Marathon runner Misato Michishita with vision disabilities revealed how coronavirus pandemic struggles helped her find new sources of strength that will aid her quest for gold at the Tokyo Paralympics.
In a recent interview with Kyodo News, Michishita, who holds the marathon world record for the women’s T12 class, said her single-minded obsession with Paralympic gold is what has kept her going for the last six months amid coronavirus-related restrictions.
“The gold medal is still my one unwavering goal,” she said, her focus firmly on the race that will start and finish at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Sept. 5, 2021.
An obsession with winning at home has helped her drag herself out of bed on chilly mornings and has pushed her to slog along quiet trails known for occasional encounters with wildlife with her guide, who keeps her safe and aware of her surroundings with the help of a small piece of rope that connects them.
The 43-year-old is looking to capture her first Paralympic gold medal next summer to add to the women’s T12 class world record she first set at the Hofu Marathon in 2014, and the silver medal won at the Rio Games in 2016.
It was not unexpected with the global coronavirus outbreak spreading, but the finality of the decision came as a shock and made her ill “like a child who gets a fever if they think too much,” forcing her to rebuild her training schedule from scratch.
Under World Para Athletics rules, athletes with vision disabilities compete in three classes based on their disability, from most severe in the T11 class to the least severe in the T13 category.
Michishita, who has a form of corneal dystrophy, competes in the T12 class in which athletes are assessed as having “a visual field of fewer than 10 degrees diameter.”
Some athletes can run unaided, but those with relatively severe visual impairment like Michishita tether themselves to a guide who helps them stay on course and avoid obstacles and other competitors.
Social pressure made Michishita hesitant to run outdoors with her guide Noritaka Horiuchi. Still, he eventually convinced her to listen to her gut and remain honest with him, which was easy given their bond forged in winning silver together at the Rio Olympics.
She also upped strength training from two days a week before the COVID-19 pandemic to nearly every day because “I wanted to rebuild my body,” which resulted in her increasing her stride length.
Michishita is planning to take part in the Hofu Marathon in Yamaguchi Prefecture in December and said her goal is to set a new personal best for the race.
“If I can succeed, it will give me momentum for next year,” she said.
