Izu Trail Journey opens registration this Sunday

This Sunday at 20:00 pm Japan time (21:00 HK time, 20:00 time Vietnam, Thailand etc), official registration opens for Izu Trail Journey, the classic end-of-year race. A member of Asia Trail Master for a decade, the 70km pilgrimage course retains its attraction and is one of not many trail courses people like to run as many times as they can. Overall, it’s a runable course but with just enough technicality, especially halfway, to keep everyone concentrated throughout. The estimated elevation gain of over 3200hm is of course also to be noted.

Izu Trail Journey is an event where the organisers put a lot of emphasis on ‘event experience’ for all participants. Aid stations, start and finish all enjoy a wonderful vibe, even in the rare cases of bad weather - such as last year, when it rained nonstop for five hours in the early morning. Usually, Izu enjoys beautiful sunny weather resulting in awesome views of Mount Fuji at a.o. the Nishina Pass halfway into the race. Mind you, it is winter time in Japan, so temperatures can be on the low side.

The event centre for some years is now Mishima, one of the main towns in the Izu peninsula that is connected to Tokyo and Yokohama via the Shinkansen fast-speed train. There’s also busses. From Mishima, runners take the nighttime event shuttle bus to the race start venue in Matsuzaki New Port, by the ocean. The finish is in Shuzenji, one of the onsen (hot spring) towns in the area, and also location of the Izu base camp cafe, where you enjoy a nice Izu Trail beer, or just coffee and tea.

Last year, the race saw record-breaking performances by Hirokazu Nishimura and Honoka Akiyama, who both won Izu for the third time in their trail running journeys. John Ray Onifa struggled with the wet and cold weather conditions and suffered a DNF. Will the current ATM Champion return this year to take revenge?

Find out all details via the official website linked below, and make sure to secure your spot this weekend already, because this one sells out quickly!