第62回 荒川スマイルマラソン

The Arakawa Smile Marathon is a community-oriented running event held on the Arakawa riverbed in Edogawa City, Tokyo. The event is built around the idea of bringing “smiles” to runners, the local community, and the planet. Its tone is accessible and welcoming, making it suitable both for serious runners using the race as part of their training and for beginners taking part in an organized race for the first time. The organizers emphasize an affordable, easy-to-join atmosphere that encourages repeated participation without making the event feel formal or intimidating. The race is operated by Run Collection and includes practical services intended to make the day smoother for participants, such as bib-tag timing, downloadable web finisher certificates, valuables storage, medical support, AED availability, aid support, and staff encouragement along the event area. Environmental awareness is also part of the concept: the organizers state that they aim to fully separate waste at the venue and create mechanisms for a marathon that produces as little garbage as possible. The event also includes runner-support programming beyond the race itself. A practicing clinical psychologist and certified public psychologist known as Patsuko, who is also an experienced runner, presents mental-hack content for runners based on psychology, behavioral analysis, and brain science rather than relying only on willpower. Stretching and children’s running-class activities are also highlighted as popular features, giving the event a friendly, educational character alongside its race operations.