Former Rikkyo University Ekiden Director Dismissed for “Affair with Female Club Member” Says “I Can Only Repay Giving Back by Running

I can only give back by running.”

Yuichiro Ueno, who was dismissed from his post as coach of the Rikkyo University ekiden team a year and four months ago after a weekly magazine reported his inappropriate relationship with a female team member, is now in Saga Prefecture. He has been back on active duty at the Ogi-based “Hiramatsu Hospital” since January 2012.

Although he is 39 years old, he ran the third section of the New Year Ekiden on New Year’s Day and came in sixth place, and he also played a major role as a pacemaker in the Beppu Oita Mainichi Marathon on February 2.

It was a splendid comeback,” Ueno said. When I told him this, Ueno said in a frightened tone, “When I hear about this, I think it’s a bit of a shock.

I was a little scared when I heard about it from a weekly magazine. …… I wondered if I had done something wrong again (laugh). To be honest, I thought I would be satisfied if I could run 15th in the section, but I was able to run more solidly than I expected. I think it was a positive event for the team, which is passionate about ekiden, and for me as well.

As a result, Hiramatsu Hospital finished in 24th place, tied for its highest-ever ranking.

The elite runner, who has experienced the big stage at various levels in his career, including Nagano’s Sakyu Chosei High School, Chuo University, SB Foods, and DeNA, became the coach of Rikkyo University in 2006. The scandal occurred in October of 2011, the same year he led Rikkyo University to its first Hakone Ekiden appearance in 55 years.

He said, “I wonder how many people were inconvenienced by what I did out of my own weakness. The university, the female members of the club I got involved with, and my wife ……, whom I hurt the most. I must live my life from now on without forgetting my remorse. That is what I have spent my life thinking.”

Ueno decided to return to active duty while the turmoil was still fresh in his mind. His quick turnaround was met with a whirlwind of approval and disapproval.

I had no choice but to run in order to survive,” he said. Hiramatsu Hospital saved me from such a situation. I can only repay the hospital by running.

He does not engage in hospital work, but only runs as a professional contract athlete.

The reality is harsh: “If I can’t run (without results), I get fired. The reality is very serious: if I can’t run, I will be fired. Running now is the most fulfilling thing for me.”

I never went home.”

On January 19, the day before the All-Japan Prefectural Ekiden, Ueno appeared wearing his trademark sunglasses in front of his former rival coaches, including Susumu Hara of Aoyama Gakuin and Atsushi Fujita of Komazawa. Even among runners one or two years younger than him, Ueno showed outstanding speed.

On the day of the race, he was assigned to the third section, and he ran a fast race, overtaking seven runners and coming in third in the section. Ueno, who was the oldest runner in the race, looks back and says, “I gave it a perfect score of 100 points. I wonder if he ever thought he would be able to compete with front-line runners.

Ueno replied, “One of the reasons is that my physical strength and running ability had not declined that much during my time as a coach, when I ran with the Rikkyo University athletes and we engaged in friendly competition. In addition, as a professional, I had to face the competition stoically, and I think this situation arose from my responsibility to achieve results. I no longer have any personal goals. I am just thinking about how I can approach the team’s goals, including the New Year Ekiden. That is all I am thinking about.

It has been exactly one year since he lived in Saga, a place with which he had no connection.

I was prepared for the possibility that I would be looked down upon because of the turmoil that happened. However, I didn’t feel any prejudice at all, and everyone welcomed me very warmly. The food was delicious, and it was hard to believe that Saga was ranked 47th (the lowest) in terms of attractiveness. I want to convey the charm of Saga through my running.

He currently lives apart from his family.

I haven’t been home since the incident. I have seen my children, but I honestly don’t know how to repair things with my wife. I know it will take time, but I just have to work hard and regain her trust.”

For Ueno, who will turn 40 in July, running is, in other words, a form of purification.

From the February 21-28, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY