by Brett Larner
Almost 2500 people started the fourth edition of Hida Takayama Ultramarathon on Sunday, both its 71 km and 100 km divisions featuring a tough series of hills peaking out at 1345 m, around 800 m above the start point, on scenic road courses through the mountains of Gifu prefecture. Good weather meant new men's and women's records in both distances.
A second-year ekiden team member at Ryutsu Keizai University, alma mater of marathon great Daniel Njenga and sub-27 track runner Josphat Ndambiri, 20 year-old Hiroumi Kamada made the news of the day in the 100 km, taking almost 18 minutes off the event record to win in 7:41:25 in his ultramarathon debut. Kamada was so dominant that runner-up Wataru Iino, also under the course record, was nearly 15 minutes back in 7:55:49, with previous course record holder Kaname Miyagi a distant 3rd in 8:05:41. Painfully shy during the award ceremony, in response to the MC's questions Kamada said, "It wasn't hard. It…
Almost 2500 people started the fourth edition of Hida Takayama Ultramarathon on Sunday, both its 71 km and 100 km divisions featuring a tough series of hills peaking out at 1345 m, around 800 m above the start point, on scenic road courses through the mountains of Gifu prefecture. Good weather meant new men's and women's records in both distances.
A second-year ekiden team member at Ryutsu Keizai University, alma mater of marathon great Daniel Njenga and sub-27 track runner Josphat Ndambiri, 20 year-old Hiroumi Kamada made the news of the day in the 100 km, taking almost 18 minutes off the event record to win in 7:41:25 in his ultramarathon debut. Kamada was so dominant that runner-up Wataru Iino, also under the course record, was nearly 15 minutes back in 7:55:49, with previous course record holder Kaname Miyagi a distant 3rd in 8:05:41. Painfully shy during the award ceremony, in response to the MC's questions Kamada said, "It wasn't hard. It…