My second attempt at Sasuke Park was October 2008 when they had a special event with Nagano and Takeda. It was by accident really. I was happy to got to try it out the first time, but it is one of those Mnt Fuji trips -- you do it once for the experience, only a fool (who cannot do any of it) does it twice.
Background. I know these guys. We are not best friends. We don’t bother keeping in touch regularly but they know me, they like me. In particular, Nagano and I are on pretty familiar terms. Now Nagano has asked me to go to Muscle Park when he was there a couple of times when he was scheduled, okay just once (because I said no.) It used to take me over an hour to get there, and it just didn’t seem to be worth it. But having moved recently, I now live a short, scenic monorail ride away. It would be fun to surprise him.
I went there having absolutely no intentions of doing the course. But Nagano spots me when he is looking through the audience for volunteer participants. He is really surprised to see me. In fact, he points his finger at me to get a confirmation that it’s really me. I smile and wave back.
They find the first volunteer. Then when the emcee begins soliciting for another volunteer, Nagano whispers “Get a female participant.” Nagano knows me. He knows if he challenges me, I’ll take him on. The emcee calls for a woman. I spring up to my feet with both hands raised. Nagano and I look at each other and we just crack up. He never had to pick me from a crowd, I was the ONLY female volunteer. I rush to the front and the first thing I say to him was, not How are you, not Long Time No See, not even Hello. I am adamant. “You HAVE to support me the way you do with the little kids okay? Otherwise I’m never going to make it….” He laughs and assures me he’ll do it. Takeda volunteers for camera duty.
Too bad Shiratori didn’t show up because I could have made him in charge of video but he wasn’t there. So I don’t actually have video footage of me (My family at this time is across Odaiba at the Toyota showroom riding hybrid go-carts…) but I am completely hysterical. When nervous, I talk aloud to myself, pretty loudly too. I don’t remember everything I was mumbling but I do recall groaning when I reach the platform of the arm bike saying, “I hate lifting my arms up that high because then my belly sticks out.” Nagano girly giggled hard at that one. That’s why I remember. I have no idea whether anyone in the audience heard but I wasn’t addressing anyone. Looking at the photos, I can’t believe I did that with THAT many people watching.
ARM BIKE: This has stayed the same because it’s not too difficult (for other people who are not me.) You remember Nagano gave me his word that he would support me right? So what he is not doing in this pix? What he IS doing is enjoying how peeved I am at him. “You promised!” I glared. It’s a priceless picture because in that moment, he is the real Makoto Nagano, not the “official” version.
Let everyone in on a secret. The guy is a total prankster, uber juvenile sense of humor. For example, we are driving in Kagoshima. He doesn’t own a car, just drive company ones. (We are in a light green Nissan Cube.) The phone rings. “It’s Yamada-san,” he mouths to me. (And no, they are not talking about Sasuke spray). They talk and casually Nagano says, “Not doing much, just driving with Carol and she’s been bad-mouthing you this entire time…” I punch his arm so hard we almost swerve off the highway. “Psyched you out! He hung up already.” The guy is beaming. Girly giggle fits the entire way. (To set the record, I have NEVER bad-mouthed Yamada to Nagano.)
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Finally, Nagano does his job and we get through the Arm Bike. He doesn’t carry me 100%, not even 70%. He makes me work at it but gives enough support for me to complete it. I am actually tired. I comment to him about this and he promised to give me more support.
NEW CLIFFHANGER: This time Nagano actually does a good job and I am just cruising along pretending to be doing the Cliffhanger. Carol babbles: “Hey, I am acing this obstacle. You’d think I’m Makoto Nagano or something. Wait, I can’t be because he’s right here with me.” Nagano is laughing, but no giggling. He’s starting to get tired to laugh too much. I do weigh more than the little kids… Just look at my butt in the poor guy’s face.
Then we get to the last beam. Wow, it is far. It looks far on television. It looks far from ground level. But eye to eye, the distance ain’t the English Channel, the Suez Canal… it is crossing the Pacific Ocean. Even with support, I need to hold on by myself and swing my body partway for him to assist. “Give up,” I said and he drops me to the mat.
SALMON LADDER: Again short of lifting me entirely, there isn’t much he can do for me on the Salmon Ladder by himself. When they help the kids, there is one guy per side. Nagano tells me to just hang there and smile for Takeda. Because the vertical distance here is the greatest, instead of the mats, it is in a foam pit, which sinks. So for me, I had to actually jump holding the bar to even get it to the first rung. Even if I had the strength, I cannot fathom the motion needed to get it up to the next rung. I hang there, smile then drop.
ARM RINGS: (someone help me with official name…) Takeda by this time is thoroughly enjoying my camera. In fact, he climbs up the obstacle partway, hangs off the side to get a better angle. I said to Nagano, “I’d love to get a photo of Takeda,” meaning a photo of him doing the paparazzi. Nagano takes it to mean I want my picture taken with Takeda and calls him over for a switch.
Takeda holds me by the boots at first and soon realizes we won’t get anywhere this way. So he grabs my ankles and off we go. This obstacle is deceptively difficult because to get forward momentum, you lean back slightly and already the ring falls back farther than you anticipate. Once you’ve managed the forward motion, you then realize you need to add a vertical element to get over to the next little block. Once you’ve figured it out, it is not that impossible BUT by the time you have, you are exhausted. So it preys on first-timers.
I am being supported throughout all of Sasuke Park, but it is taking its toil. My face is not red from embarrassment, but exhaustion. I am so tired. I tell Takeda, no more and he scrambles trying to give me more support but I fall. Yeah, I do scream a bit before landing. The emcee tells me I can still press the red button to stop the clock. The touch is soft. Weird, but it feels good to press it. Makes anyone feel like a champ. The audience is clapping, cheering for me. Weird.
I am always gamed to take on challenges but not athletic by any means. I wish I finished at least the maze. But really upon finishing, water was the only thing on my mind. I grab my bag and buy a bottle. Back at Sasuke Park, some guy tells me I was awesome. Takes a picture of me on his cell phone. Celebrity status? This would only increase in the afternoon as I participate in Quick Muscle with all the Sasuke Park All-Stars. It was more… than I had planned for.
SALMON LADDER: Again short of lifting me entirely, there isn’t much he can do for me on the Salmon Ladder by himself. When they help the kids, there is one guy per side. Nagano tells me to just hang there and smile for Takeda. Because the vertical distance here is the greatest, instead of the mats, it is in a foam pit, which sinks. So for me, I had to actually jump holding the bar to even get it to the first rung. Even if I had the strength, I cannot fathom the motion needed to get it up to the next rung. I hang there, smile then drop.
ARM RINGS: (someone help me with official name…) Takeda by this time is thoroughly enjoying my camera. In fact, he climbs up the obstacle partway, hangs off the side to get a better angle. I said to Nagano, “I’d love to get a photo of Takeda,” meaning a photo of him doing the paparazzi. Nagano takes it to mean I want my picture taken with Takeda and calls him over for a switch.
Takeda holds me by the boots at first and soon realizes we won’t get anywhere this way. So he grabs my ankles and off we go. This obstacle is deceptively difficult because to get forward momentum, you lean back slightly and already the ring falls back farther than you anticipate. Once you’ve managed the forward motion, you then realize you need to add a vertical element to get over to the next little block. Once you’ve figured it out, it is not that impossible BUT by the time you have, you are exhausted. So it preys on first-timers.
I am being supported throughout all of Sasuke Park, but it is taking its toil. My face is not red from embarrassment, but exhaustion. I am so tired. I tell Takeda, no more and he scrambles trying to give me more support but I fall. Yeah, I do scream a bit before landing. The emcee tells me I can still press the red button to stop the clock. The touch is soft. Weird, but it feels good to press it. Makes anyone feel like a champ. The audience is clapping, cheering for me. Weird.
I am always gamed to take on challenges but not athletic by any means. I wish I finished at least the maze. But really upon finishing, water was the only thing on my mind. I grab my bag and buy a bottle. Back at Sasuke Park, some guy tells me I was awesome. Takes a picture of me on his cell phone. Celebrity status? This would only increase in the afternoon as I participate in Quick Muscle with all the Sasuke Park All-Stars. It was more… than I had planned for.