Folks in trail running shoes wearing headlamps. This was the scene before the start of the 2nd Furu-Yuu Cup, a 5-hour endurance trail run held on local trails last weekend.
Named after a running buddy who is leaving Nagoya due to a job transfer, this race is a grassroots competition where the goal is to see how much distance you can cover on an approximately 5km trail loop over the course of 5 hours.
If you're wondering why everyone is wearing headlamps, it's because the start time is midnight. Some might think, "Why run at such an hour?", but I believe the midnight start creates a sense of the extraordinary, which is what drew this many runners together.
An aid station that also serves as a timing point is set up where the figure-eight course intersects, with the rule being that your time is recorded the moment you leave the aid station. Since this is the second event, the quality of the entry sheets has actually improved...
This race featured a parade run for everyone on the first lap to get to know the course, with the real competition beginning on the second lap.
Having placed 2nd in the first event, I found myself unable to keep up with the pace that picked up as soon as we entered the second lap, and from about the fourth lap on, I was on my own in 4th place.
It's pitch black once you hit the trails, so the photos are from the road sections. Between us, I would immediately turn off my headlamp when entering the bright road sections, strategizing to keep other runners from gauging the distance between us. The photo shows me with it on because the camera was pointed at me...
The aid station style involved everyone bringing their own nutrition as well as items to share. Some would rest every half-lap, while others would just take a drink and head right back out. The photo shows the former, as well as some people enjoying oden brought as a donation.
Take a look at the feet of the winner, who ran about 45km (9.5 laps) this time! Huarache sandals. And I hear they were handmade, too.
Everyone has their own stance on running, and I was wearing my usual ALTRA SUPERIOR. These shoes, which combine lightness and grip, allowed me to run the descents in the latter half of the race with peace of mind even as fatigue set in. Thank you, ALTRA SUPERIOR!
With 2 hours to go, you could see the fatigue on everyone's faces. But they all looked like they were having fun.
As for the results, compared to my 2nd place finish with 7.5 laps last time, I came in 4th this time despite running 8 laps—a half-lap more. Even though there were 17 participants, more than last time, the level of competition definitely went up. Still, it’s a grassroots race, and I think it was a great atmosphere throughout those 5 hours.
If there is a 3rd one, I’ll definitely be participating again. Honestly, it’s tough: my feet hurt, I get cramps, my arms get tired. You might think, "That sounds miserable!" if you read this. But when you get back to the aid station and hear words of encouragement, the moment you steel yourself to head back out again, or when you're just moving forward step by step, enduring the pain in the light of your headlamp—that’s when you think, "Man, I look cool right now."
No, everyone looked cool. Thinking about my friends ahead of and behind me, all enduring the same struggle on the pitch-black trail... writing this blog, I realized that although it was a race to compete for rankings, we all built this event, the Furu-Yuu Cup, together.
It was fun! Thank you to all the participants, the two people who managed the timing, and everyone who came to cheer us on with food and drinks. I look forward to greeting another pleasant morning together with everyone!
