Professional Ekiden

Today, I talk about professional ekiden. It is Hakone ekiden It is actually university competition. But it is very popular, so I introduce it. It is New Year event for Japanese. Maybe, people who don’t know Hakone ekiden don’t exist.

              It is held in Tokyo and Kanagawa on January 2 and 3. 19 university and selected runner who don’t take part in it team can participate it. If a certain team goal less than the tenth-ranking in last year competition, it doesn't have to take part in preliminary. And 9 teams can qualify for the preliminary. Next, ten people run in Hakone ekiden. Five people run on January 2 from Tokyo to Hakone and residual five people run on January 3 from Hakone to Tokyo. The first runners run 21.4 kilometers from Ote city to Tsurumi. If runner is a long way off the top runner, next runner feels difficult to run. So, runner must keep up with the top runner. But, strong runner sometimes runs ahead. This is one of the strategies. The second runners run 23.2 kilometers from Tsurumi to Totsuka. Aces of team often run this course. This course is up slope from last 3 kilometers. If runners don’t save stamina to here, they cannot run here well. It is point to run. The third runners run 21.5 kilometers from Totsuka to Hiratsuka. A sea breeze blows in this course. It is difficult point but other difficult points don’t exist, so this course is easy to run.  The fourth runners run 18.5 kilometers from Hiratsuka to Odawara. This course is the shortest of all courses. Because sponsors want middle distance runner to run this course. Runners can see Mt Fuji from there. The fifth runners run 23.4 kilometers from Odawara to Hakone. This course is called “Mountain Climbing” because difference in elevation is 864 meters. And they run in mountain in winter. So it is very cold. They often run with a long-sleeved shirt under uniform. People who run very fast in this course are called “god of mountain.” The sixth runners run 20.8 kilometers from Hakone to ekiden. They go back from here. This course is called “Go down a mountain.” They run faster than usual in this course because they almost run a downward slope. Last 3 kilometers in this course is flat, but they feel it is up slope. This is the most painfully. The seventh runners run 21.3 kilometers from Odawara to Hiratsuka. This course is the easiest to run. They are only careful to change temperature. The eighth runners run 21.5 kilometers from Hiratsuka to Totsuka. The latter half of this course has up slope called “up slope of Yugyoji temple.” And people are sometime dehydrated. They must mind not only their running but also their physical condition. The ninth runners run 23.2 kilometers from Totsuka to Yokohama. They are often reversed in this course. So, we can see interesting race. Last runners run 23.1 kilometers from Tsurumi to Ote city. Ranking of team decide in this course. Runners must run under extreme pressure. But I think this is interesting point. Let’s see Hakone ekiden next year.