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Parents Cheer Children`s All-Out Running at Mukou Sports Circle Ekiden

http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/article.php?mid=P2007121600077&genre=K1&area=K30

translated by Brett Larner

The annual Mukou Sports Circle Ekiden took place Dec. 16 at Koyo Elementary School in Mukou, Kyoto. 150 people including baseball players, soccer players and other children from the local sports circle along with local residents who took up sports while living in Mukou ran the full marathon-length 42.195 km race.

The ekiden began in 1992 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Japan Sports Circle. Since then the city has staged the race as a way to bring together Mukou Sports Circle members from different sports to help foster a feeling of camaraderie.

The race started at 9:30 a.m. The 3 teams consisted of 50 members each with team members running a half lap of the 140 m course at a time. Finishing runners tagged the next team member, shouting encouragement to each other along with parents and teammates lining the course. The shouts of support urged the runners on to fast finishing times.

Results
(1) Yellow Team: 2:31:15
(2) Red Team: 2:34:33
(3) Blue Team: 2:36:27

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