Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to update all of you on what happened during the event.

After a week of rain due to a nearby typhoon Friday morning was clear and sunny.
We all arrived together at the start line and registered at 8am.  After the opening
ceremony the event kicked off.  Immediately you saw the different levels of people
 around.  The leading people started running and the rest of us just walked out of
 the training ground and towards the beginning of the 100km hike.

The first few stages were going ok but it was clear that we hadn't trained nearly
 enough and the 3 week break since Golden Week didn't really help things. 

We cleared the first 3 stages without much problem and were only about 30 mins
 behind plan.  Next came sections 3-5 which we had never attempted before but
 looking at the map book didn't appear to be so bad.  How wrong I was.  These
 sections were like hell on earth.  We arrived at check point 4 at about 10pm.  We
 stayed here for about an hour.  Many other teams were taking a break here and
 sleeping but we decided to forge on.

The next section 4-5 would turn out to be a killer.  In the end it took us 8 hours to
 complete.  It was steep up hill and then a very steep and muddy downhill section
 that took forever.  When we finally arrived at check point 5. Myself, Rob and Kiran all
 felt like pulling out.  We were all suffering from various issues.


At checkpoint 5 we had some food and then tended to our issues which included
 bad knees, blisters etc etc.

The next section was fairly short and easy but by this time I was suffering from
 some severing  chafing in the inner thigh area and was walking very strangely.  At
 checkpoint 6 (63km in) it suddenly started to rain very heavily.  So we all put on full
 raingear and then started the next section.  Within 20mins the rain was gone and
 we all looked like muppets wearing our gortex gear.

This section took along time as well and when I arrived at checkpoint 7 (79km) I
 wasn't smiling anymore.  I grabbed some soup paste and sat down.  Just as I was
 about to start eating Kiran and Rob arrived so I went to sign in.  When I came back
 somebody had kicked my soup paste and some of it was on my coat and socks.  I
 was not impressed.

Check point 7 had an onsen so I had a shower and felt a bit better.  Rob was
 suffering from severe blisters and he decided to retire at this point.  He had been
 suffering for the last 30km so great effort on getting that far.

Now came the final 21km.  We set off determined to finish what we had started.
 We made a slight mistake so wasted about 30mins but we made good time on
 the next section and arrived at checkpoint 8 at about 1.50am (Sunday morning).  I
 had been sleep walking on the last section and was lucky not to fall off the edge.

This checkpoint was in the open and at 930 metres felt very cold.  I sat there
 sipping cocoa and pumpkin soup at the same time.  Kiran and Manabu were
 sleeping on the floor for a while.

At 3.30am we set off again for the final 6km stage.  It took us just under 3.5 hours.
 We saw our second sunrise and then at just before 6am we arrived at the
 Yamanakako YMCA centre.  YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!! We had finally finished the
 100km after a whopping 45 hours 57 minutes.

I sat down and said "I'm never walking anywhere again".

Thanks to everyone that sponsored us.  We managed to raise over 1500 pounds
 for many good causes.  If you know anyone else that would like to sponsor us
 please send them the link.

Thanks again.

Ajul, Rob, Manabu, Kiran

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We will be doing a 100km trailwalk in Japan on 16th May.  The walk has to be completed within 48 hours in teams of 4.  Yes, we all have to walk 100km, its not  a relay.

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