Naha Marathon Go!

[WhiteRat]

The 22nd Naha Marathon was held today in Naha, Okinawa. Some 22,000 showed up for the 42km/26m run, including my friend Paul.


Here's Paul stretching, minutes before the start of the race.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8507/paulxv2.jpg

For those that don't know, many participants in marathons take the race as an opportunity to dress up in a variety of costumes. For example, take this guy:
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1194/costume1sr2.jpg

People actually run in these costumes. Like this throwback to the Neanderthal days:
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/4675/costume2mo7.jpg

This guy had the most elaborate costume that we saw:
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/5728/costume3se1.jpg

I'm not sure if this giraffe guy ever finished the race:
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1797/costume4zv3.jpg

A nurse and an eggplant:
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9268/costume5qy6.jpg

It makes perfect sense to see Batman at a marathon:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7240/costume6cl3.jpg

The Statue of Liberty with her tablet that reads "Decemble 3":
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7103/costume7ze2.jpg

The racers line up at the starting point:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/158/race1hp3.jpg

The pack takes off:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1148/race2qt7.jpg

The racers run shoulder to shoulder:
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6887/race6ws3.jpg

These two were more than happy to pose for the camera:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2695/costume8xb4.jpg

This beetle guy added to the costume madness:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/408/costume9hd6.jpg

These Japanese Power Rangers actually stopped running to pose:
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4692/costume10uj8.jpg

A few hours later and the runners near the finish line:
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/3302/race3dj9.jpg

Five hours after the start, Paul finishes:
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/897/race5rq4.jpg

So does Pickachu:
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3997/costume11ho5.jpg

Celebrating the end of the Naha Marathon:
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4055/race4rq9.jpg

This was the first marathon i've seen and I must say I had a good time, even though my friends and I left to browse stores and eat food during the majority of the race. But we were there to see Paul finish, so I guess that's what matters anyway.

[ArrowX]

That marathon looks like it would have been awesome fun!

But whats with the peace sign? What significance does it play in the Japanese culture? If anything nags at me its why they all do that in everything, is it their "Thumbs Up" gesture?

[FartinMowler]

Hong Kong people like to do the "peace sign" also, My wife say's she think's is suppose to signify Victory.

[liquidstatik]

i think its the equivelant of n*ggers throwin up the deuce :x

[WhiteRat]

i think its the equivelant of n*ggers throwin up the deuce :x

That would be my guess.

[RaNkeri]

I wish I'd have been there :/

[kahljorn]

I think the V for Victory is actually an american thing from the world wars or maybe vietnam that the japs stole from us like they steal everything else and america forgot.

[Grislygus]

"V for Victory" was Winston Churchill's schtick, people.

Criminy.

[sadie]

my ex-husband's great aunt shaved her hair-down-there in a v for victory in the early '40s.

[FartinMowler]

:lol