japan running news

http://kyushu.yomiuri.co.jp/news/national/20130129-OYS1T00326.htm

translated by Brett Larner

London Olympics marathon 6th-place finisher Kentaro Nakamoto (Team Yasukawa Denki) will run the Feb. 3 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon.  Of his first marathon since the Olympics he says with resolve, "My goal is to win a marathon for the first time.  I'm aiming to break my PB."

Beppu-Oita is one of the selection races for August's Moscow World Championships marathon team.  With a sub-2:08 necessary for a guaranteed place on the team the 2:08:53-best Nakamoto's theme in his preparations has been speed.  Up to now he has always taken the approach of running a steady pace, picking off people falling off the lead pack late in the race.  This time he is planning an active, aggressive run, saying, "After 30 km I want the action to be coming from me."

In order to achieve that target Nakamoto has changed his training methodology. Reducing the number of 40 km training runs …

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20120815/ath12081517340001-n1.html

translated by Brett Larner

London Olympics men's marathon 6th-place finisher Kentaro Nakamoto (29, Team Yasukawa Denki) returned home at Kita-Kyushu Airport on Aug. 15, greeted with bouquets of flowers and blessings from the assembled crowd.  All he could say in return was a shy, "Thank you."  Sporting a suit, Nakamoto was first greeted in the arrival hall by former Yasukawa Denki runner Keitaro Murase, 38, who pumped his hand in a hearty handshake and said, "Congratulations!" as applause rang out all around them.

Straining to hold back his emotions, Nakamoto told the crowd, "I ran to the absolute best of my ability.  I'm not satisfied with the result, but I can come back now and say to you from the heart that I gave it my best."  In training for London Nakamoto has barely seen his son Riku, who was born less than two months ago, and, he said, "My family was biggest motivatio…

by Brett Larner

Japanese men haven't won an Olympic marathon medal since 1992 when Koichi Morishita took silver in Barcelona.  The landscape has changed dramatically since Beijing, and no doubt few outside Japan consider any of this year's strong team to be in contention to end the twenty-year drought.  In Japan, it's another story.

2010's top Japanese man, ex-corporate league independent Arata Fujiwara (Miki House) returned from 15 months of setbacks to run 2:07:48 for 2nd at this year's Tokyo Marathon, in the process becoming the all-time 7-th best Japanese man over the marathon distance.  Since then he has replaced civil servant runner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref.) as the focus of Japanese marathon hopes.  Most consider him one of the country's best chances for an Olympic medal, and the best among the three men and three women in the event the Japanese love the most.

In 2010 after leaving the corporate league to go independent Fujiwara approached JRN about …

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2012/05/19/kiji/K20120519003286760.html

translated by Brett Larner

London Olympics men's marathon team member Kentaro Nakamoto (Team Yasukawa Denki) set a 10000 m PB May 19 at Sayagatani Field in Kita-Kyushu, finishing 9th at the Kyushu Corporate Track & Field Championships in 28:54.59.  "A PB makes me feel pretty good inside about things," Nakamoto commented with a smile.  "I'll be going into marathon training in good shape."

Nakamoto's previous best time was 29:04.24.  In today's race he stuck to the back of the lead pack, saving his energy for a intended surge over the final stage but unable to execute as planned.  "My closing speed is still a problem," he said without seeming too concerned.  His coach Naoki Yamagashira said, "We achieved our goal of improving his track speed.  He scored 100% today."

Next up Nakamoto will run the Bupa London 10000 road race on April 27 as part of his ma…