Blind Marathon Association Click here for details
For more information about Teikyo University Ekiden (Road Relay) Club click here
For more information on Teikyo University's SDGs activities, click here
