Kochi: Ultra Marathon Draws 2,200 Runners; Participants Tackle 100km, 60km Routes That Included Shimanto River

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:54 JST, November 2, 2024

SHIMANTO, Kochi — More than 2,200 runners took part in an ultra marathon event in Shimanto City and Shimanto Town, Kochi Prefecture, on Oct. 20.

The Shimanto River Ultra Marathon is a popular event among runners from all over the country as they can run along the scenic Shimanto River. This year, 1,618 runners tackled the 100-kilometer course and 589 ran the 60-kilometer race.

The 100-kilometer race started at 5:30 a.m. in front of a junior high school in Shimanto City and continued with participants running under a clear blue sky. Runners took on the course that rose in elevation by as much as 600 meters. Both races came to an end at the city’s Nakamura High School.

Miho Nakata, a 35-year-old employee of the Funabashi municipal office in Chiba Prefecture, won her third consecutive title in the 100-kilometer race’s women’s category with a time of 7 hours 39 minutes 55 seconds, improving her own record by a wide margin. In the men’s category, Ryo Obayashi, 39, a company employee in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, won his third title with a time of 7 hours 9 minutes 9 seconds.

About 900 local residents as well as junior high and high school students worked as volunteers along the courses, offering water and food to runners, and helping to provide first aid.

“We were greeted with warm support from the spectators,” Nakata said with a smile.