Muramatsu started running track when she was in the fifth grade. She was inspired by her desire to participate in the Daimonji Ekiden, a relay race in which Kyoto City’s elementary schools compete to determine who is number one. In the 6th grade, her wish came true, and although her team did not win the race, she had the best time in one of the segments. "Winning a prize for the first time made me feel that I was suited for long distance running,” recalls Muramatsu. She was also a member of the track and field team in junior high school, and in her second year, she was selected to represent the Kyoto team in the Inter-Prefectural Women's Ekiden. Next, she went to the powerful Ritsumeikan Uji Senior High School, which approached her about joining the school after seeing her run in junior high school. In high school, she competed in the All-Japan High School Ekiden Championship for three straight years, running anchor in the fifth segment all three times. However, in her third year, she had a bitter experience. She was in first place when the sash was handed over to her as the anchor, but she was overtaken by another runner and missed out on victory. For three years, the team ended up unable to fulfill Muramatsu’s long-held dream of winning the national championship .

“I was very disappointed, and I knew didn't want to lose next time. When I entered Ritsumeikan University, I renewed my determination to be the best ekiden runner in Japan," says Muramatsu. With a strong desire to become number one in Japan, she has participated in the Morinomiyako Ekiden and Mt. Fuji Women's Ekiden every year since her first year. At the individual level, she consistently competed and produced results, including placing in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Championships, and she emerged as the ace of the long-distance team. “To realize my major goal of winning the national ekiden championship, I had to achieve consistent results so that I could continue participating in a variety of races over four years. To this end, I took every effort to avoid getting injured in my everyday life. I have also continued to work hard toward this big goal by setting specific goals for each race leading up to the national championship," says Muramatsu.

Having always had an extraordinary desire to be the best in Japan, Muramatsu continued to tell her coaches about this dream, and in her third year she was named captain of the long-distance team. “I wanted to be the best in Japan myself, so I had to take action to create and lead a team that would help me achieve my goal,” she recounts. Since becoming captain, she has kept three things in mind: always act and speak as a role model for everyone, proactively communicate with everyone on the team, and always demonstrate a cheerful and strong attitude. "I always felt the responsibility and pressure of being the captain somewhere in my heart, but I think that's why I have worked so hard to get this far,” she says with a smile.

At the summer training camp after the FISU World University Games, Muramatsu hit a slump. Her physical condition was not good, and the team always came in last when she ran. She couldn't see a way out and became depressed, but this is when the team rallied around her . “More than anything, I was encouraged by watching my teammates work hard. There are many other things that I was able to overcome because I was with my team," she says.

Not long after this, Muramatsu gradually regained her form and recorded the best time in the first segment at the Morinomiyako Ekiden held in October of her third year. Then, in the 10,000 m at the 107th Japan Championships in Athletics in December, she set her best time and Ritsumeikan's all-time best time of 00:31:51.78. “I overcame my slump and achieved good results in these two races, which gave me a great deal of confidence in myself. I was able to increase the intensity of my training, and compete in races with a strong mindset," says Muramatsu, whose stellar results continued in her fourth year. In May, she won gold medals in both the women's 5,000 and 10,000 m 101st Kansai Intercollegiate Athletic Championships in May 2022, and the two biggest races of her fourth year lie ahead of her: the Morinomiyako Ekiden and the Mt. Fuji Women's Ekiden. If she could lead the team to victory, it would mark Ritsumeikan University’s gold medal in these races in nine and seven years, respectively. With Muramatsu as captain, the team seized the opportunity to regain their titles and help her realize her big dream of winning a national ekiden championship before she graduated. According to Muramatsu, the main reason for the victory was that the “team truly came together as one.” She explains: “We were able to win because everyone was running with everyone else in mind. To ensure we are all of the same mind, as captain, I continued to convey my strong desire to win, and I left no one behind, choosing not to separate members who competes in races from those who did not. “I tried to make everyone feel that they contributed in some way to our victories, so they all believed that were need in the races."

As a captain, Muramatsu’s attitude of empathy and leadership comes from her gratitude for the people she has met throughout her track and field career and the environment of support and encouragement. “When I look back on the encounters I have had so far, I am very glad that I have done track and field. There were some tough times, but when you work hard with someone else in mind, it brings out strength beyond your limits. The joy I felt when I achieved my goal was also exceptional, more so than when if I had done it on my own," says Muramatsu.
After graduating from college, Muramatsu will continue to compete in track and field as a member of a company team. She says her goal is to be an athlete whose running can inspire others. “In the next phase of my career, running will become my ‘job.’ I intend to aim for the top and participate in an international tournament again. I would also like to put on the uniform of the Japanese national team and run as a full member this time." We look forward to the day when we can see Muramatsu succeed on the global stage.