(じきゅうそう)

じきゅうそう
noun
endurance run; long-distance run
sportseducation
1. endurance run; long-distance run
Running over a long distance at a steady pace to test or build stamina. Commonly used in Japanese school physical education classes as a standard fitness activity.
持久走(じきゅうそう)苦手(にがて)だ。
I'm not good at long-distance running.
We did an endurance run in PE class.
In winter, schools hold endurance-running competitions.
持久走(じきゅうそう)(つづ)いる体力(たいりょく)ついてくる。
If you keep doing endurance running, you build up stamina.

Composed of 持久(じきゅう) (endurance, lasting) + (そう) (running). Refers specifically to long-distance running as a form of exercise or fitness testing. In Japanese schools, 持久走(じきゅうそう) is a staple of winter PE classes, often culminating in a 持久走(じきゅうそう)大会(たいかい) (endurance-running competition) where students run distances from 1 km up to several kilometers.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • マラソン: marathon — technically a specific 42.195 km race, but used loosely in Japanese for any long-distance run
  • 長距離走(ちょうきょりそう): long-distance running — the formal athletic-event term
  • ジョギング: jogging — more casual, for fitness at a relaxed pace

Cultural note

持久走(じきゅうそう)大会(たいかい) is a well-known Japanese school event, often associated with cold winter weather and mixed feelings among students — seen as tough training but also a rite of passage.