by Brett Larner
It's hard not to get excited about Arata Fujiwara's upcoming appearance in the 2008 Chicago Marathon. Fujiwara started the year as an unknown mid-tier corporate runner whose only notable achievement was a 1:02:17 PB at the 2006 National Corporate Half Marathon Championships which yielded an invitation to the 2006 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. His one try at the marathon had been a miserable 2:38:37 crash-and-burn debut at the 2007 Biwako Mainichi Marathon. Everything changed at the 2008 Tokyo Marathon.
In Tokyo, one of Japan's three selection races for the Beijing Olympics, Fujiwara fearlessly outran domestic competitors with Olympic, World Championships, and sub-2:08 credentials. He was the only Japanese runner to go with eventual winner Viktor Rothlin of Switzerland when Rothlin broke away from the pack, and stayed under control even when joined up front by Kenyan Julius Gitahi. If you haven't seen video of this year's Tokyo Marathon it's difficult to convey how thrilling Fujiwara's run was; assertive, powerful and efficient, exactly the kind of new face Japan has been hoping would step up in recent years. Even beset by leg cramps in the final 5 km which forced him to stop once and sent him staggering at least seven more times, and despite missing his desperately-needed final water bottle, Fujiwara fought Gitahi off, opening a gap of 17 seconds over the final 3 km to take 2nd in an almost 30-minute PB of 2:08:40. Watching the race video again it's incredible how he kept pushing through each time his legs muscles spasmed. In light of Rothlin's winning time of 2:07:23 it's quite possible that without the cramping Fujiwara might also have held on for a 2:07.
Fujiwara was ecstatic and dazed during post-race interviews and clearly thought he would be selected for the Beijing Olympic team. His hopes came to an end a few weeks later when veteran Satoshi Osaki ran a 10-second PB to finish 3rd in the Biwako Mainichi Marathon in 2:08:36, beating Fujiwara's mark by just 4 seconds. Osaki was named to the team while Fujiwara was made the alternate.
As the marathon team alternate Fujiwara ran April's Beijing Pre-Olympic Test Marathon where he co-led the first 15 km with China's Ren Longyun at 3 min/km pace before dropping out. Running sick, he had a weak showing at May's Sendai International Half Marathon, 75th in 1:10:21, then disappeared into training to be ready for the Olympics should he be called up. Once again Osaki dashed his hopes, this time withdrawing from the Olympic marathon the day before the event with a sudden injury.
Rather than follow the normal course of the Japanese corporate runner and try to win September's hot Hokkaido Marathon or hold off until December's Fukuoka International Marathon, Fujiwara decided to go for the international experience he missed at the Olympics and take on Chicago. It's not an unprecedented move for a younger Japanese marathoner to follow a breakthrough performance with a stab at an overseas marathon, but it isn't as common as you might hope, either. The circumstances of Fujiwara's Chicago debut in particular make it very exciting. He comes to Chicago frustratingly unrewarded for his outstanding run in Tokyo, with high motivation and, reportedly, in far superior condition than in February. His Tokyo time is the sixth fastest in the field within the last two seasons, and he has demonstrated both that he has the potential to go faster and, more importantly, that he's not afraid to take on non-Japanese competition.
On the other hand, history is against Fujiwara. Since Toshihiko Seko's era, only one man, national record holder Toshinari Takaoka, has had truly significant results in major overseas marathons, with most of the other next-big-thing Japanese runners making their big overseas splash by fading to middling finishes in the 2:10-2:15 range. For that matter, while thirty-three Japanese men have broken 2:09, only nine have done it more than once, so there is a good chance that Fujiwara will himself be just another flash in the pan.
Still, while the numbers may not be on his side, something in the way he ran Tokyo makes me believe Fujiwara can do it. One good race isn't much to judge by, but he didn't look at all like someone who was just having a perfect day. He looked like someone we'll all be seeing more of in the next few years. If he shows anything like the spirit he had in Tokyo, then top five in Chicago is probable, and even top three realistic. 2:07? Also realistic. Faster? He may get there. This Sunday we'll find out what Arata Fujiwara really is.
For a detailed profile of Arata Fujiwara's earlier career including the 2008 Tokyo Marathon, click here.
(c) 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
It's hard not to get excited about Arata Fujiwara's upcoming appearance in the 2008 Chicago Marathon. Fujiwara started the year as an unknown mid-tier corporate runner whose only notable achievement was a 1:02:17 PB at the 2006 National Corporate Half Marathon Championships which yielded an invitation to the 2006 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. His one try at the marathon had been a miserable 2:38:37 crash-and-burn debut at the 2007 Biwako Mainichi Marathon. Everything changed at the 2008 Tokyo Marathon.
In Tokyo, one of Japan's three selection races for the Beijing Olympics, Fujiwara fearlessly outran domestic competitors with Olympic, World Championships, and sub-2:08 credentials. He was the only Japanese runner to go with eventual winner Viktor Rothlin of Switzerland when Rothlin broke away from the pack, and stayed under control even when joined up front by Kenyan Julius Gitahi. If you haven't seen video of this year's Tokyo Marathon it's difficult to convey how thrilling Fujiwara's run was; assertive, powerful and efficient, exactly the kind of new face Japan has been hoping would step up in recent years. Even beset by leg cramps in the final 5 km which forced him to stop once and sent him staggering at least seven more times, and despite missing his desperately-needed final water bottle, Fujiwara fought Gitahi off, opening a gap of 17 seconds over the final 3 km to take 2nd in an almost 30-minute PB of 2:08:40. Watching the race video again it's incredible how he kept pushing through each time his legs muscles spasmed. In light of Rothlin's winning time of 2:07:23 it's quite possible that without the cramping Fujiwara might also have held on for a 2:07.
Fujiwara was ecstatic and dazed during post-race interviews and clearly thought he would be selected for the Beijing Olympic team. His hopes came to an end a few weeks later when veteran Satoshi Osaki ran a 10-second PB to finish 3rd in the Biwako Mainichi Marathon in 2:08:36, beating Fujiwara's mark by just 4 seconds. Osaki was named to the team while Fujiwara was made the alternate.
As the marathon team alternate Fujiwara ran April's Beijing Pre-Olympic Test Marathon where he co-led the first 15 km with China's Ren Longyun at 3 min/km pace before dropping out. Running sick, he had a weak showing at May's Sendai International Half Marathon, 75th in 1:10:21, then disappeared into training to be ready for the Olympics should he be called up. Once again Osaki dashed his hopes, this time withdrawing from the Olympic marathon the day before the event with a sudden injury.
Rather than follow the normal course of the Japanese corporate runner and try to win September's hot Hokkaido Marathon or hold off until December's Fukuoka International Marathon, Fujiwara decided to go for the international experience he missed at the Olympics and take on Chicago. It's not an unprecedented move for a younger Japanese marathoner to follow a breakthrough performance with a stab at an overseas marathon, but it isn't as common as you might hope, either. The circumstances of Fujiwara's Chicago debut in particular make it very exciting. He comes to Chicago frustratingly unrewarded for his outstanding run in Tokyo, with high motivation and, reportedly, in far superior condition than in February. His Tokyo time is the sixth fastest in the field within the last two seasons, and he has demonstrated both that he has the potential to go faster and, more importantly, that he's not afraid to take on non-Japanese competition.
On the other hand, history is against Fujiwara. Since Toshihiko Seko's era, only one man, national record holder Toshinari Takaoka, has had truly significant results in major overseas marathons, with most of the other next-big-thing Japanese runners making their big overseas splash by fading to middling finishes in the 2:10-2:15 range. For that matter, while thirty-three Japanese men have broken 2:09, only nine have done it more than once, so there is a good chance that Fujiwara will himself be just another flash in the pan.
Still, while the numbers may not be on his side, something in the way he ran Tokyo makes me believe Fujiwara can do it. One good race isn't much to judge by, but he didn't look at all like someone who was just having a perfect day. He looked like someone we'll all be seeing more of in the next few years. If he shows anything like the spirit he had in Tokyo, then top five in Chicago is probable, and even top three realistic. 2:07? Also realistic. Faster? He may get there. This Sunday we'll find out what Arata Fujiwara really is.
For a detailed profile of Arata Fujiwara's earlier career including the 2008 Tokyo Marathon, click here.
(c) 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
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