Inov-8 Athletes Ready To Do Battle On My Fuji

News Release / 24.04.2014

The world’s best ultra runners have descended on Japan for Friday’s Ultra-Trail Mt Fuji (UTMF).

The 105-mile (169km) clockwise orbit around Japan’s most famous peak features almost 10,000m of brutal elevation gain and is a true test of physical and mental strength.

Committed athletes Shona Stephenson, Brendan Davies (both Australia) and Joe Grant (US) will all toe the start line in their inov-8 shoes ahead of what looks set to be a battle royal on the mountain trails in one of the most highly anticipated ultra races of the year.

Shona, who was second woman in last year’s UTMF in just under 26 hours, said: “The UTMF is a special event to me. I love racing in Japan, especially around the iconic Mt Fuji.

“The race is different to its sister event, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, with steeper climbs and, at times, really muddy terrain. There are also some grueling road sections.

“This kind of race really excites me. I even like the element of danger that comes with having to watch out for bears! When running through the night I like to imagine the bears are chasing me. It makes me run faster!

“This year the course has been reversed, lengthened by 7km and made more difficult, but my aim remains to better my time of 2013. If I can do that I will be stoked.

“At the same time, Mt Fuji and UTMF demand respect. I fully expect it to be both a mental and physical battle – and one that I will be playing out on Anzac Day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. This will inspire me to dig deep and be courageous, especially when feeling low.

“I will, as always, write words of motivation on my arms. On this occasion those words will include: focus, committed, keep your head and stay in the moment.”

Fellow Aussie Brendan Davies, who placed fifth in last year’s UTMF in 20hrs 38mins, added: “Yes the elevation gain is huge, almost 10,000m, but this is a course I know and one I feel I can do well on.

“With this in mind, my training this year has been quite different. I’ve used a couple of events – the Tarawera Ultra in New Zealand and the Buffalo Stampede Ultra in Australia – as key training races in order to come to UTMF with more specific conditioning. Strength and endurance have been prioritised over speed in the hope that I can increase my overall climbing times.

“The start list reads a bit like the who’s who of ultra trail running. It’s going to be one hell of a battle all day (and night) for sure.”

UK-born Joe Grant, who now lives in Colorado, goes into UTMF on the back of a course-record breaking win at the White Mountains 100 ultra in Alaska earlier this month.

Joe said: “This year is a bit of an experiment for me as I am racing two 100 milers only one month apart. I've never raced two long events this close together, so my preparation has been a bit different than usual.

“I went into the White Mountains 100 in Alaska well prepared for a long day of running on snow. The race went well and I finished feeling great (Joe won in a new course record time of 17hrs 5mins).

“Other than some tightness in my hips and knees from running for over 17 hours on snow, my recovery was fast. I sustained no injuries and quickly felt my energy coming back.

“Instead of jumping straight back into hard training, I decided to prioritize recovery. While I may have lost a little fitness doing this, I thought it better to come into UTMF feeling fresh and ready to go. 

“The UTMF course is challenging because it mixes long, fast road stretches with steep, technical trails. Many of the climbs are short and abrupt, which I think will make it hard to find a good rhythm.

“The longest climb on the course comes at around the 100km mark, where the trail becomes steeper and more technical. It will be crucial to pace the first 100km well and not get carried away early on by running the roads too fast.

I suspect the 100km mark and beyond will be a decisive point in the race.”

Read the full inov-8 blogs by Shona, Brendan and Joe at http://bit.ly/1hrmrDq

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