first challenge for the fuji mountain race

I was always so slow when I went to Mt. Fuji for training with everybody who signed up for this.

So, I set my goals; losing my weights and finishing for the whole distance, I didn't expect from any good result.

I thought this a good opportunity as training during summer for the early fall marathon since Summer doesn't make me feel like running for long distance, I chose to take a hard way to run a mountain race which is one of toughest races in Japan, it shoud be good as a part of training for Berlin Marathon. I knew it's a very hard workout because I joined a training once with running mates as an experience last year, then I felt I was lucky not to register, but this time I took a hard decision.

In the first training in Mt. Fuji, I was hungover, I couldn't run as I wanted, just terrible feeling, tummy was really groopy and felt miserable. It took over 2h30m the whole race course to finish.

In the secound time, we started running from the shrine is located at 2.5km point on the race course. It took over 2hours and 10 minutes, I felt really hard and I couldn't keep up to Chika-chan. She ran very fast and lighter than me. I was so proud of her she finished in 10th place last year, fantastic. She looked like just popping, stepping and jumping. It was obvious I just was heavier than her. I made a decision to stop drinking by the race a while, soon after some people I look more fit for race, yeah! so glad to hear that.

As a strategy, I ate a yummy Unagi bowl (eel bowl) for a power lunch on the day before, it actually worked well for me, I could run as well more than I expected.

Why do people who run fast like register for 21km division??

So it's recommendable to race in 15km division.

It starts late at 8:30am, the course is not so busy, distance is enough!

All fast legs runners ran in 21km division, so in the 15km division, the course was not so busy and only 5 to 6 people went ahead of me, but I cought up one by one and little by little, however some people were cheering me as "You are No.2!" EEEEhhh? Am I No.2? it was unbelievable thing for me, but I got motivation even though I wanted to quite the race all the time, though.

The next thing I knew, 5 to 6 men were around me, front or behind around 7km before Nakano Chaya (Cafe). A guy tried to beat me many times, once passed me hardly but got be slow later and passed me but got be slow, he repeated this many time, finally he gave up to beat me before Umagaeshi at 11.4km point, yes it was a hard section and I also run seriously as a Namban!

I was running very carefully not so fast but not so slow, just running at my pace, I knew I couldn't keep on running after Umagaeshi, it's a steep hiking section to goes to 3,776m. That's why I allowed by myself to walk after Umagaeshi, so tried to run for there but I just walked for a minute before pass.

Before finish, some of race organizer screamed "secound woman is coming!!!"

I still couldn't believe that, then I realized I'm finishing in secound place! I felt so happy.

I really thank to Chika for organizing this and Geraldine, Shoji-san also Ishida-san for taking me the venue by their car. I had a great race and great training with you.

Finishing time: 1:56:34 2nd place in 15km women division.