Looking Back on the 2025 Race – 63km Adventure!

　The Echigo Country Trail 2025 is a wrap! Thanks to the incredible support of so many people, we were able to successfully host another amazing event. To show our appreciation, we’d love to take you on a quick recap of this year’s race.

Let’s start with the 63km race!
　This year, 155 runners (137 men and 18 women) took on the 63km course, and 111 of them (100 men and 11 women) made it to the finish line — that’s a 71.6% finish rate!

　We had runners from all over Japan — from Hokkaido in the north to Hyogo in the west — and even one participant all the way from Brazil! Can you believe it? It’s a small local race, but people are willing to travel from around the globe. That really warms our hearts.

Race day weather? Rain, and more rain… with some clouds in between. The 6:00 AM start was under a light drizzle.

　The first section includes some paved and gravel roads — a good warm-up for the long day ahead. Even early in the morning, local residents were already out along the course to cheer everyone on. Talk about early birds!

　Heading into the forest before the first aid station, it was still a little dark due to the cloudy skies. It gave everything a mysterious, almost magical feel in the photos.
But at Aid Station 1 , the cheerful voices of local grandmas and grandpas cut through the mist — their energy is unmatched!

　By the time runners reached Aid Station 2, many were already covered in mud — a clear sign of the rough terrain they’d just conquered. Time to rinse off a bit and get ready for the climb to Tokimizu-Jyoyama!

　Next came some flat sections along local farm roads, before reaching Tokimizu-Jyoyama. This scenic point usually offers stunning views of both Ojiya City and Oguni… but this year, the mist had other plans.

　Aid Station 3 is set on a grassy field where runners usually take a short break, but this year, most were quick to grab supplies and get back into the race.

　At Kirisawa Pass, runners pass by twice — before and after descending to Hakusan — so course marshals were key in guiding everyone safely through. Big thanks to the volunteers standing in the rain! And believe it or not, we even had spectators here too — thank you!!

　Aid Station 4 also served as a checkpoint. Here, Goshu Yakuhin from Toyama provided their popular “Active Supply” drink. The aid station here offered local flavors like bite-sized rice balls — perfect for a quick and tasty boost before the big climb!

　Aid Station 5 was just before the final boss: Mt. Hachikoku. This was the last chance to regroup before tackling the steep climb.

　At the remains of the Babaishi Viewing Hut, many runners paused for a quick snapshot. Just one more push to the top!

　The summit of Mt. Hachikoku! Usually a stunning lookout spot, but this year… we were in the clouds. Still, the view wasn’t the only reward — conquering the final boss was victory enough!

　After reaching Aid Station 6, it’s just a little over 8km to the finish. That might still sound long, but don’t worry — the worst of the steep climbs are behind you.

　Even so, the trail through the forest park was quite muddy in places, adding a final challenge before the end.

　And then… the finish line!
　Each runner crossed the line in their own way — with smiles, relief, or a quiet sense of accomplishment. It was a long journey, and you did it. Congratulations!

　Here are the final results. Huge congratulations to all our top finishers!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end!
We’re planning to share photos taken by our staff this year — stay tuned!