japan running news

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/101121/spg1011211606004-n1.htm

translated and edited by Brett Larner

At the final running of the Kobe National Women's Half Marathon on Nov. 21, Mari Ozaki (Team Noritz) took her first win with a time of 1:11:35. Her teammate Misato Horie was 2nd, 1 minute 10 seconds back. Megumi Seike (Team Sysmex) was 3rd.

The Kobe National Women's Half Marathon is to be replaced with a mass-participation marathon, the Kobe Marathon, which will have its first running next fall. A field limit of 20,000 is expected.

http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/sports/0003563550.shtml

translated by Brett Larner

On Oct. 27 the organizers of the final Kobe National Women's Half Marathon, scheduled for Nov. 21, announced the names of the athletes in this year's elite field. Headlining the race is 2005 and 2007 World Championships marathoner Mari Ozaki (Team Noritz). Also on board are Barcelona Olympian Yumi Matsunaga (nee Kokamo), Misato Horie (Team Noritz), Chihiro Tanaka (AthleC RC), Miki Oka (Team Kojima Press), Eri Okubo (Second Wind AC) and Satoko Uetani (Kobe Gakuin Univ. AC). Making a special appearance as guest runner is 1997 World Championships marathon gold medalist Hiromi Ito (nee Suzuki).

http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/sports/0002533364.shtml
http://www.47news.jp/CN/200911/CN2009112201000157.html
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/sports/other/091122/oth0911221928033-n1.htm
http://www.pjnews.net/news/291/20091122_10

translated and edited by Brett Larner

At the 2009 Kobe National Women's Half Marathon on Nov. 22, Misato Horie (Team Noritz) took her first win on the Rikuren-certified 21.0975 km course from Kobe's Nagisa Park to Kobe Harborland, running a time of 1:13:09.

Manami Takemori (Team Sysmex) was 2nd in 1:13:54, with Kaori Yoshida (Amino Vital AC) 3rd and Satoko Uetani (Kobe Gakuin Univ.) 4th. The four women set out together in a pack from the start and stayed together through 15 km. By 17 km Horie had pulled ahead and kept her lead all the way to the finish.

A native of Kobe, Horie attended Seiryo High School and Mukogawa Women's University before joining Team Noritz last spring. Along the course she saw many friends and former teachers who turned out to cheer her on.…

http://www.kahoku.co.jp/news/2008/11/2008112401000237.htm
http://www.kahoku.co.jp/news/2008/11/2008112401000231.htm

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Running in cool, rainy conditions on Nov. 24, Julia Mumbi of Team Aruze won the Kobe All-Japan Women's Half Marathon for the 2nd straight year, covering the course stretching from the HAT Kobe Center to Kobe Harborland in a time of 1:09:45. Team Toyota Jidoshoki's Akane Wakita was 12 seconds behind in 2nd place, with Team Kyocera's Maki Suzawa a distant 3rd in her half marathon debut. Right from the start it was a match race between Mumbi and Wakita, but when Mumbi attacked at 15 km she was easily able to pull away for the win.

Somewhat overshadowing Mumbi's victory was the surprise appearance of Athens Olympics marathon gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi (Team Sysmex) as a guest runner in the 10 km race, her first public run since withdrawing from the Beijing Olympics marathon with an injury. Noguchi was scheduled to appear at…

by Brett Larner

The organizing committee of the 2008 Kobe National Women’s Half Marathon has announced this year’s field of elite and invited athletes. The list includes a mix of current top runners, veterans, and a crew of debut half marathoners from Team Kyocera.

Kenyan Julia Mombi will be at the top of the class as none of the Japanese runners approach her recent times. Mombi’s only foreign competition, Brit Mara Yamauchi, is running the Tokyo International Women’s Marathon eight days before Kobe and is doubtlessly appearing only in a special guest capacity.

Japanese runners Yumiko Hara, Mari Ozaki and Akemi Ozaki, all primarily running as marathoners these days, have the potential for a good day performance in which they stay with Mombi. Akane Wakita is on an improvement curve in recent years and may well be the best hope for a domestic breakthrough performance.

The 2008 Kobe National Women’s Half Marathon takes place on Nov. 24 at 9:30 a.m.

2008 Kobe National Women’s Half Marathon Eli…