第16回えちご・くびき野100kmマラソン【100km・50km】

The Echigo-Kubikino 100km Marathon is an ultramarathon held in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, offering a full 100km race and a 50km option. The route crosses Echigo, a region historically linked to the warlord Kenshin Uesugi. The main 100km race begins and concludes at Kenshinko Budokan. This event attracts participants from all over Japan and is noted by its organizers as a significant regional sporting occasion. The upcoming edition will be the final one for the series, marking its 16th occurrence. The 100km course winds through Joetsu’s urban areas, the Kubiki Plain, agricultural lands, mountainous terrain, and coastal paths, featuring approximately 1,500 meters of elevation gain. The 50km race commences at Michi-no-Eki Umiterasu Naoetsu and finishes at Kenshinko Budokan. Participant numbers are limited to about 2,060 for the 100km race, which includes a small two-person relay category, and 600 for the 50km race, with all slots typically filled. A testament to the event’s community support is the involvement of nearly 3,000 volunteers assisting fewer than 2,000 runners, highlighting the race as a Joetsu community endeavor as much as a test of endurance.