The 17th Saroma-Lake Ultra Marathon Race

Date: Sunday June 30, 2002 Weather : Sunny

Location: Saroma-Lake, Hokkaido


Details of Race

Race	100 km	Runners	2,000	*
	50 km		500	*
Entry Fee	Yen 14,000
Contact	1-31-9 Haramachi, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 152-8532 Secretariat of Saroma-Lake Ultra Marathon Race TEL: 03-5200-3293
Gift	T-shirt & Towel
Free Service	Water supply point every 2.5 km. Food Station every 5 km.
Remarks	Start time of 100km race is 5:00 AM. The race finishes at 6:00 PM (13 hours after start)

Images


Before start Start Line Just starting


After start Around 20km point Top Group

Record & Impression

Saturday June 29, 2002 Sunny


• I joined the race with my 6 friends (Four runners & two rooters). Two of 4 runners joined the race twice.
• We flied from Haneda Airport to Nyomambetsu Airport. I visited Hokkaido after more than 20-year interval.
• However, I was stopped at Security Check of Haneda. The lady examiner said there was a small knife in the baggage. I remembered that I had once put the small army knife in the small bag.
• I always take the bag for business trip and thus a lot of miscellaneous goods are packed inside. She could not easily find the knife. The baggage was again put into the X-ray device and finally the knife was found. It was a waste of time for me. The knife was taken away and I had to receive it at the destination. I didn't know that the security check was so severe lately.
• Anyway, the plane left at 11:55 as scheduled. I was disappointed that only a cup of juice was served during the flight even at lunch time. Some food should be served.
• By the way, almost one third of the seats were occupied by the senior high-school gals who were going on an educational trip to Hokkaido. It was like a paradise of young gals!
• After arriving in Nyomambetsu Airport, we hurried to the reception cite of the race (Starting point of the race) by car. Runners had to register on Saturday only. On the way, I could see the part of the course of the ultra marathon race. I was surprised to see several up-and-downs of the course.
• We reached the site around 16:00. A lot of runners were there.
• Reservation for the T-shirt of ultra marathon race, which was to be sold only for the runners who could complete the race was made at the shop. I did not have any interest for it since I already have a lots of T-shirts of marathon races. The price of T-shirt was Yen 3,600. (If the runner wishes to put the race record additionally, the price will be Yen 3,800. Too expensive!)
• Runners could take free scallops there. However, they had to serve and grill by themselves. The quantity was limited only two dishes per runner this year. (No limit last year! It's a tough world!)
• Then, we finally arrived in Monbetsu Price Hotel at 17:30, where more than 100 runners stayed.
• As soon as I entered into the room, I started to prepare for tomorrow's race. It took much time than I expected. However, this perfect preparation helped me next morning!
• We had a dinner at the restaurant of the hotel. We took "Crab" dishes. I intended to have only a couple of glass of beer. However, then, I also started to drink cooled Japanese sake with my friends although I had refrained from drinking from Monday to Friday.
• Further, after the dinner, I was asked my friend to come to his room and I went there and drank sake again! Too much drink!
• Finally I went back to my room around 20:00 and immediately felt into asleep. The next morning, I had to gather at hotel lobby at 3:20 AM. I set the alarm clock at that time-----.
  
  Sunday June 30, 2002 Sunny
  
  
• I waked up by the knocking at the door. I wondered who it was. I checked the clock and found it was still 23:00! I felt strange, but found it already became light outside!
• I heard Mr. F shouting outside the door "It's already 3:30AM!". The time of clock was wrong! (I later found it was four hours out!)
• I completely overslept! I rushed to change the wears and went out the room to the lobby with vinyl bags.
• My friends were waiting for me uneasily. Sorry for my delay! I did not completely wake up at that time.
• It took only a few minutes to go to the lobby after changing the wears. The only relief was that I prepared completely last night. However, to my regret, I didn't have a time to take a breakfast box, which I bought last night at the convenience store near the hotel. Of course, I didn't wash my face!
• I could only take one bread in the car until I reached the starting point (approx. 30 minutes)
• I still cannot understand why the time of clock was wrong.
• We could see a beautiful sunrise around 3:45 in the car. It seemed it was fine.
• We arrived in the starting point at 4:00. Many runners and rooters were already there. The number of runners for 100 km race was approx. 2,000.
• It was not so cold in the morning. The temperature at the start time was 17 degrees Centigrade.
• Start time was 5:00. It was fine. I waited for start in the front part of the line and thus it took only one minutes to pass the start line. No one rushed to start this time, because it was an ultra marathon race.
  
  Record
  
  

  Distance	Time passed	Time Limit	Closing Time
  10 km	58 minutes	*	*
  20 km	1 hour 59 minutes	*	*
  30 km	2 hours 59 minutes	*	*
  40 km	4 hours 18 minutes	*	*
  42.195 km	4 hours 33 minutes	5 hours 30 minutes	10:30
  50 km	?	6 hours 30 minutes	11:30
  55 km	6 hours 15 minutes	*	*
  60 km	?	7 hours 35 minutes	12:35
  70 km	8 hours 40 minutes	8 hours 45 minutes	13:45
  80 km	10 hours 40 minutes	10 hours	15:00
  90 km	*	11 hours 30 minutes	16:30
  Goal	*	13 hours	18:00

  
  
• My condition at starting point was pretty good since I slept well last night! I was sure that I could complete the race at that time.
• From 10 km to 40 km, my running pace was approx. 10 km per hour. Not so bad! ( although I felt pains on my foot after passing 20 km point.)
• I passed the full marathon race point (42.195 km) at 9:33. I had almost one hour extra time to the time limit at that point. I could still enjoy the scenery.
• However, when passing 45 km, I felt my legs a little bit paralyzed. I could not run as I expected. I was at a loss. To make the matter worse, the course became upward.
• Finally, to my regret, I started to walk. Once I walked, I lost my energy. Since then, when the course was upward, I walked and when the course was downward, I ran. I started to lose my extra time.
• I was forced to walk the upward road just before the 55 km rest station.
• I arrived there at 11:15. I had a plan to change my wears there. However, I did not have enough time. Thus I changed only socks and started after 5-minute rest.
• However, the road was still upward and I continued to walk to the highest point.
• Shortly the course became downward and flat, but my running pace became so slow.
• I could pass the 60 km point within the time limit, however, I didn't remember the time.
• After 60 km point, I felt 5 km distance as so long! I felt I couldn't reach there although I tried to run as fast as possible.
• Time limit of 70 km point was 13:45 (After 8 hours 45 minutes from the start) I could just pass there at 13:40. (Just 5 minutes before the time limit!)
• However, I felt completely exhausted there. I didn't have any more energy. I had to arrive in 80 km point within 1 hour 15 minutes. (Time was 15:00)
• To my regret, I couldn't run any more. Almost all runners around me started to walk. I also decided to walk to 80 km point.
• However, it was too long to the 80 km point. I felt pains on my foot even when walking. A lot of runners started to get on the aid-car.
• On the way, I was asked if I took the aid-car, but I refused since I wanted to walk to the 80 km point anyway.
• Just before the 80 km point, I happened to meet Mr. F who were almost on the goal line.
• Finally I reached 80 km point at 15:40. Of course, time was not counted there any more.
• I got on the aid-car and back to the goal at around 16:00.
• My two friends already goaled within 11 hours and another friend also goaled one hour later.
• In conclusion, to my regret, only I failed to goal.
• Contrary to my expectation, the result was not good although I had confidence that I could reach the goal. I will review the race as follows: By the way, the percentage of completion of the 100 km race is 60%. (Last year : 47%)
  
  Reviewing the race
  
  
• I thought I did my best to prepare the race. However, it wasn't enough.
• As the hardness of full marathon race is three or four times of that of half marathon race, the hardness of the 100 km ultra marathon race is also three or four times of that of full marathon race. For o5rdinal amateur runner, in order to complete the ultra marathon race, more and more training is required.
• I could only experience to run 80 km. However, It may be harder and harder to pass the 90 km point and to reach the goal.
• It is necessary to make muscular training in addition to running. It is also necessary to run more than 300 km per month to run constantly over 70 km. By the way, my latest running distances just before the race were as follows: April---208 km, May---363 km, June---242 km. To my regret, I could not run enough in April owing to one-week business trip to Taiwan.
• The runner's condition on the race day also affects the results. Especially, lack of sleep is serious. (This time, I did not have this problem.)
• Another main factor is the weather condition. This time, the temperature rose up to 28 degrees Centigrade previous day. However, on the race day, the temperature seemed to rise to less than 28 degrees Centigarde. Anyway, although it was fine, the humidity was low and I did not feet the heat. I think the weather condition was best this time. That the reason why I regret to fail to complete the race this time. If the weather is bad, I cannot complete the race.
• At first, I did not feel damage to my body since I only ran 80 km. However, I felt big pains on my foot next day even two days later. I can image how I got damage if I completed the race.
• Immediately after the race, I didn't think to join the race again. However, one week later, I finally decided to challenge the race next year once more to complete the race.
  
  About the race
  
  
• 100 km and 50 km races are available. More than 2,500 runners join.
• Aid station is set every 5 km. Enough food/drinks are available there.
• Only water is available every 2.5 km.
• Two big vinyl bags (Red & Blue) were given to the runners at the reception. Runners put the wears and food in the each bag and hand on the race day to be dlivered to 55 km point and goal.
• A lot of toilets are available during the course. However, the quanity is not so many.
• Picture is taken at the goal point. The finished runner can buy the photo at cost.
• If the runner cannot complete the race, he has to register the retired point at the goal point.
  
  Monday July 1, 2002 Sunny
  
  
  
   
  The Sea of Okhotsk Flower of Genseikaen
  
  
  
  
  
  
• We had sightseeing on Monday since the plane to Haneda would leave at 16:35.
• It was fine. It was hotter than previous day. We left the hotel at 9:00.
• We first visted Wakka Gensei Kaen, where I could not run previous day.
• I could not see so many flowers as I expected since the flower season was almost over. However, I was much impressed by the blue color of the Sea of Okhotsk. I again deeply regretted that I could not run this course previous day.
• Then, we visited the Notori Cape and the Museum of Abasiri Prison.
• Finally we arrive in Nyomambetsu Airport at 15:30. We had a enough time and we bought souveniors and drank beer and sake at the waiting room until we were on board.
• I continued to drink in the plane. In the plane, beer and wine were served at cost. (Yen 500 per bottle. Too expensive!)
• Anyway, I was drunken. We arrived in Haneda at 19:00.
• I went home via Yamanote Line and Seibu Line, but I met rush hour.
• I did not have energy to walk to my home from Higashi-kurume station. Thus I took taxi from the station to my home. I reached home around 21:00. Anyway, after taking shower, I drank beer again and went to bed. I was exhausted!

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