As every year, my goal was to do better than last year.
Half success as I'm 2min slower but better ranking.
Year | 2017 | 2018
Umagaeshi time (rank) | 0:59:50 (329) | 0:57:50 (209)
5th station time (rank) | 1:48:12 (186) | 1:46:01 (143)
8th station time (rank) | 3:05:47 (110) | 3:06:16 (94)
Finish time (rank) | 3:30:40 (101) | 3:32:20 (83)
I was 2min faster at the 5th station. So as last year, I gave me a little break at the begining of second half. As a result, I was feeling easy in the sandy path but still I had the feeling that I was going a good pace (which was probably wrong). There were a little less people around me than last year (which was probably right), and I was passing other runners and nobody was passing me, so it comforted me in the idea that I was going a good pace.
I didn't noticed when I passed the 8th station, so I could not tell if I was still in advance or not compared to last year (actually I was 29s late). I was still going a good pace in the last 30min, passing other runners, but I ended up finishing 1min40s slower than last year...
My calves were very close to cramp, I had to stretch them few times, so I don't think I could have gone faster, at least in the last hour. I was not feeling too exhausted at 5th station, so I don't think I started too fast. Then the only thing I may have done better is pushing a little harder at the beginning of the second half, in the sandy path. But maybe I would have pay it later.
The reason why my time and seemingly other people time is slower is not clear. The weather was good, same as last year I think. The course has changed a little bit at the 5th station, about 200m more, which can account for 1min. A reason could be the heat in the previous weeks. Because of the particularly hot weather, we could not train as well as usually. At least I have this feeling for me. I was not satisfied with my training. I could not do fast training as much as I wanted. Maybe it was the same for other people.
Yuki was planning to enter to the 5th station race, but she failed to the registration (full too fast), so she tried the race to the summit and she succeeded to get in. So no choice, she had to train for the summit race. Last year she was stopped at the 5th station gate, so her goal was to pass the 5th station and reach the 8th station. She didn't think she was fit enough to pass the 8th station. She was right as she was 2min too late at that point. Next year will be the good one hopefully.
Rie san passed the 8th station gate with 24s margin, and reached the summit in 4:39:50, ranked 1176th.
Yuichi san reached the top in 3:55:45, ranked 296th.
This is a crazy race but (or maybe that's why) I like it :)
