Now running for the Sunbelx corporate team on an individual pro contract, Hibiki Yoshida (22) tuned up for his debut at the July 25 Fuji Mountain Race with a test run to the peak of Mount Fuji at 3776 m. Covering the distance from the Fifth Station to the summit, 6 km with 1520 m elevation gain on rough trails, in 2 hours, Yoshida said, "It was fun!"
As a 4th-year at Soka University this past January Yoshida ran the highly competitive Second Stage at the 101st Hakone Ekiden, covering the 23.1 km net uphill leg in 1:05:43, the fastest time ever run by a Japanese athlete and equivalent to a 1:00:02 half marathon. After Hakone Yoshida said that post-graduation he planned to pursue a career in both traditional running and in trail running. His first big trail race will be the Fuji Mountain Race's 78th edition.
The Fuji Mountain Race is divided into two divisions, a 15 km short course to the Fifth Station with 1480 m elevation gain and the 21 km long course to the summit climbing 3000 m. General entrants have to have run the short course race within 2 hours and 20 minutes at least once in the last three years in order to be eligible to run the long course, but given Yoshida's credentials on the Hakone Second Stage and its famed uphill Fifth Stage organizers gave him a special pass into the long course.
In June Yoshida did a test run of the first part of the course from the start point at Fujiyoshida City Hall to the Fifth Station. As soon as the upper part of the trails were opened for the season at the start of July he was out to run the rest of the way from the Fifth Station to the peak. A local from nearby Gotemba, Yoshida said, "I grew up seeing Mount Fuji for as long as I can remember, but this was the first time I ever climbed all the way to the top. It felt great, and it was a lot of fun!"
Yoshida is aware that Mount Fuji is Japan's premier mountain race. "I've heard that a lot strong trail runners will be in it," he said. "I'll do my best and will rely on everyone's support." The course record for the long course is an incredible 2:27:41, set in 2011 by Toru Miyahara. Given his success at Hakone, Yoshida lining up here is drawing a lot of speculation about his chances.
After graduating from Soka, Yoshida made his debut in the red and white Sunbelx uniform at May's Kurobe Meisui 10 km, which he ran as a training run but won in 29:42. Sunbelx head coach Tadanao Tanaka commented, "Our goals as a team this year are to make top 3 at the East Japan Corporate Ekiden and top 8 at the New Year Ekiden. We hope that Yoshida will give the team a big boost on the key stages at the East Japan regional qualifier and the New Year main event. Other than those two races I hope he'll do trail races and whatever else makes him happy."
Yoshida's former coach at Tokai University before his transfer to Soka, Daichi Takigawa is now serving as Yoshida's full-time coach, with the duo based in Yokohama. Asked about his non-trail goals for the season, Yoshida said, "I want to help Sunbelx make top 8 by winning my stage at the New Year Ekiden, and I'm targeting the Japanese marathon NR in my debut." As fans saw over his final college ekiden season, Yoshida's growth and potential are almost impossible to estimate. Whether he's on the roads or on the trails, all that's sure is that he'll be following his own path.
Hibiki Yoshida - born 20 Aug. 2002 in Gotemba, Shizuoka. 161 km, 46 kg. His 3rd year at Harasato J.H.S. in Gotemba he ran the Sixth Stage at the National Men's Ekiden, finishing 2nd. At Tokai Shizuoka Shoyo H.S. he ran the National Men's Ekiden his 2nd year, but was only 22nd on the Fifth Stage. After graduating in 2021 he entered Tokai University, taking 2nd on the uphill Fifth Stage as a 1st-year. Two years later he transferred to Soka University for his 3rd year, kicking it off with a win on the season-opening Izumo Ekiden's Fifth Stage, following that with another win on the National University Ekiden's Fifth Stage, then finishing 9th on the Hakone Ekiden Fifth Stage. His 4th year he won Izumo's Second Stage and was 2nd on both the National University Ekiden and Hakone Ekiden's Second Stages. PBs: 5000m 13:39.94, 10000m 28:12.01, half marathon 1:01:45.
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translated by Brett Larner
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