都大路を駆け抜ける全国高校駅伝：2024年12月23日（月）
全国高校駅伝競走大会（男子第75回大会，女子第36回大会）が，昨日12月22日（日）に京都市で開催された。たけびしスタジアム京都（京都市右京区西京極）をスタートし，男子は7区間42.195km，女子は5区間21.0975kmを襷を繋いで走り，たけびしスタジアム京都のフィニッシュを目指して健脚を競った。男女とも全国から47都道府県代表の47校と地区代表11校の計58校が出場した。
女子のルートは，西大路通を北進して，金閣寺を左手に見ながら北大路通りを東進し、堀川北大路の交差点で右折して南進し，堀川紫明の交差点で左折して，紫明通を抜けて烏丸通に入り，しばらく走ったところで折り返して，復路に入り，たけびしスタジアム京都のゴールを目指す。男子のルートは，烏丸通を丸太町交差点まで南進，左折して，丸太町通，東大路通，今出川通，白川通を走り，国際会館前で折り返して，たけびしスタジアム京都まで戻ってくる。
今回，私の毎日の大学通勤ルートである堀川紫明の交差点で応援することにした。今年の大会では，久しぶりに私の故郷の愛知県豊川市にある豊川高校が男女（男子は東海地区代表，女子は愛知県代表）とも出場している。
そう言えば，48年前に私の出身の豊川市立中部中学校も駅伝（当時はロードレースと言っていたが）で，たいへん足の速い生徒が多く，中学校のチームが東三河地区大会や愛知県大会で数々の入賞を獲得していた。当時，中学生だった私は長距離走は全く不得手で「どうしてこんなに苦しいことをスイスイとこなして走れるのだろうか，きっと普通の人とは違う心臓の持ち主に違いない」と速い選手のことを感心してみていた覚えがある。
女子は長野東高校（長野県）が優秀，仙台育英高校（宮城県）が準優勝。豊川高校（愛知県）の女子は5区でたいへん健闘して15位となった。男子は佐久長聖高校（長野県）が優勝，大牟田高校（福岡県）が準優勝だった。豊川高校（東海地区）の男子は25位と健闘した。男女とも長野県代表校が優勝した。
昨日の京都市の最高気温は8℃と，寒い都大路となったが，若い高校生が必死に走るのを見て，高校の関係者による熱い声援の掛け声を間近で聞いていると，熱気が伝わって寒さを忘れてしまいそうだ。今年で高校男子駅伝は75回を迎えた。世界広しと言えども，こうした師走の競技大会を継続しているのは日本だけである。日本社会の強靭さの基盤は，こうしたところに垣間見ることができるのではないかと思ったりする。
The National High School Ekiden Race: Racing Through the Streets of Kyoto - Monday, December 23, 2024
The National High School Ekiden Championship (75th Boys’ Race, 36th Girls’ Race) was held yesterday, Sunday, December 22, in Kyoto City. Starting from Takebishi Stadium Kyoto (Nishikyogoku, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City), the boys competed over 7 sections totaling 42.195 km, while the girls raced 5 sections totaling 21.0975 km, passing the sash from one runner to the next and aiming to finish at Takebishi Stadium Kyoto. A total of 58 schools participated in both the boys’ and girls’ races, including 47 schools representing each prefecture and 11 regional representatives.
The girls’ route headed north along Nishioji Street, passed Kinkakuji Temple on the left, continued east on Kitaoji Street, turned right at the Horikawa-Kitaoji intersection to head south, then turned left at the Horikawa-Shimei intersection to enter Shimei Street, eventually reaching Karasuma Street. After running a certain distance, they turned back toward the goal at Takebishi Stadium Kyoto. The boys’ route ran south along Karasuma Street to the Marutamachi intersection, turned left onto Marutamachi Street, then continued along Higashioji Street, Imadegawa Street, and Shirakawa Street, before turning back at the Kokusaikaikan intersection to return to Takebishi Stadium Kyoto.
This time, I decided to cheer at the Horikawa-Shimei intersection, part of my daily commute route to the university. This year’s race saw the participation of Toyokawa High School from my hometown of Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture, with both the boys’ team (representing the Tokai region) and the girls’ team (representing Aichi Prefecture) competing.
Speaking of which, 48 years ago, my alma mater, Toyokawa City Chubu Junior High School, also excelled in ekiden (called “road races” at the time). The school had many fast runners, and its team achieved numerous awards in regional and prefectural tournaments in Higashi Mikawa and Aichi. As a junior high school student back then, I was terrible at long-distance running and often wondered in awe, “How can they run so smoothly through something so grueling? They must have extraordinary hearts, different from regular people.”
In the girls’ race, Nagano Higashi High School (Nagano Prefecture) won, and Sendai Ikuei High School (Miyagi Prefecture) was the runner-up. The Toyokawa High School girls (Aichi Prefecture) performed remarkably well in the 5th section, finishing in 15th place. In the boys’ race, Saku Chosei High School (Nagano Prefecture) won, with Omuta High School (Fukuoka Prefecture) as the runner-up. The Toyokawa High School boys (Tokai region) also fought hard, finishing in 25th place. Both the boys’ and girls’ championships were won by schools representing Nagano Prefecture.
The high temperature in Kyoto City yesterday was 8°C, making for a chilly race through the streets of Kyoto. However, watching the young high school athletes running with all their might and hearing the passionate cheers of school supporters up close made the excitement so intense that I almost forgot about the cold. This year marks the 75th edition of the boys’ high school ekiden. On a global scale, Japan may be the only country that continues to hold such a December tradition year after year. It made me think that this endurance and continuity might be a glimpse into the resilience underpinning Japanese society.
