Hiroshima 50K Race Recap: My First Ultra Trail, 3,000m of Elevation, and a Full Test of Mind, Body and Spirit
- Alex
- Apr 17
- 8 min read
Updated: Apr 20
My first ever ultra trail race! Fifty one kilometers through the mountains of Hiroshima, with just under 3,000 meters of elevation. I knew it was going to be hard, but let me tell you, this was something else entirely!!
This race pushed me physically, but more signifiantly, it tested me mentally in a way that only ultra trail running can.
Tokyo to Hiroshima: Four Hours to Switch Off
As always, Sebastian and I travelled down the day before the race. We caught the 10:30am Shinkansen from Tokyo Station, settling in for the four-hour ride down to Hiroshima.
It's a long trip, but I actually enjoy that. It gives you time to relax, eat, and watch the world go by - in my case I literally just sleep the whole way lol. We always grab an ekiben each, which is easily one of my favourite parts of shinkansen-ing in Japan! We eat the ekiben, I immediately fall asleep and we just cruise the whole way down :)
Once we arrived, we went straight out for a late Vietnamese lunch, nothing too heavy but enough to keep things ticking over as I was already a couple of days into carb loading.
After that, we headed to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park area for athlete check-in. The team there ran through my mandatory gear checks and I collected my bib. The whole experience felt very different to Tokyo. People were more relaxed, more open, more playful.
They handed me a tote bag and I asked what I was supposed to do with it. I put it over my head and the girls behind the counter started laughing, telling me I had to wear it like that during the race. It was a small moment, but it summed up the Hiroshima vibe perfectly!
A Tiny Izakaya, Big Energy, and a Fake Baseball Career
That night, I wanted something local. Not a big restaurant, but a proper neighbourhood spot. We found a tiny izakaya with maybe ten seats, run by a single mama-san behind the bar. It's called 太奴木. Insane place, and now up there in my all-time favourites!
There were about eight plates laid out on the bar counter. Salads, meats, different Japanese home-style dishes. Mama-san would serve small portions into bowls, and we ate them with rice and miso soup. It felt like a homey tapas-style experience, but completely Japanese.
Sebastian was wearing a Yomiuri Giants baseball cap, and somehow the whole place became convinced that we were part of the Giants junior training academy. Mama-san leaned into it and decided we should play along when another customer came in.
So we did.
The incoming patron believed it completely. He was a BIG Giants fan and was genuinely in awe. At this point, I was deep into carb cycling but still had some lean muscle-mass showing, so the requests started to get called out. Show us your guns (arms)! Show us your abs!
I played along, lifting my shirt and flexing a bit, and the guy was absolutely convinced, it was just hilarious! The whole bar was laughing, and we just kept the story going. Eventually, everyone, including the mama-san, said we should sign the wall above the bar with permanent marker haha!!
It was one of those classic Japanese nights where the food is great, the people are even better, and everything just flows nicely. We left full, happy, and grateful for such an amazing expereince! Only in Japan!
Race Morning: Simple, Calm, Ready
I slept really well that night, which is always a good sign before a race.
Because the race started at 9:00am, I did all of my packing in the morning. I woke up early, had my final carb loading meal of oats with yogurt, berries, banana, and maple syrup, and then packed all of my mandatory gear and nutrition.
Nothing complicated. Just sticking to routine.
We walked down to the race start around 8:30am. I felt calm, focused and ready to execute. We ran through my race strategy and arrived to Stadium Park.
What really stood out was what happened while we were waiting around for the race to start. A few different people came up to say hi and mentioned they had read some of the race blogs on this very website. It was such an amazing feeling, honestly a bit surreal.
I’m so grateful for it. Thanks to the power of the internet and social media, I’ve been able to connect with people in ways I never expected, and it felt SO GOOD!
The Course: 51K and Nearly 3,000m of Elevation
This race was brutal.
It ended up being around 51 kilometers with about 2,900 meters of elevation gain. What made it so difficult was not just the elevation, but the constant change. You're climbing one mountain, descending it, and then immediately climbing the next!
It's completely different to something like a road marathon, or even the Mount Fuji climb/race, where you know you are just going up. This was a different type of relentless.
It tests you mentally. You have to push yourself to keep trying your best, physically, both going up and going down, then up again and back down again - which is hard enough. But all the while you need to stay focused and keep your mind engaged, placing each foot in the right spot at the right time so you don’t fall or hurt yourself or waste time.. What an insane activity to do for fun lol.
Strategy in Action: Power Hiking and Playing to Strengths
I stuck to my strategy from the start.
The first seven kilometers were flat, so I went out hard and fast to get ahead of the field. I found myself sitting in between the 50K and the 100K pro's for the first 30 to 40 minutes.
Once we hit the trails and the steep climbs began, the 100K pro's started to move past me, which was expected.
From that point on, I did not run a single hill. Not one. Every climb was power hiked, and I noticed that most of the other runners were doing the same.
At the 15 kilometer mark, I brought out the poles and really started to rely on my upper body. This was a huge advantage. I could feel myself driving up the climbs using my arms as much as my legs.
A couple of Japanese runners even commented as I passed them, saying my arms were doing all the work. I just laughed and told them, “Ganbarouze!!” let’s both do our best!!
On the descents, I tried to move as quickly and as lightly as possible, but this is where the Japanese runners really shined. Their downhill technique is incredible. They are so light on their feet, almost slipping and sliding down with complete confidence.
I got overtaken a few times on the descents, but I would catch and pass those same runners again on the climbs or on the flatter road sections between mountain ranges.
The Mental Game: Pain, Focus, and Shutting the Voice Down
Around the 35 kilometer mark, my left knee started to become quite painful. It felt similar to what I experienced two weeks earlier at the Hutsune 30K. I believe it's called patellofemoral pain syndrome, and IT HURTSS!
All that being said, I expected it, so I was ready for it.
This is why I love trail running. It becomes a mental battle. Your body is telling you to stop, to slow down, to ease off. But you have to decide whether you listen to that voice or you push on.
I kept telling myself that it was just pain, just a feeling, and that I could keep moving forward. So I did. I focused on shutting that voice down and continuing to execute my strategy.
For me, this is what trail running/racing is about. It is you versus your mind. And I was locked-in to winning!
A False Finish and the Final 7 Kilometers
At one point, I thought I was nearing the finish.
My Garmin had me thinking I was close, so I pushed hard, only to realise my Garmin was showing me the distance to the final aid station... WHYYYY?! I still had about seven kilometers to go.
That was a shock. But there was no time to dwell on that in a race like this. I reset immediately, gathered myself, and focused on what was in front of me.
I powered through the final trail section and then gave absolutely everything over the last five kilometers on the flat.
The Finish: 4th Overall and an Honest Effort
I crossed the line in 6 hours and 42 minutes.
Fourth place overall, and first non-professional athlete.
I was a minute and a half behind third place, and just a couple of minutes ahead of fifth place. It had been a constant back and forth battle between us all day.
At around the 40 kilometer mark, a course marshal told me I was in fifth place. That lit a fire in me. I pushed harder from that moment and did everything I could to move up - including powering ahead to the false finish line that turned out to be the last aid station haha.
Coming into the finish, I heard Cherie yelling out, “Let’s go Alex, lock in!” I didn't know she'd be there, and that gave me a huge surge of energy. Sebastian was there of course, and crossing that line felt incredibly rewarding.
Post-Race: Tacos, No Sleep, and Good People
After the race, I was completely exhausted but very satisfied.
We ate, showered, and came back for the awards ceremony at 6pm. I caught up with 5th place and we chatted for a while. Pretty cool guy. I received a wooden spoon trophy and a certificate, which was a nice touch. The MC was excellent and the race director (maybe or maybe he wasn't) was a fun guy too, lots of joking around handing out the trophies and what not. Hiroshima people are the best!
We ended the night at a Mexican restaurant, eating what felt like fifty tacos between Sebastian, Cherie, her brother - Sean, and his Mrs - Ciara. The tacos were INSANE and it was one of those perfect endings to a big, big day. Great to meet Sean and Ciara too.
Sleep that night was tough. My body was still buzzing with adrenaline and cortisol, and my legs were sore, but that is part of the process. I was full of delicious food so there's no real complaints from me.
Reflection: Why I Do This and What’s Next
There was one quote I kept repeating to myself during the race: "Only you can know what an honest effort is".
I truly believe I gave one.
For my first ultra trail race, I'm proud of the effort, proud of the execution, and proud of how I handled the challenges along the way.
If you’re interested in this side of what I’m doing, I’m documenting my full racing and training journey as I build in this space! You can follow along on Instagram, or check out my website. If you have any questions around fitness, racing, or performance, or you’re keen to train or collaborate, feel free to reach out!
Now it is straight back into training. Four weeks until Hyrox Hong Kong. Sebastian and I are locked-in for another block of hard training, skill work, and preparation.
And after that, a few days in Hong Kong eating everything in sight, which I might be even more excited for.
Thank you for reading, and thank you to everyone who reaches out, comments, and supports. It genuinely means a lot.
On to the next!
I recommend not fueling with just food. It will upset your stomach! Instead a nice spread of food, gels, powders and savoury items is the way to go! I also get taste fatigue so switching it up while onthe go is important. Great read and sensational first effort Alex. Well done.