Sunday, July 13, 2025

家族会inローマ2025年(要約)by Ana Mingorance, PhD (Japanese Version of the Rome 2025 Family Conference)

Rome, Italy 2025

1. イントロダクション:ローマにて

私が初めて参加した CDKL5 カンファレンスは、2017年にローマで開かれた患者ミーティングで、そこで CDKL5 アライアンスが立ち上がりました。私は神経科学者で、すでに関連疾患の患者支援団体と関わっていましたので、CDD(CDKL5 欠失症候群)について学びたいと思って参加しました。スペインのご家族(私の出身国です)にお会いし、病気の概要を手短に説明してもらったことをよく覚えています。また、Marinus 社が実験薬ガナキソロン被験者少数で実施していた小規模試験について壇上で話されていたのも印象に残っています。そして、CDD の“祖父”的存在である Antonino Caridi さんがアライアンス初期のリーダーシップを担い、ステージから歓迎してくれたのです。

2018年に私は Loulou Foundation に加わり、2025年に CDKL5 アライアンスがローマに再び戻ったことは非常に特別な思いでした。私たちは同じ場所に戻ってきましたが、CDD をめぐるすべてが圧倒的に大きくなっていました:コミュニティの規模、治療の進展、取り組む人の数。そして Antonino さんはあの時と変わらず健在でした。

Antonino

ALL IN(VOLVED) カンファレンスは 6月27日(金)に始まり、家族どうしの再会、国別患者団体リーダーと製薬会社代表とのミーティングが行われました。参加者は延べ300名以上、CDD 患者は41名、多くのきょうだいも参加し会議はとても楽しい雰囲気でした。

合計でアルバニア、オーストラリア、オーストリア、ベルギー、ブラジル、ブルガリア、フランス、ドイツ、インド、アイルランド、イタリア、日本、中東・北アフリカ地域(MENA)、オランダ、フィリピン、ポーランド、ルーマニア、スロバキア、スペイン、スウェーデン、スイス、英国、ウクライナ、アメリカの24か国・地域から参加がありました。だからこそ私たちはこれを「グローバル・アライアンス」と呼んでいるのです。そして製薬・バイオテクノロジー企業9社が会議を支援してくれました。これらの数字を2017年の参加者に伝えたら、きっと驚かれたでしょう。

アライアンス会議(各国の家族会代表)
製薬会社の皆さん

6月28日(土)は、「ALL IN(FORMED)」と名付けた科学セッションが始まりました。疾病概要、自然史研究、開発パイプライン、治療モダリティごとの進捗などを全参加者で共有しました。

また、ドバイの Pediatric Therapy Center High Hopes のチームによる非薬理療法の発表もありました。CDD の子どもや成人にとって、現在最良と考えられる療法であり、筋力・可動性の改善や神経可塑性の促進のベストプラクティスを示してくれました。「家族中心的アプローチの多職種チーム」で、親が共治療者として関わるという点も印象的でした。

High Hopes Team

午後には2つのトラックに分かれ、私は科学者と製薬企業向けの企業連携セッションに参加し、新規治療や疾病モデルに関するプログラムを学びました(以下の要約で触れますが、詳細までは触れません)。並行で家族向けにはバイオマーカー採取やペットセラピー(美しい犬たちが10数頭)といったプログラムがあり、科学者としてはうらやましかったです。

6月29日(日)は「ALL IN 1 COMMUNITY」セッションで締めくくり。家族がステージに立ち、その声にみんなで耳を傾けました。

以下では、科学セッションの主要ニュースと、特に印象に残った家族のメッセージをまとめます。私は親ではなく科学者の視点で治療進展を見ていますので、その点をご了承ください。また、これはカンファレンス全体の要約ではありませんので、抜けている部分がある点もお許しください。


2. サイエンス:低分子薬(スモールモレキュル)

CDD 初期に開発された治療法の第一世代は抗てんかん薬です。CDD は遺伝性症候群の中でもてんかん発作の頻度が特に高く、既存の薬では十分に制御できないため、より良い薬が必要です。

2017年ローマでは、Marinus 社が CDD 患者4人を対象にガナキソロンを投与したデータを発表しました。4人中3人が改善し、1人は改善せず、それでも有望であると評価されました。続いて患者数を増やす計画でした。

2025年ローマ会議時には、フェーズ2試験で7名を対象に実施し成功、続くグローバルなフェーズ3試験(100名以上)も成功し、ガナキソロンが CDD の発作治療薬として米国と欧州で承認され、Marinus はその後 Immedica Pharma に買収され、会議にも参加していました。前を向くと進展は遅く感じますが、振り返れば非常に速い進展でした。

英国の患者グループ代表/CDD の母でもある Carol‑Anne Partridge さんは、政府や保険者に CDD の重症度を理解してもらう目的の研究を発表しました。132 家族を対象にした調査では、96.7% が抗てんかん薬を使用中で、健康関連QOLを親が報告するスケール(0=死亡相当、1=完全健康)で平均0.18 という結果が出ました。保険評価に使われる手法で設計されており、新薬の必要性を強く訴える内容です。

Carol‑Anne Partridge さん
Carol-Anne Partridgeさん

会議で最大のニュースは、UCB Pharma が第2の Phase 3 試験(フェンフルラミンを用いた CDD の発作治療)が有効性と安全性の両面で成功し、すでに2症候群向けに承認済みのフェンフルラミンを今度は CDD の適応で承認申請予定と発表したことです。これが順調であれば、CDD の第2の承認薬になります。

さらに、Longboard(後に Lundbeck 傘下)は第2世代フェンフルラミンである bexicaserin を開発中で、米国で Phase 3 試験を実施中、今年から世界各国を順次追加中です。この試験は「DEEp OCEAN」と呼ばれる希少てんかん症候群全般を対象としており、CDD 患者にも多くが該当します(最低月4回数えられる発作、年齢2~65歳)。Rome では Marina Trivisano 医師が最新状況と参画国マップを共有しました。ご興味があれば neurologist に相談してください。

これら最初の 3 つの大規模試験は発作治療薬に集中していましたが、発表では「症状ではなく病気そのものを治療する」治療法への移行も語りました。その中には遺伝子治療だけでなく、CDKL5 の重要ターゲットに作用する低分子薬も含まれます。CDKL5 タンパク質は細胞内で他のタンパク質をオン/オフ調整するスイッチ的役割(キナーゼ)を担うため、それに結合して調節する薬が設計可能です。

午前セッションで私はこの概念を「精密医療」と呼び紹介し、午後の企業連携セッションでは、Massimiliano Bianchi 教授による、細胞骨格をターゲットとする精密医療アプローチの発表がありました。


3. サイエンス:遺伝子治療

CDD 治療のための遺伝子治療がいくつか開発中であり、近い将来に臨床試験に入ることが期待されています。遺伝子治療はウイルスを用いてCDKL5遺伝子を脳に届けます。ウイルスの外側構造だけを使い、内部はウイルスDNAではなく CDKL5遺伝子が搭載されています。

Stuart Cobb 博士(Rett 症候群の MECP2 遺伝子治療の発明者の一人)は、遺伝子治療の仕組みを美しく説明してくれました。彼の言葉を借りると、「概念は簡単でも実行は複雑」。ウイルスを作り、マウスを治し、サルで毒性を確認し、臨床試験へ、という流れです。Rett療法はすでに臨床試験中で臨床改善が得られており、講演後2日でフェーズ3に進むと発表がありました。

Stuart Cobb

かつては2022年の CDKL5 フォーラムで Ultragenyx が「翌年に臨床試験に入る」と表明していましたが、それは実現せず、その遅れが多くの家族をがっかりさせた経緯があります。そのため他の開発会社もタイムラインを簡単には語りづらくなっており、CDD 向け遺伝子治療の開発状況はまだ見えにくい状態です。

Majid Jafar 氏と私(Loulou Foundation)は複数の遺伝子治療が開発中であると発表しましたが、企業からのアップデートが得られると家族にとっては大きな励ましになったでしょう。

CDD の特殊な遺伝子治療として、女性の「第二の CDKL5 コピー」を活性化させる治療法があり、この講演もありました。女性では X 染色体のうち1本だけを使用し、もう1本は不活性化されますが、この治療はその「不活性化 X 染色体上の CDKL5 遺伝子」を読み取らせるウイルスを使います。CDD の女児は常に1本は正常な CDKL5 を持っており、これを活かせばよいのです。Kyle Fink 博士のチームは現在、臨床グレードのウイルスを制作し、臨床試験前のサルでの安全実験に着手しています。

Kyle Fink


4. サイエンス:酵素補充療法

酵素補充療法についても講演がありました。Elisabetta Ciani 教授は、「ラボ製CDKL5タンパク質」を神経細胞に投与する方法を説明しました。CDKL5 は酵素であり、他の脳酵素に対する補充療法は成功例があります。ただし Stuart 博士も言ったように、「概念は簡単でも実行は複雑」。Ciani 教授はマウスで有効な修飾 CDKL5 タンパク質を作り評価しましたが、人間向けの医薬品としては挑戦が続いています。

Elisabetta Ciani

CDDの母でありタンパク質科学者でもある Maria Luisa Tutino 教授は、ラボ製CDKL5を人に適用可能にするため様々な改良を試みています。初代製品は神経細胞の“胃”に入り食われてしまう課題があり、現在は第2世代のアプローチに取り組み、100万ユーロの助成金を受けて開発中です。非常に複雑な治療アプローチですが、挑戦する価値のあるものです。

Maria Tutino


5. 治療開発と試験を容易にする取り組み

臨床試験前には、「治療が効果を持つ可能性」を確かめる必要があり、動物モデルを用いた試験が重要です。また臨床試験中には、「効果があったか」を患者で評価する必要があり、臨床変化の測定法が必要です。

Rome 会議では、動物モデルと臨床変化の測定法に関する最新情報が共有されました。

パートナリングセッションでは、Leonor Cancela 教授がゼブラフィッシュモデル、María del Carmen Martín 教授がショウジョウバエモデル、Ulysses Neuroscience チームがマウスモデルの試験サービスを紹介し、CDD の前臨床試験体制が整っていることを示しました。

大規模セッションでは、Tim Benke 教授が US の ICCRN 自然史研究による CDD 重症度を測る単一スケール開発の進展を報告。Xavier Liogier 医師は Loulou Foundation が主導する国際 CANDID 研究について述べ、200 人以上を登録し、年齢別特徴や複数の測定スケール(認知、コミュニケーション、行動、運動スキルなど)がすでに試験で使えると話しました。これら研究への参加は数年にわたる複数回の病院訪問を伴い、患者家族の大きな努力なしでは高度な臨床試験設計は不可能です。

Tim Benke

自然史研究が治療成果を外部から評価する基盤を作る一方、バイオマーカーは内部変化を測定するためのものです。Rome 会議では Massimiliano Bianchi 教授による ELPIS グローバルバイオマーカー研究の進捗(血液中プロテイン変化の追跡)と、ポスター賞受賞者 Vita Cardinale さんによる唾液中バイオマーカーの研究発表がありました。これらには100名以上のボランティア患者と家族が協力しており、内部評価方法の発見が進んでいます。

Massimiliano Bianchi

ところで、「なぜ血液や唾液で脳内の変化が分かるのか?」と思われるかもしれません。答えは、神経細胞がタンパク質やRNAを含む小さな断片を送り合うことで「手紙のように」コミュニケーションを取っているからです。その断片を科学者が血液や唾液中で拾い、“手紙”を読むことで脳の状態を推測できるのです。科学は本当に面白いですね。


6. コミュニティの声

患者カンファレンスは感情にあふれる場であり、さまざまな状況の家族が3日間を共にしました。歩き始めたばかりの小さな子どもを連れた家族から、子どもを亡くされたご家族まで。だからこそ、最終セッションで家族がステージで語る機会が設けられました。

#1minuteofhope のビデオでは、世界各地の親御さんが「希望とは何か」を語り、観客にも「あなたにとって希望とは?」と問いかけました。イタリア、ペルー、アメリカ、カナダ、日本、ウクライナ、MENA、フランスからのメッセージがありました。

日本のらぶはンずからの1 Minute of Hope Video Message

CDKL5 MENA の Mais Kanan さん、そして Loulou Foundation の Majid Jafar さん(2014 年に娘アリアちゃんが診断された)が登壇し、大きな進展、共同努力の成果、そして希望へのメッセージを伝えました。

きょうだいからの声もあり、Iman Jafar さんは姉アリアちゃんへの愛を語り、“up” という最初の言葉が姉を助ける言葉として家族でよく言っていたためだったと話しました。Alessandro Caridi さんからはより困難な体験談も語られましたが、「すべての家族・人の経験が独自である」「家族の周囲の人々にも影響が及ぶ」といった重みあるメッセージがありました。

Jafar Family and LOULOU

Michela Fagiolini 博士(CDD や関連疾患の研究者)からは、「CDD に特化した薬や遺伝子治療は来ている」「これは抽象的な希望ではなく、現実であり進行中だ」との力強い言葉があり、「一人や一研究室や一家庭ではなく、皆が必要だ。あなたたちは一人じゃない」と呼びかけられました。

CDKL5 スペインの発表では、一人は創設当初からの親御さん、もう一人は最近診断されたご家族。Sandra Pérez さんは2014年に5家族・5つのストーリーで協会を立ち上げた背景と、新しい家族を迎え入れる使命について話し、「最初の5家族は暗闇の中の光」「彼らの歩みが私たちの道を開いた」と語りました。「希少=資源なし・答えなし」という現実に対し、科学コミュニティに「研究を続けてほしい」「研究室の一時間一時間が数百万家族への希望の糸となる」「小さな進歩こそ奇跡の芽」と訴えていました。

イタリアの Fondazione Telethon からは、希少遺伝性疾患団体支援の取り組みと、「粘り強さこそがイタリア協会のアイデンティティ」であることが紹介されました。

最後に、CDKL5 Insieme Verso la Cura の会長 Barbara Verdirame さんが壇上で、家族、ボランティア、研究者、医師、産業界代表など、支援してくれた全ての人々に感謝を述べました。「結局、医学の進展はこの大規模な協力なしには叶わない」のだと。

Baraba Verdirame

そして、締めくくりに Antonino Caridi さんの言葉を紹介しました。彼は 2017 年ローマで創設された国際 CDKL5 アライアンスがここまで成長したことを語り、「希望」は受動的な言葉ではなく、「不正義を変える勇気を与える」言葉であり、「最高の時はまだ来ていない」と締めくくりました。

Antonino!

Ciao a tutti!
Ana Mingorance, PhD

※この文章は希少てんかん症候群の患者家族を想定して書いておりますので、部分的に技術的な正確さに欠ける場合があります。また、美しい写真は Massimiliano Marcoccia 氏と CDKL5 Insieme verso la cura チームによるものです。

Monday, February 3, 2025

Ondo Ekiden 2025 Morimoto Hospital

 I can't believe that this is my first blog post in 5 years... 5 years!?

The things that have happened since then. 

Somehow I managed to get my new email account attached to this blog and it popped up on google. Thanks for taking over. 

Time to start blogging upcoming races for memories. 

Well where to start?!

I guess will start out with saying this was my 6th time running the Ondo Ekiden. 

Everytime I have ran the 3rd section which is 3.8km. This sucker is engraved in my mind. Have had some tough memories here. 

Will all things going on and not making time myself and a priority to run, did not do any interval runs leading up to this one. Was afraid of straining something or getting injured before and just thought would wing it. 

Start things as usual. 

This years team:

1. Shin Taoka (same as always)
2. Koshi Gamo (repeater)
3. Jordan Langen
4. Duc Duong
5. Yagawa-san (Mazda)
6. James Marsh (repeater)
7. Omoto-san (repeater)

The course:


With leaving in Hiroshima city now, I woke up early and drove directly to Ondo from here. First time to do that. The wife and baby stayed back home to not get too tired for the long trip later in the afternoon. 

Showed up at the Ondo Ground right next to the Shimin Center and meet with all of our teammates. 

Sat through the loooong intro ceremony. Do we need to go to these anymore... hah

It's starting to be fun to go through the logistics of the race each year such as: 
uniforms, bibs, after partys, pickup/luggage. Used to always find myself in the backside of things with planning but it is starting to be fun to take on more responsibility with things. I guess that is what becoming an adult is about huh. Crazy to think the first ONDO Ekiden I ran was 11 years ago! Holy smokes where has the time gone.

Back to the race. 

It had just stopped raining and we shuttled out to our respective locations on the course. 

Here is mine as always.



Started with same warm-up as always and for some reason, it still feels like the heart rate is increasing more than normal with just simple runs. Too many covid shots, too many beers, or too little Hiyamas and bicycle commuting like the good ol days. Or getting old. Probably a combo of everything had me feeling a little sluggish at the beginning wondering/worrying about how the body was going to feel once turning on the Engine to max RPMs. While jogging and warming up, had to sneak into a mtn road and drop a deuce to relieve the stomach. First time having to do that before an Ekiden aha. Getting lined up with an old pair of Nikes from Hiyama-san, old time Nike spandex and some tree truck legs with a jiggly butt, it was time to through down. Say Koshi barreling down the road in front of me about 5th/6th and was impressed with this placing. He handed the ribbon and I took off excited as always. Forgot to get the watch set before running so fiddled with it for a few seconds before being able to start really trying to run. 

Looking down at the watch the first few times was 3:15 or so km pace and was feeling HR spike quickly. Felt like couldnt hold on to that at all so backed off a bit to what seemed like a 3:30 or so pace just to keep things realistic. 

Heard footsteps coming from behind and it was a Hiroshima Kencho race club member cruising by. He finished in about 12 flat which is pretty dang fast. No chance was gonna not let him pass no matter how much I wanted. 

The weather was perfect, flat road, and just my wishes to get closer and closer to that Hayase bridge in the distance. 

Many spectators were screaming MORIMOTO IIN! Because they could read our race bib 


森本医院

Probably half of those spectators were Morimoto senseis patients. haha


Trying to hang on to dear life with the pace and felt like was slowing more and more. Definatily regret not doing intervals. Probably thought that 15x during that short run. 

As I was getting closer to the Hayase bridge saw a ton of the Morimoto family cheering which helped ALOT. 

Kayoko, Yoshiaki, Miho,  Keigo/Shogo, Hisari were all there cheering. Yoshiaki sure knows how to cheer! He pumped me up and I was able to not speed up, but not lose pace anymore than I had been rapidly at the point. 

Thanks for snapping a photo. 

Finally saw the bridge getting closer and then saw Duc from Vietnam who was running his first Ekiden. Sped up as much as the body let me and was excited for Duc to run his first Ekiden in Japan. He had been in Kurahashi for a few years, went to Tokyo for a year and a half and finally came back to Kurahashi because he wanted to work on the island again. What a cool experience for him to join! I still remember my first Ekiden in Japan. haha

Passed Duc off the ribbon and saw him run towards Kurahashi. Met Doi-chan for which brought back memories of 11 years ago when I got the Kukansho for the 3rd segment. Maybe next year?! haha

Here are the splits:

Surpsingly with the lack of training, I am impressed with the results. Without doing 1 speed work in months, was able to be under 13 minutes for a time of 12:50. Sure would like to be quicker but can't complain too much. Think I have been keeping fitness from hot-springs and eating healthy on a regular basis. It motivates me to get back into shape like old times. 

Realize I need to stop comparing times to the past and what was and just enjoy the time now. 

I am super grateful to be running out there pain free and laughing with friends. 

Here is a pic after the race.


Oh ya! The results!

This year our goal for the team was to get top 10 and we got 7th. Not bad but would like to get top 5 next year! Maybe do some recruiting and shoot for top 3?! That is Shin's goal. 

After we got to go Clayton Bay Hotel buffet thanks to Morimoto sensei's family. It was the first time going there since pre-covid! What a special treat!

Thank you Morimoto family for sponsoring the Ekiden and treating us to Clayton Bay!


Just happy to be typing this up quickly like old days. Time to get some goals started. 


See ya shortly!

Memo for the future!



Monday, February 3, 2020

ONDO EKIDEN 2020 音戸駅伝

ONDO EKIDEN
Sunday, February 2nd 2020
Morimoto Hospital Team

Hiroshima Prefecture
ONDO City

Below are posts from previous years running it:

2019 ONDO EKIDEN BLOG
2014 ONDO EKIDEN BLOG

1. Rudyard Brettargh
2. Josh Wisniewski
3. Jordan Langen

4. Danny Matson
5. Yoshiaki Mesaki
6. Yasuhiro Yoshinaga
7. Daisuke Sato 

Was super excited for the Ekiden this year because of my buddies that came out to run. Rud, Josh and Danny all made the trip to Ondo and would be running this year!

This year I was running the 3rd section for the 3rd time total. Here is picture on map of where it is:


After feeling super slow at the Kurahashi Ekiden 3 weeks back decided to cut out alcohol until the Ondo Ekiden. Felt good to shape up from that. 

Had been doing Hiyama consistently had even got up to 21 times in January. Did a few runs with Shin-chan which was really helpful. So crazy how light and fast he is!

The bottom of the right foot has been off/on about how it's feeling. Somedays it doesn't seem to bother me at all while other days can barely walk. Think am over compensating for the ankle not being good and putting too much pressure on the front of the foot. Because of this, was not able to do consistent interval sessions which was frustrating.

Before the Ekiden, I biked the 3rd section once and visualized what it would be like while running. Saw Yasushi and his construction gang.

It was tough without being able to do much speedwork to know what kind of pace was going to be possible but knew I wanted to at least beat last year's time of 12:35. Was going back and forth between deciding on whether to do split calculations in min/mil or min/km but ended up sticking with good ol miles. Should make the official change soon and finally start getting used to using min/km.

Josh, Keisuke and his Vietnamese friend stayed over the night before the race and Josh, Shin-chan and I hit up the Kurahashi Onsen to soak the old bones. 


The day of the race, Yoshiaki and Miho picked us in the AM and we drove our section of our course on the way to the Ondo shimin center. 

This year we had the Aquathlon Staff blue shirts for our uniform matched with blue headbands to bring a little flare to it. 

Sat through the ritual pre-race ceremony and was getting excited for the race. It felt like a different Japan having good buddies there. 


After the pre-race ceremony was finished we split up into different cars with Midori Pharmacy staff and were driven to our respective relay segments. Wished Josh good luck at the section 2 spot and continued to the section 3 location. 




Awesome picture taken by Matsuzaki Sensei of the school ground location where we start and run south along the ocean coast. 


Already at the 3rd relay segment was Keisuke, Nihei, Misato and Matsuzaki sensei waiting to cheer. It was so cool to have everyone there and made me even more anxious/excited to be running soon.

Quickly changed into running gear and did some light warmups around the ground while waiting for the 2 rounds of role-call that we do before the race actually starts. Was fun warming up and the legs were feeling pretty good. 


Josh would be arriving at the 3rd section start at about 11am so was doing final pick-ups and accells before he got there. Was thinking with Rud/Josh running the first two segments that we would be one of the top 5 or so runners but believe Josh came in 12th to pass me off the red ribbon.

Was out of the gates pretty fast as usual but could tell within the first couple minutes that was not going to be able to keep a 5-minute pace for the whole thing and had to slow down right away. Despite feeling pretty decent before the race, could tell the legs did not have enough intervals and speedwork in them to hold a 5-minute pace and just tried to hang on to whatever pace I could. Lot's of familiar faces were cheering and friends had cow cattle bells rattling. Other onlookers would say Morimoto Iin! when they would see me run past and that was always funny. I'm sure many wondered what half our team of foreigner's connection to Morimoto Iin was. Haha.

The first 1km was a a little over 3min/km pace and remember hitting the first mile at 5:07 and was worried what the second mile pace might become. Kept trying to keep the leg cadence up, stride length long, and trying to keep the feet underneath the body. Was pacing people here at there and one junior high school kid tried to keep up for a minute or so after pacing him. Was kind of comical hearing his breath rate increase and increase until he was donzo. 


With less than 1km to go saw Morimoto-Sensei and Kayoko in the same section cheering that they were at last year. It seems like that is the toughest section the race being so close to finishing but still having just enough to go that you can't give it your all yet. Tried picking up the pace as much as possible and finally the bridge was getting very close. Saw Danny in the distance and tried to pick up the pace even more. Started feeling nauseous and knew that was a good indicator of pace. Passed the sash of to Danny and saw him start cruising his way to Yoshiaki. 

Here were the splits for this year:


After finishing walked around a little and then went and chatted with Yuma and Miho while we waited for the Midori Pharmacy runner Mino-san to finish. Once he did, we got in the car and picked up Yoshiaki and drove to the end just in time to see Daisuke as he was approaching the finish line. We just missed him finishing across the line but others took pics/vids!





We ended up finishing 8th overall which we were all satisfied with! To get in the top 5, we were only about 2 minutes off so we think that is something that is attainable for next year!

Without going to the awards ceremony we went quickly to the Clayton Bay Hotel and got to hop in the onsen for about 40min before heading to lunch together! It was super fun going there as a team and getting to show friends how nice of a place it was there.

 The Clayton is a members only facility and Morimoto Sensei was able to give us all tickets to get in!

Didn't take any naked shots this year..haha

The 4 gaijins had a 20min sauna sesh together and afterwards we got dressed and made our way to go eat lunch at the Kure Kaigun place that we went to last year. 

Didn't get a full group picture here but had our fare share of drinks/food/laughs before making our way back to Kurahashi. 

2020 Ondo Ekiden Data

2014: 12:00 (garmin data) 
2019: 12:35
2020: 12:17

This was by the the most fun have had at an Ekiden and really fun to make a whole day out of it. Was cool seeing Rud and Josh run their first ever Ekiden and super cool to see our whole team do good overall. 


Have a relay marathon at the end of this month and am excited to run with a bunch of people in Ujina!

Monday, October 21, 2019

OSORAKAN TRAIL 22KM





May 19th, 2019
OSORAKAN TRAIL 22KM
2:37:10

Can't believe am writing a blog about a trail race. This was the first race I entered since tearing ligament in ankle over 5 years ago.
What a trip that has been.. With the ankle still goofy, didn't get around to proper training but looked forward to being in the racing environment again. Am also very grateful to be even just able to jog and run with friends again, despite not being able to run like before. Could write for ages on this topic, but for the sake of the reader, and also myself, will pass on all the details. hah.

Was actually signed up to do a 22KM a month before this but fell off a roof and broke elbow right before the race.
Luckily broken bones heal quick and was functionally back from that after a month.

For this race up in northern Hiroshima, Yamasaki-san and I drove to pick up Kenji from Hiroshima station. Danny was unfortanetly unable to run so Kenji would be running in place of him. It was awesome that Kenji came all the way from Tokyo to join the race.

Once meeting Kenji, passed him his favorite Kinmugi beer and we were reunited after our time living together in Tokyo. Funny how friendships work.
Yamasaki-san drove us the scenic route up to Osorakan and we made several stops on the way. First we stopped at Kintaikyo in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Kenji and I caught a pretty good buzz in the back of the camping car catching up on things. 



It didn`t take Kenji long until he ran off an played in the river with his Luna Sandals. It was pretty funny because from the top of the bridge I dropped the Bridge Ticket and said if Kenji caught it, would treat him to something and after tracking it in the wind, he caught it. Was almost in tears laughing so hard. Hahah Kenji.

After we got goofy tasting icecream (Curry-Rice/Hot Pepper)

and made our way to Sanzoku for dinner!

Thought I took more pictures than this but maybe not!

Think we just got chicken to make it not too long of a wait and headed out to the race site further up north.

It was pretty chilly higher up in the mtns and we ended up getting a final bite to eat at a convenience store before going to bed. 

Waking up early, we went to check-in and Kenji checked in as Danny. It was too funny with Kenji almost attempting to check in with a winter hat and sunglasses. 


It was super fun getting hyped up for the race. Started to get the nerves before like always. 


The start was exciting and wanted to fly at the beginning. With writing this blog post almost 6 months after the race, am having difficulties remembering the details but remember focusing on starting super slow and being very conservative on the downhills. With this being first time to join a trail run in 5 years, wasn't going to do anything stupid again. Was still able to climb pretty hard. It was fun chatting people along the course and seeing familiar faces from such a long time ago!

Here is the course elevation map and had some good climbing to it.

Saw INOV-8 peeps there and passed the two top girls about halfway through the race. Happy to not be losing to girls yet! Hah

There were starting to be alot of the Expert runners course (65km?)  runners scattered throughout the trail.

Legs were really close to cramping up at the end and slowed down alot. The last skihill was able to pass two runners who had been going back and forth for a while with. One of the guys screamed KUSO and I passed and I started laughing pretty hard at that. They were so fast at the downhills and was surprised to be able to have caught them at the end. Yamasaki-san was waiting at the last climb and cheered me on to catch the other guys.
Ended up finishing 7th overall which was very surprising. Without much specific training and feeling very outta shape, still placed pretty high up. Looking forward to trying to get some more training and and see how close to top can get at these local races!

Splits:
Pretty slow data looking at it now but lots of room for improvement.

Was awesome hanging out on the ski hill after and watching the other participants work their way to the finish!


Kenji crossing the finish!

Kenji and Yamasaki-san after the race!

Finishers!

Kenji ended up coming back to Kurahashi for a day and he did HIYAMA the following day. haha.

Very thankful again to be able to enjoy these experiences again after so much pain/waiting with the ankle. It still doesn't feel like a regular ankle but am still able to jog around which is enough now. Should right whole book on how grateful I am. Haha. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!