Last week Japan’s most important race of the year took place, the annual Hakone Ekiden. A relay race over ten stages contested by universities of the greater Tokyo area (Kanto), this race is perhaps the most incredible race in the world, but few people outside Japan have heard about it.
Usually the streets of Toyko and beyond along the route that finishes close to the shores of Lake Ashi are filled with massive crowds while the rest of the country watches mesmerized on television. About half the population watches the race one way or the other – the latest edition enjoyed a massive 65 million TV audience!
The Hakone Ekiden is the pinnacle of running for Japanese runners, even bigger than the Olympics. Only the very best of Japan’s collegiate runners make it to Hakone, though. For those that get the chance there is only one way to run it: as if the life depends on it. Which is the reason why it’s common for these young runners to collapse violently to the ground once they passed the finish line of their leg, literally having to be carried off the road.
This is a race well worth checking out on its own, given its prestige, emotions and intense racing on offer. For those of us who enjoy uphill running, though, it’s the legendary 5th stage on day one that is of particular interest.
This stage has the runners going from sea level all the way up to Mount Hakone, climbing nearly 900 meter throughout the 20.8km long stage, although remarkably, most of the climbing occurs in the first ten kilometers.
This zig zag road is relentless and steep but those runners race up at incredible paces. The current stage record stands at a blistering 1h 10min 25sec for what is about a half-marathon distance, all the way up to a mountain with nearly nine hundred meters of elevation gain. Insane!
The runner who wins the stage has clearly done something special. However, only for the very best, those that break the course record, the status of God of the Mountain is reserved.
Have a look for yourself, it gets interesting from 12 minutes into the video, including a preview of the profile and most importantly portraying in great detail the obstacle that is the mountain road that each and every runner has to conquer.
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Photo Credit under CC 4.0
Uphill Runner 
Looks Amazing
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