Climbing Mt. Norikura by bike had been one of my dreams since I started riding a road bike ten years ago. I had visited with my children on a summer holiday, and this time the dream came true at a big event with about 3,700 entrants. I hoped to make it up in about two hours without putting a foot down, but after 16 km I had to put my foot down five or six times and reached the top exhausted, resting along the way.
My time was 2 hours 38 minutes. With 5 m to go I couldn't pedal any more and finished hopping on one foot. A sad ending.
I may have got in the way of serious riders chasing their times, but it was a precious and fun experience. Thank you to all the staff for a great time.
Filmed with a GoPro 10 for the first time. 4K, 30 fps.
The view after the finish, before heading down. Cloudy, but a superb view. 2,700 m above sea level!Before the start. "Here I go!" My belly is embarrassing. The same photo on YouTube is retouched.At the summit with Dr. Takigiku, who invited me to the race. He finished in 2 hours 5 minutes without putting a foot down! Amazing. I wish I could do the same. You can see him passing me with a word of encouragement in the video (around 9:24).
I ended up buying five official photos.
At the start. Looking at the camera!Just after leaving Kyukamura. Already looking tired.The last hairpin, 2 km to go. This was terribly hard. In the video at 13:31 I mutter, "No energy left to make a peace sign for the photographer..."At 18.3 km (video 15:06), near the trail entrance. The background says "Norikura Hill Climb".And the moment of the finish. Hopping over the line on one foot!
2021.03.27
To the Sewari-tei embankment in Yawata, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom
During the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time in a year and four months, I rode 30 km from the hospital to the Sewari-tei embankment in Yawata, famous for its cherry blossoms, with Dr. Yoshihide Nakamura, Dr. Fukudome and Dr. Terashi.
Dr. Fukudome and Dr. Terashi were beginners. Dr. Nakamura brought three bikes from his home; Dr. Fukudome rode a cross bike and Dr. Terashi an electric cross bike.
Fine weather and cherry blossoms in full bloom. A lovely ride after a long break.
Dr. Shoda came to Osaka for work in Nara, so I took him on a ride to Jusan Pass on the border between Nara and Osaka. I picked him up at Itami Airport and we rode across Osaka City to the pass. Riding behind me, Dr. Shoda later gave me lots of advice on how I ride. I usually ride alone, so I learned a lot. About two minutes into the climb Dr. Shoda was out of sight, but once again I made it to the top. Thank you, Dr. Shoda, for coming to my home climb!
The ride was 93 km in total, but clearly harder than the 150 km around Awaji Island... With Dr. Shoda behind me, I pushed too hard for the first 30 km or so to the pass.
I rode "Awaichi", the loop around Awaji Island I had wanted to do since I started cycling, with 2,300 riders.
The Nara ride has 100 riders, so the scale was completely different. After a small mishap I restarted last, 2,300th, from the 30 km point, but I managed to finish in about nine hours.
My fourth time at the annual "Nara Basin Cyclo Rally 140 km". This year the course ended with two mountain crossings: 146 km, with exhausting climbs. Start at 8:00, finish at 16:20. It was tough.
Dr. Shoda and Dr. Kioka finished first again, and were first over the last two climbs (Mt. Yoshino and Imo Pass). They are now famous at this event.
Dr. Eitoku was fast too. He left me behind at the end, but I finished only about 10 minutes later.
Early-morning training ride in Okinawa with Dr. Shoda and Ogawa-san
Before the day's work at the meeting, four of us, including Dr. Shoda and Ogawa-san of Japan Lifeline, met before 6 a.m. at our hotel on the west coast of Okinawa for a 24 km training ride. The plan was to watch the sunrise and come back, so I assumed we would take our time admiring it, but...
Two days later, Dr. Shoda and Ogawa-san rode the Tour de Okinawa. A different level of riding.
My third "Nara Basin Cyclo Rally 140 km", actually a 150 km course. Start at 8:00, finish at 16:00. It was tough.
100 riders took part in the 150 km, and I heard 57% finished... Dr. Shoda finished first!!! I seem to have been around 25th to 30th, about the middle of the finishers? I am not that slow; the HBS team is just too fast.
This year Dr. Eitoku of Okayama University joined for the first time. We thought he was a beginner, but he turned out to be amazingly powerful, and everyone was surprised.
Training ride: Jusan Pass, Mt. Shigi and the Yamato River
Two weeks to go before my third "Nara Basin Cyclo Rally 140 km". I thought I had better train a little and went to Jusan Pass. I climbed it in 29 minutes for the first time in a while, but I worry about my tendency to give up mentally.
2016.05 / 2017
Nara Basin Cyclo Rally: my first ride and my revenge
May 2016: the "Nara Basin Cyclo Rally" 130 km, my first time, invited by Dr. Shoda
I couldn't keep up with Dr. Shoda and Dr. Nakano and rode alone from halfway... By the end my legs wouldn't move at all, and I couldn't walk properly for a week afterwards.
Alone and wobbling to the finish in the second half. I look fine for the photographer, but my legs were swollen, both knees were in agony, and I was nearly in tears... Dr. Shoda asked me, "Are you really going to ride with that backpack?"
The next year, 2017: the Nara Basin Cyclo Rally 140 km. My revenge.
This is how it starts.About 50 km in you reach Muro Dam, the most pleasant part of the course. I took the photo, so I am not in it.Here is the movieIn 2017 I managed to keep up on the climbs...One of my favorite photos. I can't ride without knee supports any more. No backpack. Custom-made Oakley sunglasses!I was glad to make it into the group photo at the end!
The 140 km course: from Nara Park to Yagyu village, south through the mountains, through Yoshino to Asuka, and finally north through the city.
Course (to the detailed data)
Up and down, again and again. Elevation gain 1,500 m! Detailed data
Elevation profile (to the detailed data)
2016.05
The Shimanami Kaido with Dr. Nakamura
We rode 100 km from Onomichi to Matsuyama. A lovely ride!
Taking the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Onomichi in our cycling jerseys. Not embarrassing with two of us!? Behind us are our road bikes in travel bags...
HBS
Heart Break Society
HBS stands for Heart Break Society. The cycling jersey was designed by Dr. Morio Shoda of Tokyo Women's Medical University. Pretty cool.
I hear the name comes from the Heart Rhythm Society.
