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Running
This unusual association of reggae to running traces back to March of 2016 when two local runners, one male and one female, performed exceptionally well in the Tottori Marathon. For their effort, they won a trip to Jamaica to participate in the Reggae Marathon, Jamaica’s premier international marathon event.
The race starts before the sun and temperature rise.
Bob Marley: Carry-on or Check-in?
Since that hosting of the Reggae Marathon
in December of 2016, runners from Tottori have raced in every subsequent hosting
of the event. Moreover, they have claimed victory in the men’s full marathon
division every year; to date, a total of four Bob Marley trophies and one Rita Marley trophy have relocated to Tottori.
Tottori boasts the highest ratio of people to Bob and Rita Marley trophies in Japan.
In return, runners from Westmoreland have participated in every hosting of the Tottori Marathon since 2017.
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| Jamaican runner becomes an instant celebrity in the Tottori Marathon (Japanese). |
Sumo Are Wasted on Cross-country
This mutual marathon exchange has not only
sown the seeds of grassroots internationalization along the marathon courses in
Tottori and Westmoreland, but also in the sports associations, schools, and
businesses that have cooperated in the program.
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| A warm welcome from the Johoku High School Sumo Stable. |
Unfortunately, the hosting of the 2020
Reggae Marathon event went virtual due to the impact of coronavirus. Therefore,
instead of enjoying the thirty-degree temperatures, sun and Caribbean Sea in
December, the runners of Team Tottori braved the cold of winter and
participated from some of their favorite spots to run in Tottori.
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| Interested? Visit the Reggae Marathon Official Site) |
Running from Japan
Watch this quick video created to share the joyful spirit of participating in the world’s most fun marathon and next time you encounter the word “reggae”, you too might feel like going for a run!
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| Reggae Marathon in Tottori |
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