Tyrannosaurus Rex Race Held to Promote Fun of Running in Iwate Pref.; Kids and Adults Don Colorful Dinosaur Costumes for Event

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:35 JST, February 13, 2025

KITAKAMI, Iwate — A colorful array of Tyrannosaurus rexes — technically speaking, kids and adults in dinosaur costumes — raced against each other in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture, recently in an event held to promote the joy of running.

The races were organized by a group formed by the city government, nonprofit organizations and other entities, with 68 people from the prefecture and elsewhere participating. Parents and children were among the racers.

Participants wore dinosaur costumes in a variety of colors, including red, green and orange. They were divided into three divisions: male and female “adult dinosaurs,” comprising fifth graders and older, and “juvenile dinosaurs,” or fourth graders and younger.

The costumes’ short legs and dinosaur tails moved energetically as the runners sprinted toward the finish line.

“I’m good at running, but it was hard to move my legs in the costume,” said an 8-year-old second grader at Too Elementary School who won the juvenile division. “I like dinosaurs, so it was fun to see them running around.”