First of all, THANK YOU for all of you who gave me sweet comments over the last several blogs.
I didn't know how to check the comment or email from the cybertent until now. What ashame..
(coz we are not technically connecting the internet, all info is added up to one big excel form)
 
(Minamiyama-san, email arigatou gozaimasu! genki moraimashita!!)
 
Speaking of running overnight stage, things went well for me and everyone else.
In fact, I've done 86k of running for about 13hours and 30minitues, and my standing for stage 5 was 13th!
 
When I woke up the morning, I didn't feel well because of my stomach problem from 1st stage.
My guess is too much water consumption and the heat condition, and might be some kind of food issue...who knows?
 
So, I was planning to take it easy on this long journey, and also on the course, we were passing by the Valley of the Whales,
one of the world heritages about fossilaized antient whales, which made me feel entartained and motivated to go on.
 
As I planed, my race was started quite slow pace. I chatted with friends or even took pictures with them.
 
Couple miles after Check point 3, which was right after passed the museum, I was inspired my friend, Mark from England, saying to himself that
he ran as far as he could do untill he had no energy to move his legs...
What he was saying to himself was actually striked me as well, so I decided to run faster.
Thankfully, my bag was getting low weight to carry around long way.
 
At Check point 5, we are allowed to take boiled water to eat, so I did. It's always good to have some break to charge my battery when you are on the long race.
 
My foot, suprisingly, were not serious compared to others. I could keep going until sunset.
 
By the way, the sunset I saw here on desert is the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen.
I took pictures of that, but not sure they can really describe what I saw.
 
After the sunset, it was hard to run nomore.. darkness, hanger, lonelyness, tire...
 
But, thank god that I had a good company, Kurosawa--san after Check point 7. We decided to go together and finish the goal tape.
 
 
It was quite experience to run 80k after 4 consecutive 40k running with heavy stuff on desert.
We pretty much finished what we had to do, and now relief.
 
I really miss nice Japanese food or anything nice and taking shower and nice bed....
 
Those feeling will be solved after tomorrow's short run of our glory road to the Pyramids of Giza.
I can't wait to see how I feel after we complete this huge challenge.
 
Chiao,
 
 
Hiro

Sorry to say that I keep writing boring blogs with no detail infomation of the race.
It's hard to compose nice paragraphs after hard work like 40 k of running under the desert sun, so please understand my situation is not right
for fancy blogs.
 
Well, speaking of the today, the  race went quite well for me.
It was comparetively easier than other stages, according to many people, and that was it.
Most of runners around me, I mean same speed type of runnners as me, were running quite fast this morning,
so I felt I run behind a bit. But always my strategy is stick with what I gotta do, which is keep slow run.
It turned out quite satisfied with a result when I came back.
It was the fastest time, if I'm right, to complete among last runs I did.
That means I'm really ready for the stage 5, the longest and hardest of runnning more than 80k.
I might need to think about how I will manage this crazy one tonight.
 
and eat and sleep well.
 
During the run, I always try to remind myself how lucky I am to be here and experience this unusual feeling.
Although the race is not finished yet, I won't forget what I've seen, heard, felt, and experienced over the race.
 
Thanks,
 
 
Hiro

Today was even harder than any other races I did last two days.
Even though that, I'm happy and lucky to make this stage as well.
 
My foot are blady terrible with all blisters and pain. I didn't expect I'd get something like this bad.
My gaiters are not working well, so sands kept coming in my shoes, which made me hard running or even walking.
I tried to run all day long no matter how slow I go, and I actually found out my walking speed is relatively slow in global standard.( you know what, people are really walking fast!!)
 
I can't believe I made through all 3 stages...well, this sounds crazy, but once you are on the race, you feel wonder if you can complete or not.
 
There are still more to go, but it seems the goal line is about to see quite soon.
I hope my foot will be recovered enough to run another 40k and 80k of the stage 5.
 
Good luck for myself, and other competitors!!
 
Peace,
 
 
Hiro

I'm glad again I could make the stage 2 for safe.
This one was harder course map and longer the distance, which was about 41 kirometers.
Good thing about today was I knew how I should manage myself during the race and many advises from those experienced experts from last night.
I thought I made great effort to prepare all the stuff, but still many things can be covered.
That would be called "experience", and I'm learning through the race. What a exciting!
 
Today we went across amazing views from platou and lots hills that remind me climbing down Mt.Fuji.
The heat was seemingly okay today even though yesterday was 42 degree of Celusius.
 
Oh, by the way, it took me 7 hours 37 minitues...
Don't know what this is, but I'm quite satisfied with what I did.
 
It was amazing that all competitors made the first stage, and let's see how things go on this stage.
 
I"m at this camp waiting some runners to come safely.
 
I hope I can write down the blog tomorrow like today.
 
Cheers,
 
 
Hiro
 
 
PS I'd love to eat Japanese Syouga yaki so badly!! maybe after the race, Yakiniku!!

I’m really glad I made the first stage.
It took about 6 hours and half, which is much more than I expected.
When I saw the highlights of the last year, people kept answering an interview that it’s much harder than expected.
Then, I can see that meaning, it was much harder than I expected. 

We started the race at 7 am. I woke up at 4 am like usual, then the views of panorama stars welcome me in my sight.
Last night the star was astonishing, but this morning was more touchy to me. 

During the race, I saw many indescribable sights. That was really the desert I saw in the movie or TV. 

Well, you know what, when I was running the race, I got very nice inspiration I want to share with on the blog,
I’m totally out of my mind right now. 

Anyway, I’m safe and enjoyed my race on stage 1, then still keep going till the end. 

I hope you all do well,  Peace,  

Hiro

My first blog is right here from the start line of Sahara race.
Although we are not running yet, I’m already inspired a lot from people I met or scenes I saw. 

I just finished my dinner with bunch of brave guys and blushed my teeth under sky of the full starsand I did what I gotta do like going restroom like hole.

Everything I do here on the desert is my first time experience of my life.Every moments take my breath away. 

I don’t know how the race goes yet, but I’m quite sure I can enjoy this unique journey. 

The race will be started tomorrow from 7 am, so I will take a good sleep and rest in my tent. 

Cheers,  


Hiro