The course and my race

 

Mt Azumane is one of the main peaks in the range of low mountains situated immediately to the west of Morioka city.   The range has a distinctive lumpy appearance with rounded tree covered peaks rising steeply from the Kitakami river plane.    

 

Those familiar with Mt Azumane will know that the main trail head starts behind the main La France Onsen, however for logistical reasons the trail race starts in a more open area between the La France Onsen and the Asumane Onsen.  From there the course follows a forestry road for about one kilometer before joining the regular trail.   The trail climbs at a steady rate through lush forest for about 3km to the peak (928m) alternating between moderately inclined sections and steeper sections.  For those who are fit enough  (the top few finishers) the climb is entirely runnable.  Indeed when training, this climb is a great fitness test.   For myself, on the first lap I was able to run about 70% and had to power hike the remainder.  This dropped to 50% or less on the second lap.  Near the peak there is a clearing that feels like it is the summit.  It’s a great place for a photo with panoramic views of the area including Mt Iwate to the North. 

 

The track then returns to the forest for a short section before reaching the true summit.  This is small bush bush clad plateau with a nice view south to the Kitakami river plain. 

 

It is from this point that the real challenge begins.  The downhill section of the Azumane loop, known as 猫の背 (“cat’s back”) is notoriously steep and difficult.  Thankfully ropes are provided on the steepest sections, but even using these it’a almost guaranteed that you will end up on your backside a few times.  Good shoes are a must, as are gloves to protect your hands from rope burn.   Deciding how hard you can safely push it on these sections is difficult, minor injuries are common and there is the risk of a serious fall.  I tend to play it on the safe side and as a result was overtaken on both the first and second laps.   Between the steeps there are some very runnable sections of track where it is possible to open up and fly down the trail at top speed - just watch your step and keep an eye-out for wildlife (bears and snakes!)

 

After the descent is completed (~4km) there is a pleasant, flatter-section of about 2 kilometers that takes you past the Mizuwake shrine where natural spring water is available, across a small stream, where you will probably get your feet wet and back to the starting point.  This is the end of the one-lap course and a checkpoint for 2-lap competitors.  At this point you can re-stock with supplies from your  drop-bag and use the toilet if necessary.  With enough supplies in my vest and bottles refilled from the spring I opted to head straight back out.  

 

The second lap is a true test of fitness.  Your legs start to ache, what seemed easy on the first lap is suddenly hard and previously runnable sections are no longer that.  During the downhill I had some cramping and lost my footing a few times. I also experience a scary phenomena:  cramping while simultaneously tripping - the result being that I could not move my leg quickly enough to regain my footing and fell off the side of the track.  Fortunately I escaped unscathed, but was overtaken by the leading female runner in the process.  

 

In the end I was more than happy to finish the race in 5th place (in a very small field) in a time of 3:34:57, almost an hour behind the winner (2:38:47)

 

Why Azumane

 

Iwate prefecture and the Morioka area are blessed with an abundance of mountains and forests, and no shortage of trails.  Unfortunately trail races are few and far between.  So the opportunity to run a race close home on a familiar trail is too good to refuse.  This year the date for the race was brought forward a month to the end of September, four weeks before the focus of my race season:  the Morioka marathon.  Enough of a gap not to worry too much about injury and to treat the run as a hard long training run.  

 

Access and Accommodation

 

The race starts at the La France Onsen, which would be a great place to stay if traveling from outside the region.  It’s a 15 minute taxi ride from the Shiwa Chuo Station which is on the Tohoku Honsen railway line a few stops south of Morioka.  

 

Pre-race

 

This is a small local race, with no complicated pre-race procedure or gear check.  Just a matter of arriving on time, finding the designated car-park, collecting the race pack (a bib, a drink, some coupons and some local apples) and getting to the start line on time.  From the car-park & reception it was about a 500m walk to the start-line.  In the starting area there was an unsecured space set up for dropping a bag, two toilets and a tent selling race souvenirs.  A short speech from the race director and we were underway.  

 

Aid-stations & nutrition

 

There are no aid-stations so careful attention to hydration is important.  

 

Water bottles can be refilled at the Mizuwake shrine (at about the 9km mark), and 2-lap competitors can replenish from their own supplies at the start-finish area.  A vest or small capacity hydration backpack is probably a good idea, although some fast runners complete the course with just a belt and a bottle. 

 

The two-lap course is long enough that nutrition becomes an important factor, so remember to take some gels, bars or what every keeps you going.  

 

Weather

 

The track is almost entirely in the forest which provides good shelter from both the sun and the wind.  The downhill can become very treacherous after heavy rain, so shoes should be chosen carefully. 

 

The new September date for the race improves the likelihood of good weather.  The day in question was glorious: blue sky, no wind, cool temperatures  and not too muddy underfoot.  

 

Cut-off times and disappointment

 

There are strict cut-off times in the 2-lap event which resulted in some disappointment.  The allowed time for completing the 2 lap races was 5 hours, but the cutoff time for completing the first lap was set at 2 hours.  This rewarded the typical start fast and fade approach, it is however possible and arguably more sensible for a runner to complete the course at a steady 2.5 hour per lap pace.   

 

After the race

 

There are two onsens at the race site.  The main one has a decent and affordable restaurant so its possible to get cleaned up and replenished in style.  I opted for a quick dip in the smaller onsen and then returned to the race for the prize-giving.  

 

A quirk of this event is that the race-director believes in rewarding participation rather than performance.  Prizes, were awarded to all participants with a lottery system.  Some very nice prizes including Altra shoes, trail running gear and local produce.  This is a nice touch, however I think it would be nice to also recognize the efforts of the top runners.  

 

This years race coincided with the Azumane mountain festival.  This involved a variety of stalls and activities outside the La France Onsen.  The race pack included some vouchers to use at the festival.  

 

Give it a go! 

 

If you live in Iwate or nearby, you should definitely give this a go.  The one lap course is a great introduction to trail race running or a chance to run for speed.  The two lap course is difficult enough to be a good challenge for more experienced trail runners and a nice stepping stone towards longer race distances.  

 

If you are making the trip from further away, this could be a good stop on the way to explore Iwate’s main alpine region:  the Mt Iwate and Hachimantai area.  This has a wonderful range of trails and the chance to see some spectacular autumn colors in this season.  

 

If the date doesn’t suit you, then I highly recommend just going for a run up Azumane. There is also quite a network of trails in the extended mountain range. However, Azumane’s trails are the most used and best maintained so be sure to research carefully before exploring.  There are a also lot of bears in the area so take appropriate care.  

 

Final thoughts

 

I’ll probably be back for more, the convenient location and the chance to hangout with friends (and members of the best running club in town: the MIA) is just too good of an offer to refuse. Also I think its also important to support local events to help ensure their survival.  

 

However, if this event is to grow, I think it needs to recognize and reward the efforts of the top runners and also reconsider its cut-off times.  Finally, how about a three lap version for masochists?

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Andrew Harris

November 2023

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