On Mar. 25 the KGRR, organizers of the Hakone Ekiden, announced the start time for mid-October's 102nd Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai qualifying half marathon in Tachikawa, Tokyo will be changed from its traditional starting time of 9:35 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. as a measure against rising temperatures. The KGRR explained, "We have explored what options we have to maximize the safety of our athletes from the effects of global warming. With that in mind we have decided to move the start time earlier to reduce the risk from heat."
At the Yosenkai half marathon schools may run up to 12 team members, with their first 10 finishers scoring based on their combined finish times. With places at the world's biggest road race on the line competition is fierce and the young student athletes push their bodies and minds to their absolute limits.
Last year's race on Oct. 19 had unseasonably hot weather that turned into a battle of attrition. At the 9:35 a.m. start it was 23.2˚, rising to summertime temperatures over 25˚ during the race. Overall performances clearly showed the less than ideal conditions for a half marathon. Winner Rikkyo University's total time was 10:52:36. A year earlier when the temperature at the start was 15.8˚ that would have put them at 25th. Final qualifier Juntendo University in 10th would have been 34th. Both schools' times were the slowest since the distance of the Yosenkai was increased from 20 km to the half marathon in 2018.
Many athletes struggled seriously in the final kilometers of the race as temperatures rose. Tokai University 3rd-year Rohoman Shumon collapsed meters for the finish, one of 10 athletes who failed to finish. Tokai head coach Hayashi Morozumi later explained, "Rohomon suffered severe heatstroke."
The date for this year's Yosenkai has yet to be announced, but it is expected to be held in mid-October like usual. The announced earlier start is expected to produce a safer, more competitive, high-level race. Susumu Hara, head coach of 2025 Hakone Ekiden champion Aoyama Gakuin University and chair of the KGRR's Hakone Ekiden Planning Committee, commented, "We will continue to introduce reforms from the standpoint of putting the athletes first."
Translator's note: If held on its usual weekend, the Yosenkai will be over a month after the Tokyo World Championships women's and men's marathons. Good luck to everyone running there.
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translated by Brett Larner
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