. All 13 of the course data, the ten particular person levels, the
programs and the general course, have been set since 2019, and out of these 6 fell this time, 2 of them damaged by a number of athletes or groups. All of them had performances in at the very least their all-time high 6, and 9 of them of their all-time high 3.
First Stage (21.3 km) – all-time #4
Second Stage (23.1 km) – CR, all-time #2, all-time #3, all-time #9
Third Stage (21.4 km) – all-time #4, all-time #5, all-time #7
Fourth Stage (20.9 km) – all-time #2, all-time #7, all-time #8, all-time #9
Fifth Stage (20.8 km uphill) – CR, all-time #3
Sixth Stage (20.8 km downhill) – CR, all-time #5, all-time #9
Seventh Stage (21.3 km) – CR, all-time #4 (x2), all-time #7
Eighth Stage (21.4 km) – all-time #6, all-time #9, all-time #10
Ninth Stage (23.1 km) – all-time #6, all-time #10
Tenth Stage (23.0 km) – all-time #2, all-time #7
Day One (107.5 km) – all-time #2, all-time #5, all-time #6, all-time #8, all-time #9
Day Two (109.6 km) – CR, all-time #2, all-time #7, all-time #8, all-time #9, all-time #10
Total (217.1 km) – CR, all-time #3, all-time #7, all-time #8
The data began on the Second Stage, 23.1 km with a collection of three robust uphills beginning at 15 km. Final yr’s First Stage winner Kotaro Shinohara (Komazawa Univ.), a 1:00:11 half marathoner, ran 1:06:14, a time solely 6 individuals had ever bettered. However 3 individuals outran him, collegiate 5000 m, 10000 m and half marathon report holder Richard Etir (Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) setting a brand new CR of 1:05:31 and each Hibiki Yoshida (Soka Univ.) and final yr’s Second Stage winner Asahi Kuroda (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) getting underneath 66 minutes. The one different Japanese runner to have ever damaged 66 minutes, Akira Aizawa, went on to interrupt the 10000 m NR, so 2 extra doing it right here is huge information.
2nd on the uphill Fifth Stage final yr, Hiroki Wakabayashi (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) stepped up with a fair larger run this time, going 3 seconds underneath the CR in 1:09:11 for the 20.8 km stage that climbs over 800 m to its highest level earlier than a steep drop to the end. His teammate Akimu Nomura crushed the return journey initially of Day Two, changing into the primary particular person to interrupt the 57 minute barrier as he took 30 seconds off the downhill Sixth Stage CR in 56:47 for 20.8 km. That interprets to a 57:36 half marathon, which, amazingly remains to be slower than the world report.
However the largest new report got here on the Seventh Stage. Operating his first race since The Ten final March, Keita Sato (Komazawa Univ.) chopped 57 seconds off the report for the 21.3 km Seventh Stage, beating the next-fastest runner on his leg by 1:38 and operating the equal of a 1:00:08 half marathon. The night time earlier than the race Komazawa government head coach Hiroaki Oyagi advised JRN that Sato had solely had a 6-week buildup to Hakone after easing his method again into coaching following an harm, and was solely at 70-80% health. He estimated that Sato would reduce AGU’s lead down by 30-60 seconds, however ultimately he closed 2:27. Out of all the present Hakone stage data it is fairly doubtless this one will final the longest. Breaking it will take a coach placing considered one of their best possible individuals on the stage at full health, and with individuals like that nearly all the time placed on Day One the probabilities of that taking place are low. Distinction between present CR and 2nd-fastest instances on every stage after this yr’s race:
First Stage (21.3 km) – 22 seconds
Second Stage (23.1 km) – 12 seconds
Third Stage (21.4 km) – 22 seconds
Fourth Stage (20.9 km) – 24 seconds
Fifth Stage (20.8 km uphill) – 3 seconds
Sixth Stage (20.8 km downhill) – 30 seconds
Seventh Stage (21.3 km) – 57 seconds
Eighth Stage (21.4 km) – 10 seconds
Ninth Stage (23.1 km) – 46 seconds
Tenth Stage (23.0 km) – 37 seconds
Aoyama Gakuin College ran 5:21:18 for the 109.6 km Day Two course, 18 seconds underneath its personal CR from 2022. Mixed with its quick Day One which gave it the general CR too, 6 seconds underneath the CR it set final yr in 10:41:19 for 217.1 km. Having damaged the Day One CR final yr that meant that it held each of the person day data and the general CR, whole domination. However Komazawa College shut that down, overlaying Day Two in 5:20:50 to beat the CR that AGU had simply set by 28 seconds. The remainder of its Day Two lineup was stable, 3 of them within the high 2 on their leg and all within the high 5, however chalk the report as much as Sato’s stellar run on the Seventh.
The full variety of individuals operating the equal of a sub-1:02 half marathon was down from 40 final yr to 33, however that was attributable to a conservative First Stage the place solely Shunsuke Yoshii (Chuo Univ.) went out laborious, gunning for his older brother Yamato Yoshii‘s 1:00:40 CR however falling quick. All the opposite levels that had sub-1:02 half marathon-quality performances had greater than final yr, with 3 individuals, Etir, Hayate Honma (Chuo Univ.) and Stephen Muthini (Soka Univ.), breaking 1 hour. A listing of the half marathon equivalents all 33 individuals ran, with their half marathon PBs listed after their faculty identify. Athletes with out a half marathon PB listed have not run one but:
First Stage (21.3 km)
Shunsuke Yoshii (Third yr, Chuo Univ., 1:03:45) – 1:00:32
Second Stage (23.1 km)
Richard Etir (2nd yr, Tokyo Kokusai Univ., 59:32) – 59:50
Hibiki Yoshida (4th yr, Soka Univ., 1:01:45) – 1:00:01
Asahi Kuroda (Third yr, Aoyama Gakuin Univ., 1:01:39) – 1:00:02
Kotaro Shinohara (4th yr, Komazawa Univ., 1:00:11) – 1:00:29
Hiroki Yamanaka (4th yr, Teikyo Univ., 1:03:02) – 1:00:37
Reishi Yoshida (4th yr., Chuo Gakuin Univ., 1:00:31) – 1:00:39
Kento Baba (Third yr, Rikkyo Univ., 1:02:35) – 1:00:46
Kiyoto Hirabayashi (4th yr., Koku Gakuin Univ., 1:01:23) – 1:00:51
Itta Tameike (Third yr., Chuo Univ., 1:03:18) – 1:00:52
James Mutuku (Third yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ., 1:00:46) – 1:01:07
Victor Kimutai (Third yr, Josai Univ., 1:02:21) – 1:01:07
Tomonori Yamaguchi (Third yr., Waseda Univ., 1:01:16) – 1:01:12
Duncan Maina (1st yr, Senshu Univ., 1:01:47) – 1:01:38
Shadrack Kipkemoi (2nd yr, Nihon Univ., 1:00:16) – 1:01:40
Third Stage (21.4 km)
Hayate Honma (2nd yr, Chuo Univ., 1:02:45) – 59:25
Stephen Muthini (2nd yr, Soka Univ.) – 59:59
Shunpei Yamaguchi (1st yr, Waseda Univ.) – 1:00:23
Masaya Tsurukawa (4th yr, Aoyama Gakuin Univ., 1:02:44) – 1:00:58
Ayumu Yamamoto (4th yr, Koku Gakuin Univ. 1:00:43) – 1:01:01
Haru Taninaka (1st yr, Komazawa Univ., 1:02:05) – 1:01:12
Itsuki Hirabayashi (4th yr, Josai Univ., 1:02:49) – 1:01:35
Haruto Mukae (1st yr, Toyo Univ., 1:03:38) – 1:01:47
Ryota Tominaga (4th yr, Nittai Univ., 1:02:24) – 1:01:52
Kenshin Ebisawa (4th yr, Juntendo Univ., 1:01:49) – 1:01:53
Fourth Stage (20.9 km)
Aoi Ota (4th yr, Aoyama Gakuin Univ., 1:02:30) – 1:00:58
Rui Aoki (Third yr, Koku Gakuin Univ., 1:02:02) – 1:01:44
Ryotaro Kishimoto (Third yr, Toyo Univ., 1:03:39) – 1:01:50
Shunsuke Kuwata (1st yr, Komazawa Univ.) – 1:01:59
Seventh Stage (21.3 km)
Keita Sato (Third yr, Komazawa Univ.) – 1:00:08
Hikaru Tsujihara (2nd yr, Koku Gakuin Univ., 1:02:37) – 1:01:45
Hiroto Yoshioka (2nd yr, Juntendo Univ., 1:02:25) – 1:01:45
Masaki Tominaga (4th yr, Tokyo Kokusai Univ., 1:03:47) – 1:01:54
When it comes to shoe utilization, there’s been a significant shift away from Nike towards Adidas. Evaluating the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons. On the 2023 Izumo Ekiden 3 of the 6 stage winners wore Nike and a couple of Adidas, however this yr Adidas took 5 of the 6 particular person levels and Nike none. On the Nationwide College Ekiden it was 3/8 Nike and just one Adidas in 2023, however reversed in 2024 with 3 Adidas and 1 Nike. Hakone was dominated by Nike final yr, with 7 of the ten levels going to Nike and 1 to Adidas. This yr Nike scored solely 2 Hakone levels, with Adidas selecting up 6. ASICS was shut out of Hakone this yr, with On taking its first-ever Hakone stage win through Sato’s Seventh Stage CR and Puma selecting up the Ninth Stage title.
The pattern is identical in general share of the Hakone market. Adidas has grown yearly from 4 in 2021 to 76 this yr, whereas Nike has fallen yearly from 201 in 2021 to solely 49 this yr. ASICS and Puma have grown in parallel with Adidas, ASICS at zero in 2021, peaking at 57 final yr and dropping barely to 54 this yr, whereas Puma has grown yearly from zero in 2021 to 25 this yr. No change for On, which debuted with 3 athletes final yr and tied that this yr. Mizuno, Brooks and New Steadiness had one runner every, whereas Hoka and Beneath Armour had been each absent this time after having individuals of their sneakers final yr.
Waiting for subsequent yr, winner AGU is hit more durable by commencement than some other staff within the high 10 besides Eighth-placer Tokyo Kokusai College, each of them shedding 6 of this yr’s beginning lineup. That can harm TKU for certain, however AGU coach Susumu Hara is so good at growing depth that in numerous instances he can fill the gaps with different individuals already on the staff. And he nonetheless has Asahi Kuroda.
This season’s Izumo Ekiden and Nationwide College Ekiden winner Koku Gakuin is shedding 3 members, just about the typical within the high 10, however 2 of them are its greatest individuals, 2:06:18 marathoner Kiyoto Hirabayashi and 1:00:43 half marathoner Ayumu Yamamoto. That is in all probability sufficient to bump KGU out of high 5 rivalry.
The runner-up in any respect three huge ekidens this season, Komazawa is simply shedding its 2nd runner Shinohara. That may be a huge loss to make certain, however with good runs from a number of 1st and 2nd-year college students at Hakone this time and Sato in line to fill Shinohara’s place Komazawa appears to be like to be in one of the best place out of this yr’s high 10. Waseda could possibly be a high 3 contender subsequent yr too, shedding 4 to commencement however retaining most of its key individuals and set to choose up 2 of one of the best incoming highschool college students in Japan.
