Mr. C.B. POV
"Ahahahaha! As I thought, running with Rice is great! That's the Kikuka Sho record holder for you—what a run!"
"I-Is that so? But you're amazing too, C.B.-san... I still feel like I'm going to be overtaken..."
"Well, the title of Triple Crown Horse Girl isn't just for show, you know!" Puff!
"But... I wonder why we were paired up? It makes sense for me since I'm training for the Nikkei Sho next year and I'm a long-distance runner. But C.B.-san, you're aiming for the Japan Cup, which is a middle-distance race... Why did Oniisama choose this combination?"
"Hmm, I'm sure he has some thought process behind it, but it really makes you wonder, doesn't it? Especially the fact that it was long-distance training."
Well, I trust Hachiman completely, so I'll do the training regardless. Hachiman isn't the type of person to make us do things without meaning.
"...Maybe I'll ask him a little."
"Oh, good idea! Then I'll tag along. I was curious about it too."
—Clubroom—
"Hey, Hachiman. Can I ask you something?"
"Hm? It's rare for you to come to me with a question upfront. If it's something I can answer, go ahead."
"Well, I was wondering why Rice and I were doing long-distance training together."
"Rice's next race is middle-distance, so she's fine, but I was curious why you had C.B.-san doing long-distance training right now," Rice added.
"Ah, that. That's in anticipation of next year for both of you. C.B., your aptitude is—well, rather than saying 'anything but short distance,' it's more accurate to say you excel at Middle Distance."
"'Middle Distance'?"
"Simply put, it means you excel at distances around 2000 meters."
"Ohh, I see!"
"Well, C.B. can handle distances slightly beyond that, but when it comes to running 3000 meters, a bit of anxiety remains. That's why I had you run alongside a true Stayer type like Rice this time. The results showed no problems at all, though."
"But why do that now?"
"As I just said, C.B. is a Middle Distance runner, and Rice is Long Distance—a Stayer. You follow so far? My goal is to enter the Dubai races next year. Of course, we can't participate unless we get an invitation from their side, but having a high goal increases motivation. And the one participating will be C.B. Rice, your target is the Spring Tenno Sho."
"But if that's the case, why?"
"Let me ask you, C.B. What did you think when you ran at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland?"
"Hrmmm... The first time I ran there during training, I thought it was completely different from Japan. More than anything, I felt like I couldn't run properly unless I firmly planted each and every step."
"Right. That's mostly correct. Rather than just Ireland, European courses are generally 'heavy' across the board. On top of that, the elevation changes are drastic, so it's no exaggeration to say that the course geography guarantees a struggle for any non-European entrants. In comparison, Dubai and America are relatively 'light,' similar to Japan. In a sense, you could say they are easier to run on."
"...But, why long distance?"
"The primary objective is your running style."
"Running style?" both of us asked in unison.
"Your current running mechanics, C.B., have shifted completely toward a European style. It's a massive difference compared to before your expedition. If you went into the Japan Cup as you are now, it's obvious you'd get stuck in the pack unable to break out."
"I-Is it that bad!?"
"That's how much of a difference there is. To add to the earlier point about elevation: the elevation change in the Tokyo 2400m is 3 meters, but France's Longchamp Racecourse has a difference of 10 meters. That's why I chose Ireland instead of the English or French Triple Crown. Well, there was also the reason that Pilsud asked if we wanted to challenge it.
"But returning to the topic—since you ran three consecutive races over there, if you're going to run in a Japanese race now, you need a certain amount of time to revert your senses. Unlike the European turf that requires heavy steps, I need you to regain the sensation of lightness required for the Japanese and Dubai turf."
"So there was a reason like that..."
"That's why Rice and C.B.-san have been training together lately."
"I had to fix it from the fundamental level. To do that, I needed Rice's cooperation. Sorry for not explaining it earlier; that's my fault."
"It's okay, I understand the reason now! So, how was it? Did it come back?"
"About seventy percent, I'd say. It's not perfect yet. We have a little over three weeks left. It's short, but we have to get it back."
"Okay~!"
I hadn't even noticed that my running style had changed. In that case, I'll need Hachiman to watch my movements even more closely!
"Oniisama, was there anything Rice needed to fix?"
"For long-distance, your current run is no problem. But since you'll be running middle-distance as well, it would be better to speed up your spurt a little bit. Once C.B.'s Japan Cup is over, I'll incorporate middle-distance training for you too."
"Okay, understood!"
C.B. and Rice were the main focus this time. (Even though this is supposed to be a Fuji-centric story.)
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