Last weekend, I went to ONTAKE_100, which was held for the first time in three years in Otaki Village, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture. Last time in 2019, we rented part of Sakaiya Sports' booth and set up a stall, but this time we set up a stand on our own as milestone. In the event pamphlet, we featured a large photo of our new product, Onion Hoody, which will be released this fall. If you have a pamphlet, be sure to check it out! Lol

Additionally, many customers stopped by the booth to experience milestone's new 1000 lumen headlamp, the MS-i1 "Endurance Model," which went on sale two days before the tournament.

In addition to the headlamps, many people were also interested in the apparel line, which also included T-shirts and socks.

Registration for the event was from 13:00 to 17:00, and after cleaning up, I managed to clear the booth by 18:00, and then I was ready to start the race. This time I was participating in the longest distance of my life, 100km (actually 107km). I was feeling anxious because I wasn't fully prepared.

By the way, the schedule for that day is as follows:

Wake up early at 4:00

Departure at 5:00

11:00 Arrival at the venue

13:00 Setup completed

Reception closes at 17:00

18:00 Booth cleanup completed

I planned to take a nap in the car until 10:00 PM → Perhaps I was nervous or on edge, but even though I closed my eyes, the sound of the rain, the sounds around me, and the announcement of the start of the 100-mile race prevented me from getting any sleep, so I prepared for the start. Then I took a commemorative photo with my regular running friends. It was time to set off.

New headlamp MS-i1 put into action!

Over 1,300 runners took part in the 100km race, so the starting area was packed with athletes and drop-off riders.

I made steady progress at a pace of 6 km/h for the first 20 km, but my companions were aiming to finish in under 14 hours, and I felt that I couldn't keep up with them at this pace for the remaining 87 km, so I dropped out. From here, I began my solo run. I just kept running along the rubble forest road. I didn't feel much difference in elevation, but I had to keep running in order to move forward. Just after 7:00 AM, when heavy rain began to fall, I somehow managed to return to Matsubara Sports Center at the 54 km point. Although I felt some discomfort in my left ankle and the back of my right calf, I was relieved to see the faces of my companions.

"Reaching the finish line!" was my number one priority, so I took a 20-minute rest, changed my soaked socks, shoes, and T-shirt, and left the aid station. However, heavy rain started falling afterwards, ruining my change of clothes... Anyway, I walked on the uphill sections, ran on the flat sections, and then ran on the downhill sections. Around the 67km mark, I was repeating this cycle when an acquaintance called out to me from behind. Was this the voice of God?! It was a tough time mentally, running alone in the rain. The two runners were stronger than me, but I decided that as long as I wasn't a burden, I'd follow them!

Anyway, I keep running, chasing after him.

The forest road continued almost until the 75km point, and the same scenery looped around. After that, I found a good spot to take photos. In fact, it was tough, so I just wanted to take a break.

Finally, the mountain scenery began to come into view. In the afternoon, the rain stopped and the sun began to shine.

After eating some somen noodles at the final aid station at 87km, I felt something strange in both of my legs. My left leg was so swollen that I could barely stand an ankle. My right leg was also extremely painful, between my calf and the inside of my thigh. I was in no condition to run. Without taking Loxonin, I was unable to put my foot forward...in other words, I was a burden to the other two. Despite this, the other two kept pace with me and walked with me, chatting to help me calm down.

I walked the remaining 20 kilometers, dragging my feet.

There was a sign saying 2km to go! It was the first time that each kilometre felt so long.

Then, I was encouraged to run my final victory lap with all my might, and I mustered my final strength.

I shook hands with the two people who helped me. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sakamoto-san and Matsuzaka-san for leading me to this point!

I was busy clearing the booth until I could see my friend who participated in the 100-mile race finish. I was in no condition to move, so everyone helped me out. My friend also successfully completed the 24-hour time limit. Since I knew everything about his training leading up to the race, including his frugal lifestyle, we all celebrated his 100-mile finish as if it were our own.

Once again, thanks to the many people who spoke to me at the venue, stopped by my booth, and cooperated with me, I was able to safely complete the longest distance of my life, approximately 110 kilometers. Also, every time I saw people wearing milestone headlamps, caps, and T-shirts during the race, it really gave me energy and allowed me to run. I really wanted to say hello to everyone, but I didn't have the time. lol. When I set up a booth in 2019, I had just started trail running, so I never dreamed that I would complete such a long distance of 100 kilometers three years later. It was a really long journey, but the sense of accomplishment is incredible.

There's no doubt that I've taken a big step towards my goal of running my first 100 miles next year.

This weekend, we will be setting up a booth and participating in our first BIKE event at OMM LITE/BIKE, which will be held in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture. We will be bringing our new headlamps and apparel, so we look forward to seeing you there!