As the oldest competitor in the field, Kumi Murakami, 61, has one piece of advice for the rest of the field. “I do this only because I enjoy it, so make sure you enjoy yourself too,” Murakami-san said. “If I stop enjoying it, then I’ll stop doing these races, so it’s the same words of advice for the youth.”
Murakami-san is certainly making her way around the 4 Deserts series. This lady from Japan completed the Sahara Race 2009 and has already signed up Atacama Crossing 2011. Modest as always, she said that in order to be interviewed, she felt she should have had a faster time. Still, there’s something to be said about having the right attitude towards any event.
A lifetime sportswoman, Murakami-san says she has been “moving her body around” since she was a child. Growing up with brothers and male cousin, she was mostly a swimmer and tennis player and only started running at 45 after losing some interest in swimming. She still works as a swimming instructor and it was at the pool that she first became interested in ultramarathons.
“I am a swimming instructor and I had a joke going with the man who runs the pool to compete in an ultramarathon,” Murakami said. “It started off as a joke, but it turned into reality.”
After completing the Marathon des Sables in 2008, Murakami completed the Sahara Race 2009, despite being struck down with a bout of the flu. However, Murakami’s endurance prowess began long ago when she competed in Ironman triathlons.
“When I’m doing all the triathlons, by the time I get to the run, I’m really looking forward to it.”
Other than a positive attitude, Murakami’s advice for the races involves Japanese food, which is healthy and, for her, easy to digest.
“My favourite thing that I packed on this race is called omochi, which is made from rice,” Murakami said. “It’s basically a rice paste that expands once you put it in some water. It’s my secret food while I’m here. In the Sahara, I felt sick and I couldn’t eat all of the noodles and other foods that I brought. But I can eat omochi in the morning or the evening, in high altitude or low altitude. Even when I’m feeling sick, this makes me feel better.”
