Today I stumbled across グランフォンドKOMORO2018 (Gran Fondo Komoro 2018), グランフォンド嬬恋 (Gran Fondo Tsumagoi) and グランフォンド軽井沢 (Gran Fondo Karuizawa), all 100km rides in May. I’m a week late to join this year, but one of these might be a good prep ride for lejog next year.

”Cycleware got wet in the rain.”　雨のグランフォンドKOMORO2018　アフターレポートその２　当日～
https://t.co/w5S2gsQfQk#GFK2018 pic.twitter.com/qNWeJqcyLl

— グランフォンドKOMORO　長野県小諸市 (@gfkomoro) May 18, 2018

The courses sit among the mountains of Nagano and involve more climbing than I’m accustomed to. But that’s a weakness I need to be working on over the next year, regardless, so I hope that any of these rides will be within my reach by next year.

Komoro seems to be the most heavily promoted, and with the most active Twitter presence. It also has a tie-in with anime and merchandise, some of it perhaps a bit unfortunate.

Karuizawa, on the other hand, has the most course choices, including a few that could be done in two hours.

The routes

The organizers helpfully publish the routes via LatLongLab, including elevations.

Komoro

Tsumagoi

Karuizawa

(One of several courses available)

Registration begins in January, so I’ll need to check back then.

• Gran Fondo Komoro on Twitter: @gfkomoro
• Gran Fondo Tsumagoi on Twitter: @grantsuma
• Gran Fondo Karuizawa on Twitter: @gkaru

Meanwhile, the weather today is gorgeous, and I’m still nursing a gouty toe.