Mt Fuji will have to wait for another day...

I just saw the following message on the Ultra Trail Mount Fuji race website. The decision is more than understandable and I imagine a very difficult one for the race organizers, I feel terrible for them. I will admit to being more than a bit heartbroken myself. With all the devastating images on television and the incredible resolve of the Japanese people, my desire to experience the country, the mountain and this race were stronger than ever. I sincerely hope that I can toe the line at the race this fall.



A message to all ULTRA TRAIL Mt. FUJI participants

On March 11th, 2011, a very large earthquake shook Northern Japan causing significant damage and tragically claiming over 10,000 lives. Japan is still reeling from these huge losses, but we as a country, are trying our best to overcome this terrible crisis.

After the earthquake, the Ultra Trail Mt. Fuji (UTMF) race committee faced an extremely difficult decision as to whether or not to continue with the race in May. While we are still experiencing frequent aftershocks, and rolling blackouts, thanks to the heroic efforts of the workers at the Fukushima nuclear power station, the fear of a nuclear meltdown and the widespread leakage of nuclear radiation have been drastically reduced. The city of Tokyo, and the Shizuoka and Yamanashi regions where the race is to take place are considered stable and safe. However, as a country, there will still be many uncertainties over the next two months and many, many wounds that will still desperately need to be healed. Given this situation, we have made the decision to postpone the race.

We are tentatively targeting to reschedule the race for this fall, but we are not yet able to set a confirmed date. We will keep you posted regarding the new date but in the meantime, your race fee will be refunded to you via PayPal. You will also be given priority registration once the new race date is set and will be notified via email. If you decide to re-register for the race, you will be required to re-submit your race fees at that time. In lieu of the race, we are planning to hold a UTMF trail cleanup event on May 21st and May 22nd. All volunteers are welcome. More information about this cleanup will be posted on the website as soon as the details are available.

Finally, we would like to thank you for the many kind emails we received from you expressing your concern and sympathies. All of our hearts go out to those who were impacted by this terrible catastrophe and to all those in Northern Japan who must continue to struggle to rebuild their lives. We deeply appreciate your understanding and support and will work hard to keep up the positive spirit needed to make it through this challenging time.

ULTRA TRAIL Mt. FUJI
Race Committee