I think students who enter university through long-distance sports have two options. One is a team renowned as a traditional ekiden school. The other is a team with a relatively short history and is about to compete in the Hakone Ekiden. My choice was the latter. The team has momentum, and above all, the passion for nurturing the athletes comes through. I wanted to create a new history with J. F. Oberlin University. Even if I couldn't qualify for the Hakone Ekiden, I felt proud that when J. F. Oberlin University became a powerhouse in the Hakone Ekiden in the future, I could feel the foundation laid for it. Come to think of it, even at that university that has won consecutive championships in recent years, when I was in junior high, no one would have thought it would become a powerhouse in ekiden relays.

There was another reason he felt significance in making new history. It was about Stefan Shinyaka, a coach from Kenya. He was a legendary runner who led Yamanashi Gakuin University to three victories in the Hakone Ekiden. After retiring, he was highly regarded as a coach. He recorded the best form typical of Africans, but gave up quickly when his form faltered, and he was a master athlete who mastered the Japanese trait of 'perseverance without hesitation or giving up,' a Japanese trait. He hoped that by learning from Coach Shinyaka, he would surely be able to improve the quality of speed he lacked.

J. F. Oberlin University 's training method was tough for me at first. I ran the 400m at full power, then added interval jogs, and then sprinted another 400m. Repeating this for 25 minutes was an effective method for gaining speed, but it worked well for me as a freshman. Also, because the team had little tradition, I was worried whether I could keep up with the training policy of fostering a competitive spirit regardless of grade level. Training wasn't just about running together; it ended with a competition and a goal. With this kind of intense running practice, injuries didn't happen much, but somehow when my body was in top shape before the competition, I often pushed myself too hard and got injured. Every time I got injured, I was forced to think about my own training methods.

Set a single goal: to run a half marathon within 65 minutes. To do that, come up with your own plan for what kind of training you should do. Up to this point, there are no problems. Following Coach Shinyaka's 'Step by Step' policy, you work backward from your goals to think about what you should do now. However, if a small goal to achieve a big goal exceeds expectations and results in a good time, you may unconsciously become greedy and push yourself too hard. That's where the pitfall of injury awaits.

More important than practicing to keep records is building a body that doesn't get injured. I consulted with the coach, trainer, and manager, checking my form and researching why I got injured. For example, my gluteal muscles aren't enough to support my lower body, so my posture collapses. That's why I realized I should strengthen it through gym training. Also, while observing injuries, I became aware of my teammates' training methods. I would ask questions and offer advice like, "I think this way, but is 〇〇-kun conscious of XX to strengthen it?" "That might be true. I want you to think together about what to do," I started getting feedback. I found that many people were struggling with "How much should I go and how much I shouldn't do?" and challenging their own limits. To surpass my limits, thorough preparation is necessary, but feeling in good condition can cause me to overexert myself. For two years, when I was only focused on improving my own performance, my mindset naturally shifted to improving the team's overall performance through injuries.

I couldn't participate in the Hakone Ekiden qualifying race for my third year due to injury. However, around that time, I was chosen as the next captain. The captain one year above me was Mikiya Tabe, who was selected for the Kanto Student Union team, ran the third leg, and in his sixth year as a team, he was the first to have his name J. F. Oberlin University in the Hakone Ekiden. He was the captain who led the race himself and led everyone. I wasn't that type, but I was chosen as a captain who thought about the whole team.

What I value most now as captain is "staying steadfast." We have a strong goal of "participating in the Hakone Ekiden." To achieve that, we also interfere with dormitory life and look after juniors who don't understand their studies. We also make sure to provide support from the sides so that everyone can align their direction toward the goal of "participating."

This summer, after running hard during training camps and then improving the quality of speed, the Hakone Ekiden qualifying race finally awaits in autumn. Our team includes Redama Kisaisa, a Kenyan athlete who ran first place in the Hakone Ekiden qualifying last year. While keeping pace with his speed, we aim to finish in the top 10 and, at the very least, want to produce members of the Kanto Student Union team. We want all the athletes to work hard together so that people will see us in J. F. Oberlin University uniforms on TV during the New Year.