GO ASIA TRAIL

Day 3 of the Formosa Trail. From 9:00 a.m., there will be a ceremony (awards ceremony), dancing, food (roasted whole pig, noodles, etc.), beer, and so on. The Formosa Trail is fun even after the run. You will not be bored until the end. You can drink beer in the morning ( ´´cause you can´´).

The award ceremony is for 104km and 65km. First, awards are given out for the 65km division, followed by the 104km division. What was impressive this time was that the 104km podium (1st to 5th place) was dominated by Japanese runners.

In the men's race, all runners were Japanese except for the first place runner (the first place runner was Chinese); the first place runner, Li JunFeng, is the 8th place runner in this year's 2018 STY. The women's race was a one-two finish with Yukari Hoshino (1st) and Kaori Niwa (2nd). The women's winner, Ms. Hoshino, also won the Qilan 100 Forest Road Koshino held in Yilan, Taiwan this past March.

Results - Formosa Trail

At the awards ceremony, everyone was dressed in traditional costumes. The winner wears a special costume as proof of the champion. The Japanese were all very excited and high-spirited as they watched the awards ceremony, with the Japanese dominating the top places.

We looked at the Japanese runners by event.

The number of entries for 104km was overwhelming. 30% of the total entries were Japanese. I guess it shows the national character. On the other hand, this is also the strength of Japanese runners. They are tough. Sometimes when I run Japanese races, I see that the pace is generally fast, and the atmosphere is one of hard work. To become stronger, you have to run races in Japan as well...Incidentally, the number of entries for the 104km local Taiwanese race was 78, and 22 in our neighbor, Hong Kong.

As for the finish rate, it is difficult to get an accurate finish rate because 104km runners can switch to 65km halfway through the race. However, others who participated in the 104km said that it was not 50% and probably around 30-40%.

At the Formosa Trail party, a whole roasted pig is served. It was the first time for me to see a whole roasted pig. The meat was savory, juicy and full of umami. It was a sight that is hard to find in Japan.

Before and after the awards ceremony, we were treated to a folk dance performance. As on the previous day, the dances were energetic and dynamic.

Then, the athletes, dancers, volunteers, and organizers all danced together. Well, this was really fun. Although I was still tired after running 40 km the day before, I managed to dance. It was really like a festival, and it was a great space. It was a space where a sense of togetherness transcended nationality and race.

I also met Mr. Nonoyama, the representative of Fields, who organizes the Utsukushigahara Trail Run (Nagano, Japan), the Daisetsuzan Ultra Trail (Hokkaido, Japan), and the Hiroshima Ohorakan Trail in Aki Ota (Hiroshima, Japan). Fields is making efforts not only in Japan but also in other countries, especially in Asia. Recently, they collaborated with The Green Race, an organizer in Hong Kong, to hold a race. Asia is hot right now.

https://www.fields-co.jp/

I spent three days with a lot of content.

It was the most enjoyable race I have ever run, and I would like to go back next year," was my honest impression. It was more like a festival than just a race. It was a race, an event, and a festival worthy of being the last race of 2018 for me, and the fact that I selected the 40km race was probably a big reason why I could afford to enjoy myself before and after the race as well. But being able to dance after the race was unique. I will be back next year. I am sure I will enter the 104km next time.

After the Formosa Trail, I stayed an extra night in Taipei. My Taiwanese friend took me to a good restaurant. I had a lot of fun eating Taiwanese specialties, such as lujiaohan (roasted rice), chops and fries, etc... Taiwan is a great place. Taiwan is a great place. Next March, I will travel to Taiwan again to participate in the Qilan 100 Forest Road Koshino. Until then!