NMB48 Fukumoto Aina, interview on her first full marathon as a charity runner at Osaka Marathon

  October 6, 2012


-Many runners say they get energy from cheers from people along a streets. When do you feel you get energy from fans cheers during the activities of NMB48?
“Especially when I am depressed, words from fans give me an energy. Also their direct voices at handshake events. Their cheers make me feel like trying harder. Voices from people who care about me give me power.
Regarding my first full marathon  many people told me “Are you really okay?” Because I'd been absent from theater performances for one month this year due to the leg injury, and they were concerned about it. But now I'm okay. I've gotten advises from people who've run full marathon about an efficient way to practice, how to breathe while I run, also about foods. I like ice creams, but they say I'd better refrain from eating ice creams. And many people have sent their cheering messages to me that they hope I will be able to run the full marathon. That has encouraged me so much.”
-Can I ask you what you feel about your role as a charity runner who call for charity to people for the disaster relief of Tohoku great earthquake etc?

“Because this my first full marathon, I have a lot of things that I feel uneasy about, but I want people to see how I've improved over the training and become able to run the full marathon. It's not that me running the full marathon directly help the disaster relief, but I hope it will deliver people energy and emotion.

Some of our fans are actually living in the disaster hit areas. Sometimes I hear fans speaking to me that they come from the disaster hit areas. I've received a letter from a fan living in Iwate prefecture, where it says 'I've been striving for the disaster restoration  and NMB48 gives me energy for it.' Staffs from Tohoku area once told me that 'Since the earthquake, the world has changed too much for me….', though I haven't seen the scene in person, my heart ached so much when I watched the TV footage.
Some fans in Tokyo said to me 'I will come to Osaka to cheer you up on the very day of the event'. So I hope they will direct their attention not only to send cheers to me but to the charity, too. I hope it will spread to people's minds gradually.”

2 comments

  1. I didn’t know Ainyan is that athletic O__O

  2. El Bicho Loco says:

    “and there were reasons for each sports I’ve done. Swimming was to gain stamina and tennis was because I wanted to wear a uniform”

    And I thought she would say somethin’ like “I wanted to improve my reflexes” or sumthing when she started mentioning “tenis” but no, it was for the uniform. lol That’s was deep girl, you caught me with my pants down. Love this girl.