Interview Relay

Interview Relay 2nd Run: Stories of “Connections Between People” Born Through the Tokyo Marathon

This time, we introduce a story of connections with family and children by Cludy, who has conveyed the precious values she gained through running with children.

Running has Become a Part of Family Story

I started running shortly before becoming a mother. Since then, it has naturally become part of our family story.

Today, my oldest son is 16, and my three younger children—triplets—are 14. They grew up seeing me train, prepare, persist, and commit over time. By running, I tried to teach them something essential by example: that discipline, consistency, resilience, and effort are values that extend far beyond sport.

Some of my most meaningful marathon memories happened at finish lines in Argentina, where my children joined me to run the final meters—and sometimes the last two kilometers!—together. In my very first marathon, they even crossed the finish line with me in strollers. From the very beginning, they were part of my journey.

In recent years, I began running the Abbott World Marathon Majors. My parents came with me to New York and Chicago, and they loved cheering me on from the sidelines. In Berlin, my husband was there with me, sharing the experience and supporting me throughout the race. 

Recently, I qualified for the upcoming Boston Marathon—an especially meaningful milestone, as it represents the result of long-term commitment, discipline, and hard work. For my children, this qualification became a powerful lesson: that truly demanding dreams require patience and sustained effort, but they are achievable when you commit fully. My husband will accompany me to Boston in April 2026.

Values of Running Tokyo Alight with What I Hope to Pass onto My Children

The Tokyo Marathon holds a unique place for us. My children have always wanted to accompany me to a World Marathon Major, but until now, the calendar has not allowed it because of school commitments. Tokyo is the first AbbottWMM race to take place during their school holidays, making it possible for us to experience it together.

Tokyo is a city we all deeply wish to explore as a family. Running the Tokyo Marathon would allow me to unite my passion for running with my role as a mother—sharing not only the race but also the journey, the city, and the meaning behind it with my husband and children.

Running through Tokyo would allow us to experience together a city known for its culture, discipline, and respect—values that closely align with what running has taught me and what I hope to pass on to my children.

What Running Taught Me

The connections with my family and my children have transformed running from a personal goal into a responsibility and a privilege.

Knowing that my children are watching has made me more conscious of how I approach challenges—not only in running but in life. I learned that perseverance does not need to be loud to be powerful. Consistency, patience, and effort, shown quietly over time, can leave a deep impression.

Running taught me that my greatest achievement is not only the races I finish, but the values my children absorb by seeing me commit, fall, get back up, and keep going. The most powerful impact of running often lives beyond the race itself, in the values passed on through example.

I hope this story shows that the Tokyo Marathon is not only a 42.195-kilometer race but also a place where connections are created, strengthened, and shared across generations.