japan running news

The Hokkaido prefectural qualifying race for December's National High School Ekiden took place this weekend at Abashiri Sports Training Field. 20 teams from 14 schools ran the 5-stage, 21.0975 km girls' race. Going for its 14th-straight Hokkaido representation at Nationals, Asahikawa Ryukoku H.S. was an unexpected DNF when its anchor suffered a broken bone. With 400 m to go the Asahikawa Ryukoku girls were in 2nd, enough to qualify for the National High School Ekiden. Team members were gathered to welcome in 3rd-year anchor Kokoro Matsubara , calling out her name as she approached the finish line. But their cheers turned to screams as Matsubara twisted her ankle and fell. According to head coach Fumihito Abe , Matsubara was taken to the hospital, where she was found to have broken her ankle. As a result the team was a DNF, ending its Nationals streak at 13 years. As team members fought to hold back their tears post-race, coach Abe told them, "Matsubara is the one who is ...

Targeting its sixth-straight win at the Oct. 23 Hokkaido Prefecture High School Girls Ekiden, Asahikawa Ryukoku H.S. has complete construction of the Asahikawa Ryukoku Indoor Track, at 330 m in length the nation's largest running-specific circuit course entirelyely enclosed in vinyl greenhouse material. The ceremony marking the track's official completion is scheduled for Oct. 28th. In a part of the country known for heavy snowfall, the hope is that Asahikawa Ryukoku's new year-round training ground will help it make the jump to becoming a factor at the national level. The indoor track was built on the 1650 square meter campus of the former Asahikawa Toei H.S., where Asahikawa Ryukoku H.S. will relocate next summer. Coated in durable vinyl, the massive white torus of the track stands out from its surroundings. Ranging from 5.4 m to 7.2 m in width, the track's housing is wide enough to accommodate four lanes. In the future, two lanes will be covered with artificial turf ...