Just like America, running is one of the popular sports enjoyed by many and marathon competition is held everywhere in Japan, including unique ones.
In Kanagawa prefecture, marathon called “Human Salted Kombu Seaweed Marathon” is held every year. It’s not only the name that is unique about this marathon. As everyone know, usual marathon competes time you finished, but this marathon compete on how much weight they loss at the end by sweating. This event is 19th annual marathon and has a long history to it.
This unique name derived where when people sweat, sodium and minerals stains on their shirts all white, making them look like white powder on surface of Kombu seaweed.
When you hear this story, you might think that the white powder on surface of kombu seaweed is sodium and minerals, but the actual white powder is Umami. Umami that are contained in Kombu seaweed is crystallized on surface when sun dried. Before using Kombu seaweed, do not wash it with water as umami will washed out, so use tightly wrung cloth to wipe off any sand.
Kombu seaweed is perfect for taking in minerals that are lost during sports and it is often used to avoid heat fatigue. Let’s take healthy meal when you sweat or tired from all the heat, and have a healthy blast with your life.
Tullamore Harriers Half Marathon 2014 (Start) / Peter Mooney