UltraCialthon-1

It stands for Social Marathon

Cialthon is a new type of marathon which puts more value on the social connections and communication among participants and local people.

Memories are more important than time results.

By sharing experiences gained during this event with the other participants, we find more characteristic of the area and tend to increase the joy of running even more.

Kamaishi warm-up run

釜石ウォーミングアップ

24 August 12.30-15.00

Day1: Kamaishi to Ofunato

　　　釜石〜大船渡シャルソン

　25 August 7.45-15.00

Day2: Ofunato to Rikuzentakata

　　　大船渡〜陸前高田シャルソン

　26 August 8.15-18.00

Day3: Rikuzentakata to Kesennuma

　　　陸前高田〜気仙沼シャルソン

　27 August 8.00-15.30

Kesennuma Oshima island walk

気仙沼大島クールダウンウォーク

　28 August 8.30-10.30

Kesennuma warm-up run

気仙沼ウォームアップ

31 October 13.30-16.30

Day1: Kesennuma to Minami-Sanriku

　　　気仙沼〜南三陸シャルソン

　1 November 7.30-15.30

Day2: Minami-Sanriku to Toyoma

　　　南三陸〜登米シャルソン

　2 November 8.00-16.00

We ran over 16km as pre-Ultra Cialthon.

We ate a lot of seafoods with local people at night. We kept drinking until midnight to prepare for the running starting from the next morning.

Back to Kamaishi City Office. Masaru Sasaki, manager of General Policy Planning Division, reviewed the 3-year history of this area. Runners brainstormed for the suggested agendas.

A local resident explained runners about the days after the earthquake. He took many photos around his old habitat, which does not exist any more.

We ran steep mountain roads, very dark tunnels, met and talked with local people, and saw beautiful sceanary of Kamaishi.

Kamaishi runners took us to Unosumai along the old road. They talked about the big tsunami wave and their own experience of the day.

Runners from all over Japan get together and meet local runners. Kamaishi runner took us to Unosumai, where tragedy and miracle happened at the same time on 11 March, 2011.

Almost all the people talked to us. We stopped running and listened to their story.

Ultra Cialthon starts from Kamaishi City Office. Former dupty mayor Shimada-san helped us a lot to realize this event immediately after he knew this plan.

We took a Sanriku Railway (South Rias Line), one of the symbol of reconstruction from the Earthquake. This line reopened its operation in April 2014.

We ran, we walk, we shout, we jump, we love, we swam.

We did whatever we wanted to.

Runners each other became good friends time by time.

We ran almost 35km in the first day of Ultra Cialthon.

Restaurant owner Takahisa Niinuma told us his feeling after he lost his employee by the tsunami. He reopened his restaurant one month from 311 and became a leader of temporary marketplace to cheer up other merchants.

In Ofunato, we visited outside temporary restaurant square and orderd from several food stalls in order to find chances to talk with more of local people.

The center of the city still remains wilderness. We ran loong looong way and felt shocked.

So, we are very happy!

We ran almost 30km in the second day of Ultra Cialthon.

We took a rest at one of the most symbolic place of reconstruction: Capital Hotel 1000. Senior MD Matsuda-san and again Niinuma-san welcomed us.

We welcomed three persons from Rikuzentakata City Office and a guy from Colorado. Brian, a Colorado guy, and Yasuko came to Tohoku on their honeymoon.

It rains a little and we ran very comfortably on the day 2 and 3. We are used to drinking a lot and recovered perfectly in the morning. We are fine. We are absolutely fine.

Mayor of the city, Futoshi Toba, also welcomed Ultra Cialthon members.

We visited Honeywell Ibasho House. An old folk house has been replaced and reformed as a community place. We had some visitors while taking rest here and talked with them.

We were interviewed by the local television, while eating lunch at Farmers' restaurant, founded for local employment after the Earthquake.

We discussed a lot with the experience of running along the coast between the destructed cities.

Deputy mayor of rikuzentakata, Takashi Kubota. His word were shockingly impressive: This city was not just destructed, it disappeared entirely.

We ran almost the distance of full mathon on the final day of the 1st Ultra Cialthon.

The 3rd day, we got a new member, Kanno-san, who lived here until 18 years old. He have visited here many times after the quake to finish his family errands. He took part in Ultra Cialthon to "run and take a careful look at his home town.

Pak-san ran into familiar fishery again at the port. She had visited Kesennuma port and Kesennuma Oshima island several times after the quake.

Can you imagine what happened. At the most popular Izakaya pub in Kesennuma. A lot of local people talked to us and we drank together until midnight.

We stayed at an old school. The center of Rikuzentakata almost 'disappeared'. There were few places to stay around here. Many volunteers visiting here stop over in this 'school'.

We had to climbs many hills and got over several mountain paths. We had enough experiences to know what deeply-indented ria coast line looks like.

We talked, jumped, laughed a lot while running the longest part. There are many construction site along the coast, and we met many dumper trucks everywhere.

And finally... we arrived at Kesennuma Ferry Terminal, the goal point of the 1st Ultra Cialthon. We ran about 42.195km in the 3rd day.

We ran 14km to reach the symblic 'miracle pine tree'. We again knew hugeness of the tsunami-hit zone. Gigantic soil-shifting conveyor belt is covering around the town.

The final speaker... Keiichi Sugiura. He is one of the most powerful guy I have ever seen. He was not native here, but he came here one week after 311. Now he is a leading person for younger generations in Kesennuma and the world.

There are few places to eat around Karakuwa peninsula. They kindly opened their restaurant for us in their store holiday. We heard that the cook had worked long for Capital 1000, where we visited the day before, until the Earthquake.

We fed seagals.

And we came out on top!

We bought garbage bags and wore them instead of raincoats. The trail was more steep than expected.

We walked slowly with 'ultra friends' to take a cool-down. But our heart for tohoku area and the passion toward the Ultra Cialthon has been heated up dramatically.

The next day, some runners went across Kesnnuma Oshima island by ferry. Finally it rained. We, including support staff and drivers, climbed Mt. Kameyama.

And... we fed ourselves. Tsunami afflicted area in Tohoku is blessed with an abundance of seafood. Food tastes special, and people are friendly. Please find chances to visit there.

　　　　　＋　connecting towns and people＝

Cialthon proves useful for local activation and pursuit of health.

2012: 10 cities

2013: 20 cities

2014: 30+ cities

Cialthon is a new marathon trend originated in Japan

We ate delicious and drunk a lot from the first day ... to prepare for the long-distant running commencing the next day.

11km warm-up running. It was easy for the ultra cialthoners, and it was good practice for the beginners.

We jumped and fooled around a lot from the beginning. We were very confident as Ultra Cialthon runnners.

Masato Sakamoto, President of the 'Minamimachi Murasaki shotengai', one of the Kesennuma Restoration Shopping Malls, talked his efforts and the process of on-going recovery.

We warmed ourselves up in the public bath 'Kamenoyu', and moved by the hospitality of the woman, who have been helping many people here though she is also a victim of the disaster.

We came back to Kesennuma again, after 2 months. This time we were not at all afraid of running more than 100km in 3 days.

We visited Rias Ark Museum to find out detailed records of the Big Earthquake. The curators and reserchers took 2 years to record the fact and collect the 'debris'.

2nd: 2014.10.31 - 11.4

Seafood BBQ!

We visited oyster-processing factory. They just began their operation again this year. Their smiles and fantastic oysters make us more energetic.

Friendly and kind young people in Minami-Sanriku joined us. It rained a lot, but it was one of the most exciting days with nice guys.

We had a big party with young people in Minami-Sanriku.

Older people might be frightened at the bustle of the party.

Utatsu-Ohashi(bridge) fell down by the quake and the Tsunami.

The road has been rerouted and the bridge will never be rebuilt. The sign board was left behind.

We got some new members! One of them is the speaker at the 1st Ultra Cialthon: Keiichi Sugiura. He have never run, but completed 11km with us.

32km running + BRT (From Oya-kaigan to Rikuzen-Minato). It rained heavily, but we enjoyed running with lots of local people.

We had a workshop on kiriko (paper cutout) by a priest of the Kaminoyama-Hchimangu shrine. We learned the tradition of this area while hearing about her experience on the quake.

Nagashizu-so

Some members joined, some left.

We run not just on the road, but climbed hills, steps, rocks when we found them.

We found a magnificent and historical temple (Yokoyama-Fudoson) on the way, relaxed with the hospitality of the old women.

Scheduled distance: 22km

Actual running distance: ..........km

Kiyomi Kawasaki, Fortune Miyagi Chief Editor invited the local people to the Ultra Cialthon BBQ

We found a magnificent and historical temple (Yokoyama-Fudoson) on the way, relaxed with the hospitality of the old women.

32km running + BRT (From Oya-kaigan to Rikuzen-Minato). It rained heavily, but we enjoyed running with lots of local people.