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IWAKUNI, Japan - Station residents awoke in the twilight hours of a Sunday morning Aug. 26, 2012, to prepare for the 22nd Annual Tokusagamine Mountain Climbing Race.
“This is my second year hosting this run and this is the hardest
course around this area that I know,” said Mai Tajima, Marine
Corps Community Services recreation specialist. “The first year I was really shocked because they were actually running through the ski resort, but all the Americans I took last year said they loved it.”
After the approximate two-hour bus drive from station, enthused
athletes discovered their obstacle for the day: a mountain, typically used as a ski resort during winter, with its peak, the final destination, looming overhead.
“I love the competition of being a part of these races,” said Nobuhisa Tanigawa, Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force member and third place finisher in the 10-kilometer race. “This was a really hard race, but it was such a unique course, since I was running straight up a mountain. I’m glad I ran it.”
Sign in for the event took place at the five-kilometer starting point, with children and younger participants bused to a two-and a-half-kilometer point and those running the 10-kilometer race transported to a local school for their starting point.
At 8:20 that morning, the starting gun erupted, followed by a thunderous stampede of hundreds of runners beginning their challenging climb up a formidable foe of bends and climbs.
“I have never ran this particular race, but I’ve done a few trail races in Japan,” said Peter Vergenz, Tokusagamine race participant. “This race was rather unique, since we were running straight up rather than some races that will go up and down, this was quite a climb.”
The trees covering the running path up the mountain offered protection from the glaring sun, which blazed overhead, but also prevented any breeze from reaching the shaded path.
“Naming a reason for doing this is very complicated,” said Vergenz. “Everyone has their own reasons, maybe it stems from
childhood if you were picked on too much or maybe we just want
to prove to ourselves that we can do something hard, I think
that’s what it comes down to. There was about 450 meters of
elevation gain, that’s basically the equivalent of climbing the
Kintai (mountain ) twice.”
Shortly after running past the 2K marker, competitors emerged
from the shadowy grip of trees and spewed into the final leg of the race, an almost constant uphill endeavor. Devoid of covering,
the torrent of sun rays blanketed everyone who continued their
battle toward the mountain tip.
It’s a great experience to get a group of people together from
the station to go running and share the challenge of running
a competition like this, said Vergenz.
After conquering the final steps, competitors experienced
the 360-degree view from the highest mountain within sight,
and a soothing, strong breeze constantly flowing over the peak.
While the race itself tested its competitor's limits, it also
provided an opportunity for participants to make new friends
and foster lasting experiences.
“This is a great chance for me to bring Japanese and Americans
together,” said Tajima. “People could stay on the base during the
weekend, but there are a lot of things that go on outside of the
base that are cheap and fun. I love to give the service members
on base the opportunity to go out and have fun doing things with
the Japanese.”
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2012 21:57 |
| Story ID: | 94272 |
| Location: | IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JP |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Station residents test limits during Tokusagamine mountain climbing race, by Sgt Benjamin Pryer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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