Twice the Time, Twice the Joy: Memories of the Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon

I still vividly remember the bib pickup at a local school gymnasium. There was a single table dedicated to international runners; back then, the total number of foreigners probably didn’t even reach a hundred. The volunteers guided us with such infectious enthusiasm, and the food stalls set up outside created a festive atmosphere that felt like a true carnival.

The atmosphere on race day is something I will never forget. The course wound through narrow countryside lanes, flanked on both sides by vast, vibrant fields of yellow rapeseed blossoms. This is where the marathon gets its name: “Nanohana” is the Japanese word for these blossoms, which bloom earlier in Ibusuki than anywhere else in Japan, signaling the arrival of spring in this southern paradise.

The air was filled with music from local community bands, schools, and various performance groups. But beyond the scenery, it was the “gastronomic journey” that truly defined the experience. The official aid stations were a feast for the senses, offering hot pork miso soup, roasted sweet potatoes, fresh sashimi, and local matcha.

The hospitality extended far beyond the official course markers; local residents and shopkeepers stood outside their homes, offering handfuls of homegrown tangerines and cheering us on as if we were family. Around the 30km mark, a local factory even opened its gates, inviting weary runners to step inside and soothe their legs in Ibusuki’s famous natural footbaths.

Jay Hsu: Engineer by day, marathoner by dawn. Author of the bestseller Running Notes: Scientific Training and Life Philosophy from a Silicon Valley Engineer. The first Taiwanese 6-Star Major finisher to sub-3 them all.