My Story: Ryoichi Ooe, Japan

Ryoichi Ooe, Japan

Ryoichi Oe, 62-year-old, works in Kyoto as a graphic designer. As his job is sedentary, he chooses to commute 8km by bicycle every day.

Oe got Bronze medal by 200m, Silver by 100m and Gold by 4x100m Relay at World Masters Athletics in Perth this year.

And he also defended his 100m and 200m dash titles for the 8th consecutive years at all Japan Masters Athletics this year.

He had been winning on 60m dash titles for the last 5 years but he had hoped and started a new winning streak on 300m hurdles at the age of 60.

"I played baseball in the high school and table tennis at the junior high, but I was not interested in simple running then." he said.

When he was 40 years old, he realized that he run faster than anyone else at the local athletic meet that he participated in with his kids. When his friend asked him `what is your time in the 100m dash? `, he did not even know because he never ran track competitively.

What participated in an athletic meet in Shiga prefecture did it by the opening that he was absorbed in running.

At the age of 50, he started running at the masters. He was just curious to know how fast he could run.

At the first track practice, everything felt new and fresh to him: a feel of running on all whether track, his first pair of track spikes, fresh air…. He just loved it.

This amazing experience keeps him going and ever since, he enjoys running competitively.

He feels that short distance running is so profound though he thought to be it only as for running because in just ten few second there is various things from a start to a middle race, finish those he did not image and now he can feel.

The best time is 12"17 when he was 55 years old and the time of the world Masters in Perth this year was 12"23 that was degraded just 0.06 seconds for 7 years. .

Not only just 0.06 seconds degradation but also he has not injured for his running life.

An exercise method may include this secret. His track practice method may be the key to his successful track career.

Oe says that it is important to practice high quality in short time and in addition he tries not to leave fatigue at the same time. Oe values `quality practice`, over `how long he practices`. He also believes that it is highly important that his body recovers from hard practice within a day or two.

He has track practice twice a week and in each practice, he focuses on different aspects. Someday, he runs on beach, some days, runs on a hill, and some days, he run on a truck.

In his spare times, he enjoys coaching his local youth club, `The Run Club`, and giving lectures to the runners 35 years or older, `Challenges for 100% sprinting.

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１９５４年生まれの６２歳の大江良一は、京都に事務所を持つグラフィックデザイナーです。

一日中机の前に座って仕事をしているため、トレーニングを兼ねて、８ｋｍの自転車通勤をしています。

彼は今年、Perthで開催された世界マスターズ陸上で、200m銅メダル、100m銀メダル、4x100mリレーで金メダルを獲得しました。

また、彼は今年の全日本マスターズ陸上で、１００ｍと２００ｍの８連覇を成し遂げました。

６０ｍを加えた３種目では５連覇を続けていたのですが、６０歳になった時、６０ｍを捨てて３００ｍHに挑戦しました。

昨年の全日本マスターズでは惜しくも優勝を逃したのですが、今年は優勝し、再び３種目優勝の記録を作り始めています。

中学では卓球を、高校では野球をやっていましたが、当時ただ走るだけの陸上には興味は有りませんでした。

４０歳になって、子供と一緒に自治会の運動会でリレーに出場し速く走れることを実感したのですが、１００ｍのタイムを聞かれても答えられませんでした。

５０歳になって、自分はどれくらいで走っているのかを知りたくなり、滋賀マスターズの記録会に参加したのが、陸上競技を始めたきっかけです。

初めて走るオールウェザーの競技場と、初めて履いたスパイクシューズは新鮮で、それ以来競技を続けるようになりました。

始める前は、ただ走るだけと思っていた短距離も、スタートから中間走、フィニッシュへといろいろな局面があり、突き詰めれば突き詰めるほど、奥が深いと感じています。

５０歳から始めた１００ｍのベストタイムは、５５歳の時の１２秒１７で、今年６２歳で望んだPerthでの世界マスターズのタイムは１２秒２３でした。

7年間でタイムはたった0.06秒遅くなったというだけでなく、怪我もしていないのが自慢です。

この秘密は練習方法にあるかもしれません。

大江は、短い時間で質の高い練習をすることが肝心だと言っています。

また、同時に疲労を残さないことを心がけています。

練習は、週に２回。

砂浜、坂道、トラックと場所を変えながらその時のテーマを考えて練習しています。

大江は現在、自分の競技以外に二つの活動をしています。

ひとつは、地元の小学生を対象に走る楽しさを教える、Run Clubで、もうひとつは、近隣の県の３５歳以上を対象に「全力疾走に挑戦」というテーマで講演と実技指導を行っています。