TOKYO (2017)

Turning point

With an almost-disappointed smile, Noëlle buttons her cardigan, leaning against the same examination table where, eight years and more than 2,900 injections ago, I pulled her size-92 cardigan over her mischievous eyes. Stretching to her absolute limit, she just barely reaches 1.49 metres. One and a half metres — the measurement that marks the end of the growth hormone treatment. The goal has been reached.

It's a bittersweet moment. Eight years of daily injections, of trust, of discipline — from both of us. And now it's over. Noëlle takes it with typical Noëlle-grace: a little disappointed, a little relieved, and already thinking about what comes next.

Tokyo. The fifth of six World Marathon Majors. Japan welcomes with overwhelming order and warmth — two things that seem contradictory but in Tokyo are perfectly balanced. The expo is an experience in itself: precise, beautiful, organised down to the last detail.

The marathon itself is a dream. 35,000 runners, immaculate organisation, and spectators who cheer with focused enthusiasm — not just loud, but heartfelt. The course winds through the city, past temples and skyscrapers, through neighbourhoods where the scent of food mingles with the sounds of taiko drums.

I finish in 4:18:15. Five down, one to go. The Six Star Medal is within reach. And somewhere between Tokyo's skyscrapers and Noëlle's new chapter, Running for Turner takes on a new meaning: not just running towards a goal, but running with everything that has already been achieved.