What did you see after running 168 km? HOUYHNHNM RUNNING CLUB's ♡'s entry in UTMF.

Launched in 2012 as Japan's first full-scale 100-mile race, the UTMF has been held once a year, except for 2017 when it was cancelled, and this will be the sixth time it has been held, the first time in about 18 months since September 2016.

The UTMF has been held on a round course that starts at Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi Prefecture, circles the foot of Mount Fuji, and returns to Lake Kawaguchi. However, this time the course could not be secured, so the race was held on a one-way course starting from Fujiyama Kodomo no Kuni in Shizuoka Prefecture and finishing at Kawaguchi Lake.

Incidentally, the "100-mile" distance is also the global benchmark for trail running long distance races, commonly known as "ultra-trails. Numerous 100-mile races are held in Europe and the United States, and they are popular among trail runners.

The races will start at 12:00 p.m. on April 27 for the STY and at 15:00 p.m. for the UTMF on the same day. Fuji Kodomo no Kuni, the venue of the race, will be filled with runners and cheering crowds from early in the morning, creating an unusually high level of excitement.

Note that not just anyone can enter the UTMF. You must have competed in and completed a qualifying race in the past three years and earned the specified number of "points" to be eligible to enter the race. The reason for such a requirement is that the 100-mile race is a grueling competition that involves running through mountainous terrain for two days and nights, and the race is designed to determine whether or not an entrant has the ability to overcome the rigors of the race and complete it within the time limit.

Further down the road, a "lottery" awaits you. This is because the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available, even after earning the stipulated points and entering the race. In other words, it is an amazing feat just to participate in the UTMF, and the people standing at the starting point are all fierce competitors who have experience, ability, and luck.

These are the members of Hui-Nam Running Club ♡ who participated in this year's event. Including writer Issei Enomoto (center photo), who served as the club leader, and Hiroshi Yamamoto (second from right in photo), deputy editor-in-chief of Huinum, who served as deputy leader, a total of five members participated in the UTMF as runners, and many others came to support the event.

At 3:00 p.m., the race started with the signal! The long, long journey that lasted for two days and nights had begun.

The UTMF is a very long course, totaling approximately 168 kilometers. Not all of the trails are steep; some are gentle trails, some are steep and rocky, and some are forest roads and roads, offering a wide variety of terrain.

Yamamoto runs on trails at the foot of Mt. Fuji and on roads with beautiful sunlight filtering through the trees.

Enomoto runs comfortably through the fresh green trails.

Enomoto runs the trail at night with a headlamp. A headlamp is indispensable for running at night when darkness envelops you.

Fuji could be seen from every point on the course.

Fuji is a sight to behold throughout the year, but its appearance with lingering snow near the summit is exceptional. This is a beauty that can only be enjoyed at this time of year.

The UTMF has 10 "aid stations" along the course where runners can refuel with water and food and take breaks.

Some aid stations allowed cheers and supporters, and many members of the ♡Huinamu Running Club came to cheer us on. As the race is long, it is very reassuring to have the support of your friends. It makes you realize that you are not running alone.

Local specialties were also available at aid stations, with the famous Fujinomiya yakisoba served at the foot of A2 at the 50-kilometer point, filling the stomachs of runners.

By the way, you may be wondering, "Running for two days and nights and not sleeping at all during that time?" Some aid stations are equipped with rest areas, where many runners take a nap.

Yamamoto takes a nap at an aid station. He takes a nap for 30 minutes to an hour before returning to the race.

Two nights after the 1:00 p.m. start time on April 27, it was just after noon on April 29, the third day of the race. Yamamoto appeared at Kawaguchiko, the finish line!

He exchanged high-fives with the many spectators waiting for him along the roadside and near the finish gate, as well as with the members of the ♡Huinamu Running Club, and passed through the finish gate with a big smile on his face! The time was 45 hours, 7 minutes and 18 seconds! He completed the tremendous distance of 168km and was awarded the glorious title of "100 miler".

Yamamoto shakes hands with Enomoto, who was waiting for him at the goal. Enomoto suffered a stomach bug early in the race that caused him to vomit violently, and he was unable to stop the nausea.

The finish rate for this year's UTMF was 72.81 TP10T. About 70% of the participants who cleared the strict requirements for this race were able to finish, but about 30% of them had tears in their eyes during the course of the race.

I was completely defeated. I was completely outclassed. I had trained hard and even tried out some of the courses before the race, but in the end, I was completely unprepared and underachieving. I lacked energy, stamina, running ability, and everything else. However, even though I had to retire halfway through the race, I think I was able to experience a glimpse of the beauty of the UTMF and the appeal of a 100-mile race. At this point, I have not decided what I will do next year, but I would like to run in this event again someday. Or, even if I do not run as a runner, I would like to be there to cheer on my friends who are challenging themselves on this stage. In whatever way I can, I hope to continue to be involved in this event in the future.

To be honest, I feel like I'm the one who finished the race. In fact, until the end of last year, my monthly mileage averaged less than 100 kilometers, and I had not done any trial runs at all. I was not prepared for it, nor was I strong enough to run it. Why was I able to finish the race despite my poor preparation and running ability? Even I don't know that (laughs). If I had to venture a guess, it might be because I was excited to be playing in the mountains for almost 40 hours. I didn't forget to have fun during the race, and although I can't really recommend it, I drank heavily the day before as well (laughs). Looking back on it now, it was a very enjoyable 2 days (4 days if you include the days before and after). I am grateful to everyone involved in the UTMF for providing such an opportunity.