“Pleasure Defeats Effort.”
The Pain and Pleasure of NAKAMA Who Race.

Do you have an interest that totally absorbs you?
When Chairman Inaba was young (of course, he is still young), he was totally absorbed in film production. All around the world we have NAKAMA similarly immersed in all sorts of interests. Here we introduce two, whose all-absorbing hobbies are IRONMAN and marathon.

One is UNIVA Paycast (UPC) management advisor Shinichi Tanaka, one of whose life goals is to finish every IRONMAN in Europe. Another is Seiji Hosaka, who is responsible for Naturally Plus Thailand, who has in the five years since 2017 participated in 28 races, full and half marathons and since last year triathlons, too.

I (Juan) don’t run at all. Because I don’t understand at all the appeal of triathlon to these two men, I asked them why they began training every day and what was it about track-and-field that appeals to them.

Tanaka-san, Hosaka-san, thank you for these interviews.

How Tanaka got from “Marathon is impossible” to IRONMAN

Does everyone know about IRONMAN? This super-hard race organized by the World Triathlon Corporation requires contestants to swim 3.8km, bicycle 180.2km, and run 42.2km, a total of 226km. Forty IRONMAN races are held in 22 countries. A contestant who completes the course within a specified time earns the title “Ironman.” Crazy, isn’t it?

UPC Management Advisor Shinichi Tanaka is obsessed with this crazy race. Besides research, he has made it his lifework to conquer every IRONMAN in Europe. Between work and training, he is always busy. How did he come to participate in his first triathlon?

“It must have been around 2009. Every day I felt depressed because whatever I tried I never got good at it. Then, on TV, I saw the face of a runner crossing the finish line at the Tokyo Marathon. The expression on his face was amazing! I had thought―no kidding― of the marathon as something no normal human would do. I was surprised when I thought to myself that I could do that, too (laughs). But if I were going to do it, I would tackle the craziest race of all, the triathlon. That is how it began.”

Someone after forty! Triathlon?! Someone like Tanaka, with no experience of running, biking, or swimming?

“At first, I was exhausted if I ran 500m (laughs), but then I noticed that I could run 10km. If you can run 10km, running 20km or a full marathon isn’t that different. What a human being can get used to doing is terrifying!”

Finish (I did my best with my strained back!)

No, no. The scary one is Tanaka (laughs). In 2011, he ran a full marathon after participating in a (Olympic distance) triathlon. In 2012, feeling pumped up, he participated in his first IRONMAN and finished in outstanding style. Since then, he has participated every year in IRONMAN races in Japan or Europe. In 2017, at an IRONMAN in Italy, he experienced “hunger knock” (extreme low blood pressure after engaging in a strenuous sport for a long time), became sleepy and was disqualified. Except for that one time, he has finished every race. In 2022, he strained his back just before running an IRONMAN in Switzerland, but reached the goal despite suffering extreme pain.

“That time it really hurt, hurt so bad… (tears). But the Alps, especially the famous Mt. Eiger and Mt. Jungfrau, were really beautiful. The most beautiful scenery I have ever seen, and with people along the way cheering me on I finished. I will never forget that race.”

His Triathlon “Lifelong NAKAMA”

Reunited with members of the French triathlon team at the race

Every week from Tuesday to Friday, Tanaka leaves home at 5:00 a.m. and runs 6km to a swimming pool, where he is guided by a coach while he swims 2.5km. Then, he runs another 6km to get home. In the morning, he does desk work at home. In the afternoon he visits UPC or other clients to offer advice on financial strategy, new business development, and employee education/training. He is extremely busy. On the weekend, he runs 20km and does a long (100-150km) bike ride! How much more stoic could anyone be?!

“Stoic? It doesn’t feel like that to me. I never think of the small difficulties posed by ‘What is triathlon for me?’ I only get pumped up thinking of how good the beer will taste when the practice or race are over. Whether I like or enjoy it doesn’t matter. Confucius said that, but it’s true.”

“Effort defeats talent. Pleasure is not effort’s equal.”

Seeing Tanaka’s eyes shine with boyish delight, I could feel the strength of his pleasure, but I still wondered how someone as busy as he is can manage to find the time to travel to races outside of Japan. What are his time management secrets?

“Everyone who enters IRONMAN races is a time management professional. They decide firmly when to begin and when to end. Their capacity for hard work and concentration is amazing. I learned how to harden my body from foreign elites, a custom that Japanese VIPs lack.”

It was wanting to know the secrets of the foreign elite that led Tanaka to join the French team. That team’s coach is a former Olympic athlete and European champion! Tanaka became the only non-French member of the team and participates in its training retreat every February. Hats off to his energy and curiosity!

“Thanks to IRONMAN, I have friends all over the world. My encounters with their way of life have had a huge effect on my own life. This was something I had never dreamed of when I took up triathlon. Irreplaceable comrades, those who share my intentions, close friends―I am so fortunate. I encourage UNI-SIGHT readers to go outside the company and build their own lifework.”

When Tanaka visits other countries to race, he only stays in hotels before and after the race. The rest of the time he stays with friends or their families, collects information on how other countries are building sustainable societies, and attends local cooking classes. Through IRONMAN he celebrates life. What is Tanaka’s next goal?

As for IRONMAN, this July I want to improve my personal best time at the race in Switzerland. On the work front, I want to develop global proposals related to sustainability. My immediate aim is to become a Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA).

Tanaka-san, we will be rooting for you!

From Full Marathon to Triathlon

Another NAKAMA, Seiji Hosaka, from Naturally Plus Thailand has also discovered the appeal of running. It started in 2017 with wanting to solve the problem of lack of exercise. He had started running before but remembered being a slacker and quickly giving up. Determined to do better, he applied for a half marathon only a month and a half after making his decision. With a clear goal in sight, he trained hard and finished that half marathon. He experienced the joy of running and found himself longing to run a full marathon.

“It wasn’t that I had hated running. The next year, 2018, I completed three full marathons. In 2019, I completed a trail run. Last year was my first triathlon. This year in May I will run my first IRONMAN in Danang.”

Here it comes again! IRONMAN!! The birth of another ironman (laughs). What is Hosaka’s daily training regimen?

“On weekdays, I run 12km every day. I get up at 3:00 a.m., then run for an hour starting at 3:30. At 5:00 I take care of the children, then go to work. I finish work at 6:00 p.m., then go to bed at 9:00 p.m. In addition, I swim 2km twice each week, and do bicycle training on the weekends. My lifestyle is truly very healthy.”

Hosaka doesn’t have a trainer or coach. He has searched the Internet and YouTube to develop his own regimen. While balancing work, family and hobbies, he continues to train with the aim of completing the IRONMAN race in Danang in May.

Marathon’s gifts: Mental and physical strength

In the five years since his first half marathon in 2017, Hosaka has participated in 27 races. Last year, he ran in 13 races, and what is truly amazing, finished a half marathon, a full marathon, and a triathlon, all in December. To me, marathon and triathlon are unknown worlds. What, I wonder, is the appeal of running?

“They make me stronger in both mind and body. I have always had a positive attitude, but running has made me mentally stronger. That benefits every aspect of everyday life. It’s something to do for the fun of it.”

In Hosaka’s eyes I see the same gleam that shines from Tanaka’s eyes (laughs). Both have experienced what Confucius said, “Effort defeats talent. Pleasure is not effort’s equal.” It is a simple question; but if running is fun, then even marathons and triathlons shouldn’t feel that hard?

“No, the last half is always really hard! There are countless times when you think, should I keep going or stop? The great thing about marathons and triathlons is that they depend on the whole of us. Whether we are walking, running slowly, or running fast, we have a goal. Once we decide on our goal, we enjoy managing how we reach it.”

His wife is responsible for his meals. Primarily protein, but avoid fat. Build muscle without gaining weight. That’s what she keeps in mind while choosing their menus. In Thailand, Japanese ingredients are all available, so it’s mainly Japanese-style food. His diet as well as his way of life are both healthy. And, of course, Hosaka is a fan of Naturally Plus supplements as well as our signature product IZUMIO.

On the weekend of our interview, the following weekend, and every weekend after that, Hosaka said that he was running races to prepare for the May IRONMAN. I could hear the enthusiasm in his voice.

“The important thing is to train every day. Little by little I get myself in the best condition as the big race approaches. I picture in my mind the course I will be running and focus totally on completing the run.”

Finally, he told me about his work and future goals.

“I have been in Thailand for half a year. Founded ten years ago, Naturally Plus Thailand continues to seem stuck in a rut. Task No. 1 is planting the seeds to create an arena in which we can rise to the top. It will take time, but we can recover! As for my hobbies, my goal is to complete a marathon in three hours or less. Then, because I have started swimming, I want to try open water swimming. I will do that race in November.”

Tanaka-san, Hosaka-san, keep looking for new challenges!
Everyone, don’t forget to send messages to cheer them on!