On February 17, around 32,000 runners took to the streets to compete in the second annual Tokyo Marathon. Along the course, 2.26 million spectators, significantly more than last year, cheered on the runners as they toiled through central Tokyo. Race setup and related activities were supported by the efforts of some 12,000 volunteers, who braved the cold weather to make the marathon a success. The stories of two of those volunteers follow:

Ms. Miyashita

At the Tokyo Big Sight convention center, where the finish line for the full marathon was located, Ms. Mari Miyashita (30) lead a volunteer team distributing completion medals to runners. During the workweek, she is a management planner at a manufacturing company. She first discovered her fascination with international events during the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998. At the first Tokyo Marathon, she applied for the volunteer leader-training program operated by the Sasakawa Sports Foundation. In charge of retrieving RC timing chips at the finish line, she was deeply impressed by all the runners who exhausted themselves to make it to the finish line. This year she volunteered once again to be a leader at the event. In the second annual Tokyo Marathon, Ms. Miyashita lead 120 volunteers who distributed medals and retrieved RC timing chips, congratulating runners that finished. This was the second year for many of the volunteers, and they worked efficiently. "Their smiles are great, aren't they?" Miyashita remarked as she bustled about. This year, she has also volunteered to help out at PARACUP 2008 (a charity road race to help underprivileged children around the world), which is to be held on April 20.

Mr. Nakao

Mr. Masahiko Nakao (64), a former newspaper reporter, is fascinated by marathons, which he began training for to improve his health when he was 52 years old. He has participated in several to date, including three races overseas. He ran last year in the Tokyo Marathon and finished, cheered by spectators along the course. He was impressed by the volunteers, who he says worked without complaint in the snow and rain. After injuring his leg last year, he decided to give the injury time to heal this year, and volunteered instead. With 30 other volunteers, he managed spectators around an important Intersection, cheering runners with a broad smile on his dark-tanned face. "It's cold, but I'm having fun," he said about his volunteer work. Looking into the happy faces of the runners, he pledged to run once again next year.

According to the Sasakawa Sports Foundation, all volunteer positions were filled soon after recruitment began. Helped by good weather on February 17, cooperation between runners and volunteers helped make the event even more successful than the previous year. Mr. Hideyuki Sasaki, General Secretary of Tokyo Marathon Office, acknowledged the contribution of the volunteer leader-training program operated by the Sasakawa Sports Foundation. Volunteerism has apparently taken root.