"10th or 11th Place" NAZE Participates in Japan's Akasaka Marathon, Expressing Regret Over Results and Promising Future Challenges

The members of the group NAZE participated in the Akasaka Marathon in Japan and reported that they completed the race. Through a recent live broadcast, NAZE shared their schedule of traveling to Japan for the marathon and returning to South Korea immediately after, while also revealing the atmosphere of the event and their personal feelings.

"10th or 11th"... Regretful Marathon Results

The NAZE members visited Japan for this marathon participation and completed a short but intense schedule, returning to South Korea immediately the day after the event. The members expressed regret regarding their performance in this competition, mentioning specific rankings. One member said, "I'm not sure of the exact victory, but from what I saw, I think it was 10th or 11th place," adding, "It is disappointing because I cannot know the exact ranking." He shared his feelings at the time, saying, "I ran only thinking about the thought of running until the end."

The members, who are not usually fond of running, practiced repeatedly for this competition. One member expressed his struggles, saying, "Since Yuya and Kaisei hyung are somewhat capable of running, we practiced, but it was indeed difficult to challenge it with only a little practice." In particular, he reacted by saying, "Our minimum goal was to achieve a result that would allow us to enter a studio (broadcast), and it is disappointing that we could not even achieve that."

"Limits Reached at the 3.5km Mark"... The Difference Between Running and Other Exercises

Stories about the physical changes felt while experiencing the marathon directly followed. The members explained their physical limits by mentioning the differences between running and other types of exercise. One member said, "Exercises like crunches or braking feel manageable even if done for 1 to 2 hours, but running was so hard that when I reached the 3.5km mark, I thought, 'I can't do this.'" He added, "I kept running because I thought I shouldn't stop after seeing the fans' faces."

The difference in muscle usage depending on the method of exercise was also mentioned. One member explained the unfamiliar fatigue caused by the running motion, saying, "The muscles used when going uphill and the muscles used when running are truly different. It feels like a completely different world." He continued to convey the characteristics of the running course, saying, "There are times when going downhill is harder than going uphill."

"I Want to Run Again Next Year"... A Short Break in Japan

Although they did not reach their target performance, the members showed their will for the next challenge. Expressing their intention to participate again if a similar event occurs next year, they shared specific plans to challenge short and fast-paced events rather than long-distance running in the future.

Episodes experienced during their short schedule visiting Japan for the marathon were also revealed. The members reminisced about the enjoyable times, sharing stories about meals and shopping in Japan. One member shared the small joys of Japan, saying, "I really like Harry Potter, so I bought related products." Additionally, they shared that the visit to Japan was an enjoyable experience, talking about their experience of paying attention to their diet to manage their condition before the competition and the food they ate immediately after the race.

Source: NAZE (YouTube)