Ekiden relay race

2024/08/19

Have you ever joined an Ekiden relay race？　

Have you ever cheered on Ekiden runners on the streets or in front of TV?

Ekiden relay race is an original Japanese sport.

My friend Natsuyo talked with me about her experience of joining an Ekiden

relay race.

Natsuyo talked me about her team’s poor performance, but after the racing,

she felt more comfortable and more active at work.

Today, I will write Natsuyo’s story about participating in a team occupation

which promoted her belongingness to the team and her activeness at work.

In the next post, using Natsuyo’s case, I will share with you the function and

meaning of her Ekiden relay racing as a collective occupation.    

Natsuyo’s team after the Ekiden relay race.

Natsuyo is a woman in her twenties who works as an occupational therapist.

She rarely joined in after work activities with her colleagues.

After she got transferred to a new department, Natsuyo was struggling with

her work and workmates and felt she just didn’t belong there.

But then, Natsuyo was invited to join an Ekiden team from her workplace.

The Ekiden team needed a new runner to participate in an annual Ekiden

relay race.

Although Natsuyo was not good at competitive running, she kept thinking

of trying this new thing.

So, she decided to accept the invitation. 

Ekiden relay race is a team sport.　

Each team member runs his own distance (the total divided by the number

of team members) over the following distances 2.25km, 5km, 7.5km, or 10km.

The running team member wears a Tasuki, a sash which hangs from one

shoulder, diagonally across the chest, down to the hip.

The relay hand over to the next runner is done by passing on the Tasuki.  

The result is the total accumulated time of the six runners; the marathon time.

It is therefore important that all the runners do their best to achieve the fastest

possible team performance.

Natsuyo prepared for the race: she got a new pair of shoes for the race and

after work she trained by herself to hand over a Tasuki sash.

Her teammates encouraged her by saying “Let’s have fun together.”

Natsuyo set goals for herself to accomplish her first 2.25km run and to hand

over the Tasuki to the next runner.

She was serious and nervous when she participated in the race.

Natsuyo received the Tasuki from the previous runner and started running.

It was much tougher that she had expected.

Although she did her best, many runners from the other teams passed her.

Natsuyo’s team didn’t do well. They ranked the 47th out of 56 teams.

Natsuyo felt she caused the team’s poor performance.

She expresses her regret but her teammats patted her on the back and said

“You did great as a first timer.”    

After participating in the Ekiden race, Natsuyo felt a significant change at

her work place.

She feels more comfortable with her workmates and is more actively involved

at work.

She often talks to her colleagues with whom she engaged in the Ekiden race. 

Natsuyo appreciate the Ekiden relay race because she now feels more comfortable

and active at work.

She is eager to participate in the Ekiden relay race next year if she gets an offer

and to try to improve her performance.

My readers! Have you ever engaged in a team occupation as Natsuyo did?

What changes in your feelings, attitudes or behaviors did you experience?