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River Shimanto Ultramarathon River Shimanto Ultramarathon River Shimanto Ultramarathon
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Date Date Date October, 2016 October, 2016 October, 2016 Location Location Location Kochi Kochi Kochi Web Site Web Site Web Site http://shimanto-ultra.jp/index.shtml http://shimanto-ultra.jp/index.shtml http://shimanto-ultra.jp/index.shtml Why? Why an ultra? Why do people put themselves through the hardship of distances more than double that of the marathon, itself already a challenge to the limits of the human body? Why? The River Shimanto Ultramarathon is a race that will give you the answer to the question why.
There is no secret to what has drawn people to the city of Shimanto in Kochi prefecture on the southwestern end of the island of Shikoku for more than two decades to test themselves. Two-thirds of the 100 km course and the entire 60 km course run along the banks of the River Shimanto, pristine, undammed, still in its natural condition and known as “the last clear stream in Japan” for its unharnessed, unspoiled beauty.
The 100 km course begins in the city of Shimanto, heading up mountain roads with a tough climb to a peak more than 600 m above the start just over 20 km into the race. With a 5:30 a.m. start it’s a rough wake-up call, but runners can take encouragement from the fact that once they hit the peak it’s all downhill virtually the entire way to the finish. Steep downhill for the next 10 km, but once the slope begins to flatten out a curve of the road reveals the River Shimanto in all its glory.
From there on out it is a riverbank reverie, the course hugging the side of the river beneath heavily forested mountains. In three locations it crosses some of the River Shimanto’s famous flat open-sided bridges, the 60 km course joining the route at the first bridge from its start in Shimanto-cho and the turnaround after crossing the second bridge providing one of the only short uphills on this part of the course. Just before 70 km the course crosses the well-known Iwama Chinkabashi bridge, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that participants will never forget. After that is a gentle descent in the midday sun to the finish back in Shimanto city proper.
Staffed by an experienced team of volunteers and featuring enthusiastic support and local entertainment, water stations every 2.5 km, sports drink stations every 5 km and food stations every 20 km, the Runnet 2.0 photo service that posts your race pictures to your Facebook page in real time throughout the race and more, the River Shimanto Ultramarathon sets up participants with everything they need for an unforgettable experience except their training. If you are an experienced ultramarathoner you’ll be reminded of why you fell in love with the sport, and if you are a first-timer you will be sure to find the answer to the question “Why?”
Why? Why an ultra? Why do people put themselves through the hardship of distances more than double that of the marathon, itself already a challenge to the limits of the human body? Why? The River Shimanto Ultramarathon is a race that will give you the answer to the question why.
There is no secret to what has drawn people to the city of Shimanto in Kochi prefecture on the southwestern end of the island of Shikoku for more than two decades to test themselves. Two-thirds of the 100 km course and the entire 60 km course run along the banks of the River Shimanto, pristine, undammed, still in its natural condition and known as “the last clear stream in Japan” for its unharnessed, unspoiled beauty.
The 100 km course begins in the city of Shimanto, heading up mountain roads with a tough climb to a peak more than 600 m above the start just over 20 km into the race. With a 5:30 a.m. start it’s a rough wake-up call, but runners can take encouragement from the fact that once they hit the peak it’s all downhill virtually the entire way to the finish. Steep downhill for the next 10 km, but once the slope begins to flatten out a curve of the road reveals the River Shimanto in all its glory.
From there on out it is a riverbank reverie, the course hugging the side of the river beneath heavily forested mountains. In three locations it crosses some of the River Shimanto’s famous flat open-sided bridges, the 60 km course joining the route at the first bridge from its start in Shimanto-cho and the turnaround after crossing the second bridge providing one of the only short uphills on this part of the course. Just before 70 km the course crosses the well-known Iwama Chinkabashi bridge, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that participants will never forget. After that is a gentle descent in the midday sun to the finish back in Shimanto city proper.
Staffed by an experienced team of volunteers and featuring enthusiastic support and local entertainment, water stations every 2.5 km, sports drink stations every 5 km and food stations every 20 km, the Runnet 2.0 photo service that posts your race pictures to your Facebook page in real time throughout the race and more, the River Shimanto Ultramarathon sets up participants with everything they need for an unforgettable experience except their training. If you are an experienced ultramarathoner you’ll be reminded of why you fell in love with the sport, and if you are a first-timer you will be sure to find the answer to the question “Why?”
Why? Why an ultra? Why do people put themselves through the hardship of distances more than double that of the marathon, itself already a challenge to the limits of the human body? Why? The River Shimanto Ultramarathon is a race that will give you the answer to the question why.
There is no secret to what has drawn people to the city of Shimanto in Kochi prefecture on the southwestern end of the island of Shikoku for more than two decades to test themselves. Two-thirds of the 100 km course and the entire 60 km course run along the banks of the River Shimanto, pristine, undammed, still in its natural condition and known as “the last clear stream in Japan” for its unharnessed, unspoiled beauty.
The 100 km course begins in the city of Shimanto, heading up mountain roads with a tough climb to a peak more than 600 m above the start just over 20 km into the race. With a 5:30 a.m. start it’s a rough wake-up call, but runners can take encouragement from the fact that once they hit the peak it’s all downhill virtually the entire way to the finish. Steep downhill for the next 10 km, but once the slope begins to flatten out a curve of the road reveals the River Shimanto in all its glory.
From there on out it is a riverbank reverie, the course hugging the side of the river beneath heavily forested mountains. In three locations it crosses some of the River Shimanto’s famous flat open-sided bridges, the 60 km course joining the route at the first bridge from its start in Shimanto-cho and the turnaround after crossing the second bridge providing one of the only short uphills on this part of the course. Just before 70 km the course crosses the well-known Iwama Chinkabashi bridge, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that participants will never forget. After that is a gentle descent in the midday sun to the finish back in Shimanto city proper.
Staffed by an experienced team of volunteers and featuring enthusiastic support and local entertainment, water stations every 2.5 km, sports drink stations every 5 km and food stations every 20 km, the Runnet 2.0 photo service that posts your race pictures to your Facebook page in real time throughout the race and more, the River Shimanto Ultramarathon sets up participants with everything they need for an unforgettable experience except their training. If you are an experienced ultramarathoner you’ll be reminded of why you fell in love with the sport, and if you are a first-timer you will be sure to find the answer to the question “Why?”
