投稿日: Jul 11, 2020 2:27:31 AM
Scribe: Tapeworm
Location: Totsuka, Yokohama
Course: A to A
Weather: Cloudy, with sunny intervals and hints of rain, 24oC
Hare: Santa Maria
Equinoctially, the longest day - and quite possibly the longest 4H run (of the year)!
The afternoon started with difficulty in finding the meeting place/start of the trail (located near - and just north of - the East exit of Totsuka JR station), but the published directions to the said meeting place were “Exit West Exit Blue Line JR or bus. Turn left at McDonalds and Family Mart next door. Follow arrows to start of trail”. “Start time 2.00PM”.
After exiting one of the many exits on the west side of the JR station and circumnavigating both of the stations twice, your scribe found (some 20 minutes later) arrows that lead to the “4H START”. Following the markings (that lead me over the rail tracks via a network of footbridges) I got to the start just on time, but nobody was there…! To my relief, Hare Santa Maria, soon arrived, having (he said) been out checking the trail to ensure all arrows were in place, as it had rained pretty heavily on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Probably had a few bevvies also, I would say…
As it seemed very possible that I would be the only runner, Santa went off to look for any stray hashers on the other (west) side of the tracks, while I checked the east side area. At about 2.20pm, 4 more runners showed up and when Santa returned he gave us brief details of the run: “Between 10 & 12km, with no hills, checks, check-backs or false trails. Watch out for snakes and the red carp – and buy some beer and snacks at one of the combinis on the other side of the tracks, for post-run socially-distanced consumption”. We had all agreed that there would be no ON3 after the run, but that there should be a circle after the run, to discuss the merits of the trail and whether or not it should be given a run number. Off we went, just after 2.30pm.
The trail set off on a paved roads/footpaths course, with the markings at 50-60m intervals in a variety of colours and designs. Soon we were taken along riverside roads and/or footpaths that continued for many kilometres alongside the many waterways in the Nagaya River drainage basin. As there were few runners and no checks, false trails, etc. your scribe was soon left behind by the FRBs. Along one of the rivers we were serenaded by the many musicians, mainly practicing on brass instruments, either in the riverside bulrushes or under bridges spanning the river - as it was always threatening to rain.
Eventually the trail led along an incredibly long and dead straight path beside a man-made waterway, where I met the promised snake, sunning itself on the concrete path. When I stepped over it, it reared up and hissed loudly! Further along this path I observed the large red carp, feeding where a sluice-gated outfall joined the main canal. This path eventually led most of the way back to Totsuka station and the on-in.
It had taken me about an hour and 40 minutes to complete the trail: 60% running and 40% walking. I believe I covered about 12km, including the extra distance when I lost the trail (3 times), but excluding time spent shopping for post-run refreshments.
After cooling off and about half an hour’s enjoyable social chatting and drinking, the circle was called. The circle began, as usual, with brief self introductions, then the Hare was called into the circle to listen to runners’ comments: (“good run, adequately marked, too many and too long straights along waterways, but terrible directions from the station to the meeting point”). The Hare’s subsequent down-down for the inadequate directions was followed by down-downs for the 2 runners not wearing any hash gear and a vote formally confirming that the run had been pretty good, definitely should be designated the official 4H June 2020 run and have be allocated a run number.
Run stats for 4H official records: 5 runners, 1 virgins, no visitors, no new boots.
On! On!
Tapeworm