In Nietzsche’s “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” there is a line that says, “Das Mann will zwei Dinge: Gefahr und Spiel” (The true man wants two things: danger and play). The allure of “danger” and “play” resonates with the essence of research, but what about hobbies?
In 2010, when I turned 40, I came across a TV program introducing the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), a trail running race. Watching the runners dash through the majestic 170 km of mountain trails in the Alps, I felt a strong urge to participate in this race someday. Despite having no prior experience in track and field, I started planning my training through marathon event sites like Runnet. Within just over a year of starting jogging,
I managed to complete a 100 km ultramarathon. Here’s how my journey unfolded:
• April 3, 2011: Fukui Station Marathon (Half Marathon) – 1:47:12
• June 5, 2011: Chitose JAL International Marathon (Full Marathon) – 4:16:23
• September 18, 2011: Tango Ultramarathon (60 km) – 6:54:41
• February 5, 2012: Kishu Kuchikumano Marathon (Full Marathon) – 3:31:13
• March 11, 2012: Kyoto Marathon (Full Marathon) – 3:31:23
• June 24, 2012: Saroma Lake Ultramarathon (100 km) – 12:38:51
The Saroma Lake Ultramarathon was particularly challenging, and I ended up injuring my knee, requiring nearly ten tablets of Loxonin to complete the race (definitely not a recommended plan—danger!). However, pushing myself to the limit expanded my horizons. That said, running 100 km on a road is vastly different from running 170 km of mountain trails at UTMB, so I needed to further improve my running capabilities.
On the other hand, for amateur runners, achieving a sub-3.5 (finishing a full marathon within 3.5 hours) is a common goal. In my third season of marathons, feeling frustrated by my inability to achieve this, I learned that Professor Hiroshi Date, a thoracic surgeon, was also a marathon enthusiast (with a personal best of 2:48!). I immediately joined him in training, realizing how I had been unconsciously setting limits for myself and how lax my training had been. The results were immediate: in the final part of my third season, I clocked 3:24:17, in the fourth season, 3:07:33, and by the fifth season, I finally achieved a sub-three (2:58:15 at the Beppu-Oita Marathon). This experience taught me the importance of being in a good environment. Now, one of my pleasures during business trips is waking up early to explore the city on foot. Through marathons, I have also met Professors Shinya Yamanaka and Junya Toguchida from the iPS Cell Research Institute, and together with Professor Date, the four of us now regularly go jogging (our team is called “Kumpers”).
I also continued with trail running. In the fifth season, I completed the 110 km Shinetsu Five Mountains Trail Run in 15:40:26, followed by 13:15:54 in the same race in the sixth season. I then participated in overseas trail races in Hong Kong and Salzburg. By the seventh season, I had run the “Ontake 100 Mile” (160 km), the oldest trail race in Japan, in 20:48:33 (19th overall in Japan), accumulating enough race points to qualify for the long-awaited Mont Blanc (UTMB). However, during the actual race, with repeated ascents and descents nearing 3000 meters, I developed altitude sickness and eventually a mild pulmonary edema at the 70 km mark. Coughing up phlegm mixed with blood (danger!), I somehow managed to finish the race in nearly 40 hours (39:21:22). During the race, aid stations were set up every 20 km or so, and my wife was there waiting for me with replenishments, which was a huge relief. UTMB covers 170 km with a total elevation gain exceeding 10,000 meters, equivalent to climbing and descending Mount Fuji three times while running from Kyoto to Akō City or Toyota City (without any sleep). It may seem strange to willingly engage in such a grueling activity, but the Alps are grand and beautiful, and the dawn after running through a long night is mystical. It was a dream come true after seven long years.
To be honest, until now, it has been challenging to find time for training due to my busy professional work. Going to a sports gym for training also doesn’t suit me (I’ve joined and quit multiple times after barely attending). Therefore, I decided to incorporate jogging into my daily life, setting my commuting route between home and the university (6 km each way) and the route between the university and Kyoto Station during business trips (6 km) as training grounds. I also avoid using elevators as much as possible, and even during business trips to Tokyo, I try to run within the Yamanote Line area. Running through Tokyo reveals many sights that I would have missed had I been on the subway. Though I am now 54 years old, I have somehow managed to maintain my sub-three status.
Even though it is just a hobby, doing the obvious is not much fun, so I have set slightly reckless goals and plans (danger) that push me beyond my limits, and I have enjoyed the process of achieving them (play). My jogging companions now include not just local friends but researchers from around the world. Running is a sport that can be enjoyed for a long time, and I hope to continue this modest hobby for as long as possible.
URL：
Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine
https://dermatology.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp/
At UTMB, I was accompanied by Mr. Doi, who has recently become famous in races like TJAR (Trans Japan Alps Race).
During the race, with Mont Blanc in the background.
At nearly 3000 meters, snow accumulates, so you have to carry cold-weather gear while running,
which is a completely different challenge compared to running on flat ground.
At the finish line, my swelling/edema was so severe that I could barely open my eyes.
My usual training companions: From the far right, Dr. Junya Toguchida, Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, Dr. Hiroshi Date.