Harunayama Hill Climb: the courses and how to prepare
- Distance
- 14.8 km
- Climbing
- 948 m
- Highest point
- 1,118 m
- Categorised climbs
- 1 · up to 18 %
- Shape
- Point to point
Measured on the course you ride in Cycloscape. The organiser's own figures are below.
Elevation profile
210–1,118 m · 1 categorised climbThe Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki is a race up Mount Haruna, in Gunma prefecture. The Lake Haruna course is 16.1 km (14.7 km timed) with about 907 m of climbing at an average of 6 % and up to 14 %; the Haruna Shrine course is 11.6 km and a beginners' course 6.7 km. The 14th edition was on 10 May 2026; the next date has not been announced yet.
Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki at a glance
- Where
- Takasaki, Gunma, Japan
- Official website
- haruna-hc.jp ↗
- Next edition
- Date to be confirmed by the organiser
- Routes
- Lake Haruna course: 16.1 km, 907 m climbing · Haruna Shrine course: 11.6 km, 604 m climbing · Beginners' course: 6.7 km, 299 m climbing
- Terrain
- Mountain — long climbs
- Facts checked
- 4 November 2026, against the sources below
Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Ride the real course on your trainer. The route of Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki, 15 km, as a 3D world, with your trainer following its gradients — any day, and as part of your Event Coach plan. Part of Cycloscape Pro.
The routes
The Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki offers 3 routes.
| Route | Distance | Climbing |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Haruna course | 16.1 km | 907 m |
| Haruna Shrine course | 11.6 km | 604 m |
| Beginners' course | 6.7 km | 299 m |
What the course asks of you
The Lake Haruna course climbs steadily through forest to the caldera lake near the summit of Mount Haruna, with its steepest ramps near the top.
A pure uphill time trial of 45 minutes to over an hour: train sustained efforts just below your threshold and pace the first kilometres conservatively.
How to prepare
The general shape of a good preparation, which Event Coach turns into a plan for your fitness, time and date:
- Train long climbs: steady efforts of 30 to 60 minutes just below your threshold match the cols of the Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki far better than short intervals.
- Build the long day: rides of five to seven hours in the final two months, towards the 16.1 km of the route you choose.
- Practise eating and drinking on a schedule, and descending: a mountain day is as much going down as going up.
Pacing mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost riders the most on a day like this:
- Treating the first climb of the Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki as a race: a long col ridden above the pace you can hold for hours costs you the rest of the day.
- Saving nothing for the last climb, where the most kilometres are already in your legs.
- Skipping food on the descents: the next climb starts with what you ate on the way down.
Prepare the Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki with Cycloscape
Tell Event Coach you are doing the Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki, your route and what you want from the day, and it builds your preparation: structured workouts held by your trainer in ERG, Race Pacing for how to spend your effort, and Performance Lab to see whether the work is landing. Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Frequently asked
When is the Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki?
The organiser has not announced the next edition's date yet. Event Coach lets you set your own target date until it does.
How long are the routes of the Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki?
Lake Haruna course: 16.1 km with 907 m of climbing; Haruna Shrine course: 11.6 km with 604 m of climbing; Beginners' course: 6.7 km with 299 m of climbing. The courses as the organiser lists them; climbing as published for the 12th edition.
How many riders take part?
4,409 riders in 2024.
Can I ride the course of the Harunayama Hill Climb in Takasaki in Cycloscape?
Yes, inside Event Coach with Cycloscape Pro: once you start your preparation, the course is ridden on your trainer as part of the plan.