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Kazuhiro Maeda and the Need for Speed

http://www.nishinippon.co.jp/nsp/item/112393

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Team Kyudenko's Kazuhiro Maeda (28) will run the marathon later this month at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin after finishing 2nd overall in his marathon debut in adverse conditions at March's Tokyo Marathon. It will be Maeda's second-straight World Championships appearance, having run the 10000 m at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka. "I'm hungry for a medal, and that's how I'm going to run," he told a crowd of 300 supporters who gathered July 30 to see him off.

Having booked his ticket to the World Championships Maeda isn't trying to take the easy way by hanging back from the competition. Facing the prospect of hot, taxing conditions he has made a firm decision to be among the leaders setting the undoubtedly fast pace. "I'll be up there cruising in the flow. If I fall off I'll do everything I can to hang on," he said with assurance.

However…

Kyushu Boys Tomoyuki Sato and Kazuhiro Maeda Tackle Tokyo

http://www.fujitv.co.jp/sports/marathon/tokyomarathon2009/blog_0312.html

translated by Brett Larner

Among the top runners at this year's Tokyo Marathon are two hailing from the Kyushu region, Tomoyuki Sato (Team Asahi Kasei) and Kazuhiro Maeda (Team Kyudenko).

28 year old Tomoyuki Sato was born in Fukuoka. At the first Tokyo Marathon in 2007 he was the top Japanese finisher and 2nd overall, earning himself a spot on the team for the 2007 Osaka World Championships where he was 13th in the marathon. "I always wanted to do the marathon," Sato says of his decision 10 years ago to join the powerful Team Asahi Kasei straight out of high school. April will mark the start of his eleventh year with the team.

Departing from the 'Kyushu Boy' stereotype, Sato is soft-spoken and comes across as gentle and calm. Throughout the interview he is critical of himself, dropping phrases like "I completely failed," and "I'm not trying hard enough," in passing. His …