Hiroko Suzuki

About

Hiroko Suzuki is a Japanese trail runner, professional mountain guide, and pioneer of women's ultrarunning in Japan who helped establish the sport at a time when it was still small and very few women were participating. A mountain guide in a historically male-dominated profession, she began racing internationally when the Japanese domestic ultra trail scene was nascent and has since competed on multiple continents across a career spanning more than two decades. Her most significant results include second at the 2004 Hasetsune Cup, tenth at the 2010 UTMB Mont-Blanc, second at the 2012 Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji, and fourth at the 2012 Tor des Géants — one of the most demanding multi-day mountain ultras in the world. She won the 18-29 women's age group at the 2006 Western States 100, making her among the earliest Japanese women to compete at the landmark American event. She has continued to race well into her forties, winning the women's race at the Tamba 100 Adventure Trail 2024 and holding a UTMB Index of 588. Suzuki has described ultras as a hobby she pursues two to seven times per year around her guiding work, and took breaks from racing in 2014 and 2016.

Notable Wins

• — Hasetsune Cup 2nd 2004
• — UTMB Mont-Blanc 10th 2010
• — UTMF 2nd 2012
• — Tor des Géants 4th 2012
• — Western States 100 18-29F age group winner 2006
• — Tamba 100 Adventure Trail 2024 women's winner

Race History