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By: Mike Rothwell

In early March the Orlando Runners Club sent four club representatives to Urayasu, Japan (outside Tokyo) as part of one of Orlando's Sister City Programs to promote Cultural Exchange and friendship between the two cities/countries. This year's representatives were Susan Abbe, Ramona Legowski, Chris Lipscomb and Wade Compton. Due to some last minute family health issues Wade was unable to go on the trip as planned. With only three days left before the trip, myself and the other Board Members scrambled to fill the spot so that all four representatives could still attend. After going through all the other male nominees it became apparent that we were going to lose the spot. As an original nominee I became the last/only option (my schedule was open) with the ability to go on such a last minutes notice. Thanks to Sharon McNeely's (Sister Cities Program Coordinator with the International Affairs Commission) diligence, hard work and last minute scrambling we were able to transfer the airline ticket and rearrange representatives with the City of Urayasu and the Urayasu Runners Club. The following is my account of our extraordinary visit.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 6th -- Arrive at the airport at 5:00a.m., only 12 hours earlier it is confirmed that I am going as a last-minute substitute. Now, I find myself going to Japan on the trip of a lifetime. I am literally in shock, seemingly in a lucid dream that is only beginning. We spend the whole day flying halfway around the world (14-hour flight non-stop from Atlanta) and arrive in Tokyo, Japan at @5:00pm the next day(Thursday)! Shoko Tsujimura, the City of Urayasu Representative greets us at the airport and takes us to Urayasu and the beautiful Brighton Hotel. We check in and a welcoming party of Shoko, Seino, Toshiko, Yoneda and Hatchimoto treat us to wonderful dinner of Japanese Cuisine (sushi, tempura and sake). Immediately you start to get a sense of the wonderful hospitality of the Japanese people. Their warmth, friendliness and joy make us feel very welcome and help melt away the problems language differences can create. We eat and eat and drink to the meeting of new friends. Personally, I love Japanese cuisine so I ate enough for two people. I love the fact that the food is so fresh and carefully prepared. After 2 or 3 hours we retired for the evening at our exquisite accommodations. Chris obviously has no problem with the time change and is out like a light in 5 minutes.

The next morning we went to City Hall to meet the Mayor of Urayasu. As guests of the city we receive a warm introduction with the Mayor, and other City Officials. We exchange dialogue, gifts, take some pictures and receive our race packets with cool jackets and race numbers. The city actually is the host of the Tokyo Bay Urayasu City 1/2 Marathon, so we are official guests for our visit and the race.

Afterwards, we head back to the hotel and meet a group from the URC (Urayasu Runners Club). Toshiko, Yasuko, Mitsuko, Yukiko and Yoneda are there to take us into Tokyo. They help us exchange currency and buy train tickets to head into the big city. Our first stop is the Asakusa Area where there are gift shops and various shrines and temples. This is tourist spot so there are many people walking around the beautiful grounds. After a couple of hours we get back on the train and head to the Imperial Palace. The grounds are closed so we walk around the perimeter still catching various glimpses of the majestic interior buildings and gardens. The grounds are huge with a circumference of 3.1 miles (5k). Many runners use the perimeter pathway as a loop to log some miles in their training. Quite a few runners jog by in the middle of the day while we are touring. I was told that you can find someone running there 24 hours a day. We should be so lucky to have such a route to train on.

Next, we walked down to the Ginzu District where there are many businesses, refined shop and restaurants. The day gives way to night as we stroll the streets and it is like a scene in a movie. The lights and buildings dazzle our eyes and the Friday night crowds are filling the streets and our senses with the sounds of Tokyo. At this point it seems like I am a child because everything is new to me. We spend a couple hours looking into shops and just walking up and down the streets taking it all in. One of the things that is most surreal is how bright, shiny and clean everything is. The Japanese take great pride in cleanliness and it shows. The city reflects and glows with all the lights, glass and neon on the buildings and cars.

The following morning we meet a big portion of the URC for their Saturday Morning Run. After some introductions we join right in with the stretching and warm-ups. It is hilarious how much more flexible our counterparts are than ourselves. Seino (URC President) tries to help Chris limber up and practically has him pulling something in an effort to demonstrate. It is obvious that they stretch a lot more than we do. We run together for a few miles and end up by the bay. Our entire trip was blessed with beautiful weather and the morning spent with our fellow runners was fun and relaxing. Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel to check out and hookup with our homestay hosts.

Part of what makes this trip so special is that each representative spends the last three nights with a Japanese family. This is a key part of the "cultural exchange" and offers us a greater chance to soak up the culture. My host was Hatchiroe Tokuda and his wonderful wife Yasuko. They have a condo not far from the hotel and Sports Park in Urayasu. After picking up and settling in, Hachiroe made me a wonderful lunch and we discussed many things (his English is exceptional) and other members of the ORC that he has built friendships with over the years.

That evening he took me into Tokyo to TakeShita Street and O'Moto Sando Avenue to see another part of the city. This area is more youth oriented with people all about. Many designer shops, art galleries, restaurants and bars line the streets for the younger crowd to meet and socialize. We must have walked 10 miles getting there and seeing everything. Hachiroe is nearly 25 years my senior and I couldn't keep with him. Overall, the Japanese seem to be very healthy, vibrant and fit. Finally, I had to throw in the towel and we headed home for the evening. Upon arriving home a feast awaited us. Yasuko had made a meal including beef, tuna, squid, asparagus, vegetables and noodles. We ate and talked and laughed and ate until I couldn't eat another bite. The meal was fantastic solidifying my love of Japanese food.

The next morning Hachiroe and I rode bikes over to the Sports Park for the race. It didn't start until 10:30am but we met our fellow URC friends and prepared for the event. One of the special things that happens as a representative of Orlando is that the group is seated on stage and introduced as guests of the City of Urayasu in a pre-race ceremony. The Japanese have many traditional practices which provide honor and ritual. You realize that you are part of something extraordinary as you hear the introductions of the group and accept the applause and warm greeting from hosts and organizers of the event. Later, it is minutes before the race and again we are introduced before the participants on a podium and then placed at the starting line! The gun goes off and the race is underway. I run to represent the ORC, my position as President and also for Wade Compton and his family. It is an ideal day for running, 55 degrees, clear, dry and cool. I want to do my best but have a good time doing it. My PR for the 1/2 Marathon was 1:26:56 at OUC back in 2000. I felt like if I just beat that I would be happy. It is a very fast course with few turns and long straight stretches. I set a good hard pace and enjoy the scenery. People were along the course cheering and waiving race flags as the runners moved along jostling for positions and paces. I ran the first part with a woman who smiled from ear to ear as she clicked off the kilometers. I found myself at the 10k mark at 38:52! Amazed, I tried to keep calm and tell myself to just maintain and not think about that this was way too fast. After another 3k I catch Chris, food poisoning had gotten the best of him the night before so he couldn't hold his pace. We run together a while and he points out there is 8k to go. I know this is about 5 miles so I start to believe I can hold this. I push on, this is usually where my training runs out but I still feel strong. Maybe all the walking and Japanese food are keeping me going! Two more miles down and now it is a 5k to go. I know I can make it but now will I bonk? Each step starts bringing that reality that the tank is running dry. Suddenly, the last long stretches become like vast distances with no end. I'm struggling now with my body but I just focus on my goal. Do my best! Do my best! Do my best! This is for the Comptons! This is for the ORC! I turn down the homestretch and cross the finish line in 1: 21: 47, a huge PR! I'm exhausted but elated, there are none of the normal Orlando faces to share my accomplishment with. I wander around dazed and delighted.

That evening the URC hosts a formal post-race party in honor of our attendance and the race. It is a great party with much food and celebration. Ramona, Susan, and Linda(Susan's friend) wear the traditional kimonos to the party. They look great and are quite the hit with everyone. Toshiko was the emcee and kept everything moving and everyone laughing. We said a few words about experiences thus far and then exchanged gifts with the URC. From there the formalities were over and we just ate and drank and shared good times with our new friends. The Japanese like to celebrate and have a good time, so it was easy to share in their joy. A few even go up on stage to sing and dance to their own club song! A group extended the party to a karaoke place where we (yes, even us) sang and danced and laughed into the wee hours of morning.

Just a few hours later, Chris and I are escorted by Yoneda, Saturo and Hatchimoto in Tokyo again for our final day of sight-seeing. First we went to Ueno-Onshi Park and Vicinity to look around at the shops to buy a few things for home, then we headed over to the park for lunch and sight-seeing. Ueno Park includes the Zoo, Natl. Museum, Science Museum and Art Museum. While we didn't have the time to tour each of these it was great just walking around and taking in the sights. There were also shrines and temples to admire and enjoy. From here, we went to O-Moto Sando Avenue to shop and then the Meji Shrine. This is a beautiful park with a shrine dedicated to Japan's most beloved Emperor Meji and his wife. It was a large quiet park that offered the perfect end to our adventures. We walked and Yoneda and I discussed current / past relationships between the U.S. and Japan. It was good to have such dialogue between peoples that were once enemies. It felt important and worthy of understanding the differences and similarities as part of our cultural exchange. We all share a final beer and toast in thanks to our escorts and friendships and head back on the train for Urayasu.

That evening Seino (URC President) comes over for dinner and we discuss our clubs and the wonderful exchange we share from this program. I feel like the ORC is the lucky one in the relationship but the URC is happy and feels fortunate also to share in such friendship.

The final day has arrived, by now you wish it lasted at least another week. The morning I spent sharing and talking with Hachiroe and Yasuko. A quick run and then it's off to meet the others. A sad goodbye looms as we take pictures and load our luggage. Yet, there is great processing of all that has just happened. Flying home is full of stories and attempts to sleep. Suddenly, you are home, one week after you've left. Your life changed but nothing different around you (after days of everything different) other than what you now carry inside your heart and your mind. A trip of a lifetime, an honor of a lifetime that is shared with new friends halfway around the world.