Ultra-Trail World Champion Gediminas Grinius’ 100-mile strategy
Message from our race director Hiroaki Matsunaga:
A message from our race director Hiroaski Matsunaga:
Gediminas Grinus,world champion ultra trail runner and ULTRA-TRAIL Mt.FUJI winner, once said,
"Pain is inevitable, but it is your choice whether or not to suffer.”
We’re very happy to welcome Gediminas to Tokyo to talk about his experiences as a world ultrarunning champion from Lithuania, a flat country with a maximum elevation of 294 meters. He will talk about what you can do to finish the ULTRA-TRAIL Mt. FUJI and other ultra distance 100-mile races, that are just around the corner.
Gediminas will also talk about his impressions of the DEEP JAPAN ULTRA 100, which he will be competing in this June, and his enthusiasm for the event, including his own training for it.
Event Summary
Dates:
Tuesday, 2023/02/28
Place
Goldwin THE NORTH FACE Kanda Store
2F Daieido Building, 3-6 Kanda Ogawamachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0052, Japan
Application Period
Friday, 2023/02/24 23:59 Deadline
Capacity
■(Session 1) 18:00-18:50 - 20 people (Registration 17:45-)
■(Session 2) 19:30-20:20 - 20 people (Registration 19:15-)
Applications will stop being accepted as soon as the number of participants reaches the limit.
The content of both (1) and (2) is the same.
Participation Fee
Free of charge
Organize
DEEP JAPAN ULTRA 100 Secretariat
Cooperation
Goldwin, THE NORTH FACE
■Lecturer profiles
Gediminas Grinius
Gediminas Grinius
“The biggest lesson I've learned so far is that the worst things in life don't happen for no reason. These experiences often open up an opportunity for positive change.”
Born in Lithuania in 1979, Gediminas Grinius is a devoted husband and father of two.
Gediminas initially started trail running to treat PTSD he suffered from his military service in Iraq. Shortly after, he wanted to run longer and farther. He discovered ultrarunning as he sought new challenges. With the help of his supportive wife, he has now been running and competing at the highest level for over 10 years.
Gediminas also runs a coaching company called Trail Running Factory and provides personal coaching all over the world. Despite being a professional athlete himself, he is also an UESCA certified coach and has a great skill and passion for teaching others. Gediminas is a former military man and can come across as a very serious person, but be certain, he is more mischievous than he looks. Feel free to chat with Gediminas about anything.
I love this world with all my heart. I love my life and the people in my life. I strive to celebrate life to the fullest. I celebrate while running, as it is the best activity I know that connects my mind, soul & body. This is the exact moment I feel most alive. I am super excited to celebrate life once again in Japan. It has been a long time since I last visited Japan & enjoyed the generosity & friendship of Japanese people, especially the kind hearts of trail runners. It is my absolute pleasure & honour to run & race at Deep Japan Ultra and to explore the home trails of my dear friend Hiroaki-san!
Recent results
2022
Seoul 100K / Winner
Doi Inthanon Thailand by Utmb 2022 165K / 3rd place
2020
Ultra01 165km / Winner
YTF50KM / Winner
Vibram Hong Kong 100 half 2020 / Winner
2019
Western State 100 mile Endurance Run / 6th
Vermont 100 Endurance Race / Winner
Leadville Trail 100 Run / 7th place
Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run / Winner
American Grand Slam of Ultrarunning /Achieved
2018
Gaoligong by UTMB / Winner
Le Marathon Des Sables - Maroc 2018 - / Mds 5th place
2017
Madeira Island Ultra Trail 2017 / Miut 4th place
UTMB® 2017 / 8th place
Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail 2017 / 110K winner
2016
UTMB® 2016 / 2nd place
Transgrancanaria HG 2016 / 2nd place
Vibram Hong Kong 100 2016 / 3rd place
UTWT (Ultra-Trail World Tour) / Champion of the year
2015
UTMF 2015 / Winner
HIROAKI MATSUNAGA
(HIROAKI MATSUNAGA)'I want to provide people an opportunity to change their lives'
Hiroaki Matsunaga is one of the few athletes to have completed every UTMF since its launch in 2012.
He has also competed in various UTMB races for 11 consecutive years from 2009 and appeared on the Japanese TV program "Gekiso Mont Blanc,". During these years he has completed UTMB 6 times, CCC 3 times, and TDS once. He has immense mental strength to complete an ultra-distance race even in the face of disaster.
Born in February 1980, more important than his career as an athlete, Hiroaki is a loving husband and the father of three children.
Born in the soccer-obsessed prefecture of Shizuoka, he aspired to become a professional soccer player while attending the renowned Fujieda Higashi High School, but was frustrated by the high level of competition. While still a student, he had experience travelling and cycling around the world. It was then he became determined to, in his words, "do what I love and live freely.” He decided to become a professional athlete and found his way to the mountains, where he had been training and running since he was a child.
In 2006, he started Trail Runners with the mission of "providing an opportunity to change lives.”
In addition to being an athlete, Hiroaki has organized more than 15 trail running events throughout Japan. He also organizes trail running schools for a wide range of levels, from ultra marathon preparation courses with world class athletes, to courses for children and beginners. He constantly strives to promote and popularize trail running throughout Japan.
A born conversationalist, Hiroaki loves to chat and tell stories in both Japanese and English. Although he may ramble on from time to time, feel free to ask him about anything you may be wondering, he’ll be more than happy to oblige your questions, big or small.
Recent Results
2020
YTF50KM (UTMT/Hong Kong) / 2nd place
2019
TTF115KM (UTMT/Hong Kong) / 3rd place
UTMF / 33rd
CCC / 116th place
2018
Cordiller Vertical KM (Philippines) / 1st place
YTF50KM (UTMT/Hong Kong) / 2nd place
Cordiller mountain ultra 50K (Asia Series/Philippines) / 3rd place
UTMF / 84th
TDS / 33rd
2017
YTF / 2nd place
UTMB / 54th place
2016
UTMT / 3rd place
CCC / 19th place
UTMF / 13th
2015
UTMF / 10th place
CCC / 25th
2014
UTMF / 24th
2013
UTMF / 23rd
2012
UTMF / 13th
Application Process:
Please click the "ENTER NOW" button and submit your entry through e-moshicom.
There is no entry fee.
Application period
Until 23:59, 2023/02/24 (Fri.)
*Entry will close when the number of participants reaches the limit.
For inquiries, please contact
Phone number: 0258-66-7991
Contact email: contact@trailrunners.jp
