Asuka Terada is active as a "mama athlete" after retiring from active duty in athletics, getting married and giving birth, and returning to the front line again.
While discussing with Sachiko Takahashi, the representative of GeneQuest Co., Ltd., which handles gene analysis services, and Executive Officer of Euglena, the topics are physical changes after childbirth and the environment for raising children in Japan.
We received a message that encouraged many women, not just athletes and business owners.
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Accept the body and consciousness that have changed significantly after childbirth
Shoko Takahashi (Takahashi): Mr. Terada is also a “mama athlete”, isn't he? I think you're busy every day, but how much time do you spend training?
Asuka Terada (hereinafter referred to as Terada): About 3-4 days a week. I also have housework, parenting, and work.
Takahashi: I was wondering if I was training hard every day.
Terada: Certainly, when I was a teenager, I usually practiced 6 days a week, and I had only one day off.
Takahashi: It's amazing that the number of practice days has decreased and we are still setting a new record in Japan. Then, the pace of training changed significantly after giving birth.
Terada:Yes, That's right. However, on the contrary, because the time is limited, I am able to train more sharply than when I was a teenager. Although the number of days has decreased, the actual amount of practice does not change so much because I am training in the gym three days a week in the morning and practicing the track in the afternoon.
I'm still in the middle of raising my child, but since I was born, I've come to think that "the best time to train alone!" (Laughs).
Asuka Terada (track and field athlete)
Begin the hurdle in earnest from the first year of high school. In 2008, he won the Japan Championships in Athletics Women's 100m hurdles for the first time in his first year as a member of society, and has won the championship for the third time in a row. In 2009, he participated in the World Championships in Athletics Berlin and won a silver medal at the Asian Championships. In 2010, he won the 5th place in the Asian Games, but retired from active duty in 2013 due to a series of injuries. After getting married and giving birth, he returned to active duty in the summer of 2016 as a mama athlete to become a pioneer of female athletes by switching to rugby sevens. In December 2018, he announced his retirement as a rugby player and his return to athletics. In August 2019, it marked 13:00, which is the same as the Japanese record for the first time in 19 years. A new record in Japan of 12 seconds 97 (+ 1.2m) was achieved in September. He participated in the World Championships in Athletics in Doha, Qatar in October for the first time in 10 years. As an athletics player again, aim for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Takahashi: I see (laughs), it's fun to notice only after losing it.
Terada: Running and training are just for myself. So, if something goes wrong, you can solve it by trying to do what you can. However, since child-rearing is for children, there are many things that I can't help myself.
Takahashi: Thanks to the experience that I can't help myself, I can concentrate on the efforts I can do. Not only the mental aspect but also the physical aspect is surely changed greatly.
Terada: Yes, it has changed a lot compared to before giving birth. There are times when the pelvis is open and times when the lower body feels dull.
Even if I train with the same feeling as my body before giving birth, I can't go back and I can't go beyond my goal. So I gave up and accepted the change, and for a while I focused on rebuilding my body. I'm wondering if I've become a better body now than before.
Takahashi: I see, you did not restore your changed body, but accepted your own changes. Recognizing that and rebuilding your body from scratch is a great experience, isn't it? Many people find it very difficult to accept their changes, and I don't think everyone can do it easily. I am very interested in why Terada was able to think like that.
Shoko Takahashi (Euglena Co., Ltd. Executive Officer in charge of Bioinformatics Business / GeneQuest Co., Ltd. Representative Director)
Graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University. In June 2013, he started GeneQuest Co., Ltd. while enrolled in the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Tokyo. Completed the doctoral course in March 2015 and obtained a doctorate. We provide a genome analysis service that conveys genetic information on disease risk and constitution to individuals. April 2018 Appointed Executive Officer in charge of Bioinformatics Business, Euglena Co., Ltd.
Terada: I'm sure I wasn't recognized when I was a teenager.
However, in the first place, women are more likely to undergo physical changes than men. Birth is exactly like that. The human body changes and is natural. I came to think that way.
Then, I came to think about why my legs slow down and how I can build a body that can fight as an athlete again due to the factors other than the natural change.
Takahashi: I see, you thought about changes on a zero basis and focused on what you could do. When I heard the story, I thought that Mr. Terada had a very entrepreneurial mindset. It seems that you are opening up a new path as a mama athlete, but you are very entrepreneurial in how you perceive things, how to solve problems, and how to have an inquisitive mind.
Terada: When you say so, it may be true. Anyway, I'm the type who pursues "why?" Even for trivial matters.
For example, "Is it not good for a female business owner to put a crib in the president's office after giving birth?" "Why is it not good?"
Takahashi: I understand. It's a feeling of questioning what is common sense and searching for a solution.
Terada: Try it and if it doesn't work, you'll know, "Oh, this isn't good." But I don't really like to think about anything and somehow decide that it's no good.
If you try and it works, it will be possible for everyone else. If it doesn't work, just put it back. I really think that's all.
Why are there so few mom athletes in Japan?
Takahashi: One of the challenges Terada is taking on right now is his activities as a "mama athlete." Regardless of the type of competition, there are few women who are still active in the sports world after giving birth.
Terada:Okay. This has always been a concern for me since I was a teenager. There are quite a few overseas, mama athletes.
Takahashi: Why are there so few mama athletes in Japan?
Terada: Overseas, we have a support system for mom athletes and know-how to care for the body after childbirth. Unfortunately, there are still few such systems and know-how in Japan. I think that is one of the factors.
Takahashi: You have an ecosystem to support mom athletes. What kind of system is there to support mom athletes overseas?
Terada: The biggest is the sitter system. There are many overseas athletes who live in sitters to see their children, such as during expeditions, and conversely, have them follow the expedition with them. A sitter is a reassuring person who becomes a member of the family and cooperates in housework and child-rearing.
On the other hand, Japanese sitters are expensive, have limited time, and it is difficult to get a foreign sitter, so in the end, the requesting parent has to adjust the time. I think that the stress is currently less for overseas players.
Also, even if you try to deposit at a nursery school, under the Japanese system, athletes are treated the same as sole proprietors, so it may not be easy to deposit. I actually gave up on leaving my child in a licensed nursery.
Takahashi: There is such a hurdle. After all, unless such a system and environment are in place in the future, the hurdles for mama athletes to play an active role will not disappear.
Terada: Of course, we also need the cooperation of our father and family. I don't think it's fair for only mothers to bear the burden of raising children.
The human brain is premised on being "bred in a group"
Takahashi: In Japan, even though the unit of a family is getting smaller these days, there is a strong tendency that even single mothers and single fathers have to do their best to raise children by themselves. However, trying to deal with child-rearing with only a small number of people is not suitable for the human brain.
Terada:e? Really?
Takahashi: Human beings have a very developed brain, but it takes about 15 years after they are born until the brain is fully developed. Actually, there aren't many other dangerous creatures like that. Human babies run the risk of dying quickly if someone isn't always looking at them.
For example, a horse will actually stand up, trying to stand on its own feet as soon as it is born. Most of the creatures are not limited to horses, but have the ability to live on their own from the moment they are born.
Terada: That's right if you ask me ...!
Takahashi: Nevertheless, it takes about 15 years for humans to be able to live on their own. This is because humans have survived by raising their children safely through group life. Therefore, there was no problem even if it took a long time to develop the brain, and there was an environment where the brain could develop.
Considering the background, we are evolving on the premise that we can be raised not only by our parents but also by group life. Therefore, it is better not to close your family to raise children and ask for help. I feel that we need to create a system that allows the community to raise children.
Terada:I see! It is interesting. If you know such a scientifically-based premise, you may not have a strange feeling of guilt such as "Is it okay to leave it in a nursery school while it is so small?" If parents and a limited family do not try to complete it, and if everyone can raise children, the burden on parents will be reduced, and as a result, it will have a positive effect on children. If an environment that can do so is created, many women who are mainly responsible for raising children and mom athletes will be able to do more activities.
I want you to remove the unconscious "mental block"
Takahashi: Competition, physical fitness, and mama athletes. I've heard a lot of stories, but finally, could you tell us about your future goals for Terada?
Terada: My dream that hasn't changed since I started athletics is to become a finalist at the Olympics. As an athlete, I definitely want to do my best to achieve that.
It's still fluffy for the future, but I wish I could leave something for the many female athletes who will be juniors. I am working on new things through trial and error, such as holding sports schools and holding lectures, so I would like to create a path that mom athletes can follow.
Takahashi: Good, I would like you to realize it as a pioneer. While trying to open up a new path, is there any part that you feel "especially want to solve here" at this point?
Terada: It's a difficult question ... If there is one thing, how do you remove the mental blocks of each player?
Before I knew it, I thought, "Do you want to continue to be an athlete after giving birth? It's usually impossible." I would like to somehow change such an unconscious “block”.
It is one of the things that athletes are considered "usually impossible" to engage in other sports. By all means, it tends to be an aesthetic to continue in the same competition all the time.
Takahashi: Certainly, that aspect seems to be strong. There are many people who are obsessed with such "common sense" regardless of athletes or gender.
Terada: But in my case, the experience of rugby that I tried while I was away from athletics was very meaningful. My legs are stronger, I have stronger ability to catch the ground than before, and I am no longer afraid of going to hurdles.
Takahashi: And since you're actually producing results, it's persuasive, isn't it? I think there are many athletes who are encouraged to say, "Because Terada was able to do it, I might be able to do it myself."
Having the consciousness of "removing the mental block" may be helpful not only for athletes but also for many people who are busy working every day.
Terada:I agree! It would be great if many people could see me working on the competition and feel that I could do it myself!
* Honorific titles omitted in the text
Composition: Konomu Mizumoto / Photo: Takuya Sakawaki / Editing: Yu Oshima