A long and passionate journey begins in the majestic and beautiful nature, and what will you see at the end of the run? The beginning of the Shinetsu Five Mountains Trail Running Race It was in 2005 that I first set foot in the Shinetsu Plateau region, which straddles Niigata and Nagano prefectures. I remember the day I heard that it might be possible to connect the independent peaks of the Shinetsu Five Mountains, Mt. Madarao, Mt. Myoko, Mt. Kurohime, Mt. Togakushi, and Mt. Iizuna, with a single trail, and I got excited and started researching the route. Since then, I have been on the trails and in the bush many times with the support of the local people, and we have somehow managed to connect the 100 km of trails. Just tracing the trail on the map and imagining the places we will travel to is somehow exciting, and when I actually entered the course, all the scenery I saw was beautiful, and the changing locations were very interesting, and the 100 km distance was exciting and moving, like an adventure that tests your physical and mental strength. After that, we were fortunate to receive support from people in each region and sponsors, and in 2009, we were able to unveil the Shinetsu Gogaku Trail Running Race, produced by Ishikawa. Adoption of a pacer system and assistant points Until then, I had been involved in various race management activities in Japan, including the promotion of trail running and the revitalization of local areas, but this race incorporated attractions and features that had not been seen in Japan until then, which I had experienced overseas, in order to express the new "interesting, enjoyable, and difficult aspects of trail racing." Athletes can run with assistants during the race and receive support at permitted points. In the second half of the race, if an escort runner is attached, the runner can run with the pacer to the finish line. This type of system is a popular rule in North American races, and it is something that I have long wanted Japanese trail runners to experience someday. The purpose of the event is to bring out the best performance from the participating athletes, to create the best environment for running for themselves and their friends, and to fight, work hard, and enjoy themselves toward the goals that each of them sets together with their family and friends who share the joys and sorrows of everyday life. The appeal of the region, community, and volunteers Since the second event, part of the course has changed to 110km. This 110km route connects Iiyama City, Myoko City, Shinano Town, Nagano City, and Iizuna Town, and aid stations are set up at various points, and local specialties are also provided. Along with these local people, various communities support and cheer us on every year. In addition, many volunteers from all over the country gather and take on a wide range of tasks. The support of many management staff on the trails and at the aid stations will surely cheer the athletes up, and they will be filled with energy and courage. The involvement of many people, including local people, in this way is also a major attraction of this event. The long-awaited 100 miles And at the milestone of the 10th year, the long-awaited production of a 100-mile (160km) race was completed. This distance is a goal of many trail runners around the world. Although there was a 100-mile concept from the beginning, it was still the dawn of the Japanese trail running world, and there were only a few runners who could run long trails, so we had to give up on creating a race with an expected completion rate of 20%. We spent time developing a new course that was worthy of the Shinetsu Gogaku, and in the 9th year, we were able to prepare an operating system that would handle the 100-mile distance and time limit. Unfortunately, that year the course was shortened due to a typhoon, and the following year in 2018, many of the runners who participated made it to the finish line 100 miles away. The 100-mile distance is difficult, not just because of the difference in distance from 110km, and there are many dramas to be seen in order to clear it. A race begins even before you line up at the starting line. It's important to know how much training you have done and what kind of preparations you have made to reach the finish line. On that basis, I believe that only runners who have fully experienced the race, including both the pleasures and the pains, will be able to cross the finish line. We look forward to seeing all the trail runners who are enchanted by the great outdoors of the Shinetsu Highlands and who will challenge their mental and physical limits. Trail Runner Hiroki Ishikawa