Fuji Susono Halfmarathon

Fuji Susono runner's impressions:

Gary: Very pleased with a 1:49 in the heat and hills. Thanks to Jay for
perfect organizing, great place, great company.

Chiba-san:
"10K and much beer"
DNF in 2008 and 57.15 in this year
Thank you great organizer, Jay, you could take 35-Nambanners to the
wonderful weekend experience.
To tell the truth, that hilly Fuji Susono's course wasn't so hard to run
for me.
Recently I participated in a hilly race in Minnesota.
Anthony Zeller invited me to the terrible hilly race in an arboretum in
Minneapolis last week.
And "kind" Anthony was really kind enough to avoid telling me that course
has many hills before that race.
As well as Anthony, several Nambanners were very kind for me in Fuji-Susone
too.
Barry, Joachim and Jay filled up my glass in a "second" party again and
again. It was the "mild" incident in the day before the race.
The time isn't good but I've felt my ankle problem is certainly getting
better on Sunday.
Finaly I'd like to thank Mami and Gry.They kindly took me to the great race
with a lovely car safely.Especially Mami-san's driving is excellent.Her
coming baby might surprize.

Yuka 1:55
As I ran this course last year also, this is definitely PW & Challenging course for me.
Christiane advised me to be a stalker of Mary coach because her pace is even and stable. I was trying to follow her back but it was totally impossible. My time in first hilly 5K was 29:22. It was sooooo tough but the race itself was fun, especially the feeling after finish is great. Thanks for the sweet cheerleaders Mami-chan, Christiane and Joachim.
And thanks to Jay for his hard works for this excellent trip. Everything was perfect!


James: fast　start or felt as much, but was beguilingly uphill in the first 5k. Settled into a good pace for the next 10k with stunning views of fujisan and surrounding mountains. Final 5k ish was a beautiful descent though sadly all road, no rocks, streams, or scree runs. Finished in a respectable 88;20 and very happy to see the finish line, the fish sticks, and the asahi ;) big up Namban and special thx to Arnud for the number- to hot hills – kampei x

Chris: My last race with Namban :( First 10k very tough but thought of running back down kept me going. Not my fastest time but felt very good and happy with results.

Nicole: This was my last race in Japan and with Namban. The start was very tough and I was not sure if I would finish if the hills contiued but after 10 k, I was able to settle in. Not my best time but I felt happy with my performance given the course. Thank you to Jay and Chiba san for all of your help this weekend!

Mary: I loved this race! Yes, it was hard and it was hot, but the views of Fuji were awesome and group karaoke and beer were awesome! Thanks to Jaynie who accompanied me for most of the race and to our great supporters- Joachim, Christiane, Mami, Jerome and everyone else. I ended up winning 7th place for the old ladies and was happy with my time of 1:50. Thanks to Jay and Chiba san for organizing.

Jaynie: Amazing ….. hot, hilly but fabulous definitey one i'd do again. Biggest ever thsnk you to Jay and Chiba-san our fabulous organiser's and the biggest biggest thank you to lovely Mary my special little friend, couldn't do it without you you really did keep me going. Nothing special but 10th lady in my age goup!

Anthony Kraft, Thank you NNBAN. I ran 1:43:20. Hello my e mail address is 1nala7@jcom.home.ne.jp

David Mottomotozo; Hot and hilly, i know it's been well said...very slow time, a personal worst (PW) for the past 8 years, but I did take in a nice detox workout, and was a decent training run for my first triathlon of this season next weekend. Time was 1;40;54, about 6 minutes off my goal...69th place out of 350 in my age group...it did feel nice to pass many runners on the last 5k using my long strides down the hill. A big ootsukare to Jay, Yuka, Chiba san for doing all those kanji thingies...

Karissa; Wow, Naman, what a great weekend! Thanks, Jay, for arranging all the details, including adding this wayward interloper. My goal was to finish the course as this was my first half. Jay assured me there was no time cutoff (but is forgiven) so my next goal was to beat the 220 cutoff. It was an amazing course with views of Fuji and more hills than I have trained for. Fortunately my downhill times were faster than expected so I finished 10 minutes ahead of goal. Please look me up if you are in Seattle!

Chad; ran the 10km. 25;00 up the hill and 17;51 down for 42;51 total. I sweat like a buta. It was hot. Great job by Jay and Kazuo in organizing the weekend. Next year I will eat less sausage at breakfast.

Ayumi; I could not run 10K due to sickness last rear. This year I ran 5K! Finally I could join Fuji Susono race!

Kiki ; 10K This is much harder than I thought. When I saw the turning sign of 3k and 5k, I was very tempted to folow the sign. It took me almost 30 minutes to get to the top, i cannot forget how reliefed I was. The end reult was 51;03, timewise, this is not good at all of course, but I am quite happy with my 5th in my division. :-)

Eriko; ran the 10K with 50:01. Although this is not my P.B., I was very satisfied with completing the tough cource and I got 9th in my division. The course was very tough but I enjoyed the 10K race so much because I could enjoy the scenary of very beautiful Mt. Fuji and comfortable May wind. I am sure I will come back to Fuji Susono next year again.

Mieko: 5K 26 min.8th It was my first race and i enjoyed a lot!