japan running news

Paul Ballinger becomes the fourth and final New Zealand man to win Japan's premier marathon at the 1982 Fukuoka International Marathon.

Lorraine Moller anchors the New Zealand women to the win at the 1988 International Chiba Ekiden, outrunning the U.S.A., Australia and Japan.

2018 Fukuoka International Marathon winner Yuma Hattori (25, Toyota) landed at Narita Airport on Mar. 26 on a flight back from New Zealand. Hattori had spent the last 10 days training on a tough and hilly course in New Zealand. The course of the new MGC Race 2020 Olympic marathon trials scheduled for Sept. 15 features a series of short uphills starting at 37 km. It is expected to be the point where the race-making move will happen. Rather than focusing on high pace training Hattori put more emphasis on covering long distances in this training camp. "I've been training thoroughly for uphills in anticipation of the MGC Race," said Hattori. "I think it was good base training." Hattori plans to start the season at the Apr. 14 Kanaguri Memorial Meet's 5000 m, then to run the Apr. 28 Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon. "Spring is where you lay the foundation, a season of patience," he said. "I want to run about 1:02:30 in Gifu." Looking toward th...

Don't set limits on yourself. 2018 Jakarta Asian Games marathon gold medalist and all-time Japanese #5 man at 2:06:54, Hiroto Inoue (26, MHPS) returned to Japan on Jan. 31 after three weeks of training in New Zealand for the Apr. 15 Boston Marathon. Even though New Zealand was hit by a severe heat wave with temperatures going over 30˚C, he completed a 50 km run and two 40 km runs. Inoue was positive about the training camp, saying, "I built up a good base and ran according to purpose. The sunshine was brutally strong and there were days when it was really windy, but by training hard in the midst of tough conditions I've put in the groundwork to be able to handle the distance." His coach Jun Kuroki , 47, was also positive, saying, "He had no injury issues, trained well, and had a good time." The ability to win is what he is honing now. In preparation for September's MGC Race 2020 Tokyo Olympic marathon trials, Inoue will give March's Tokyo Marath...

2018 Jakarta Asian Games men's marathon gold medalist Hiroto Inoue (26, MHPS) announced Jan. 10 that he this season he will tackle one of the world's highest-level races, April's Boston Marathon. "Not having pacers in a race adds its own kind of stress," he said. "I want to race it seriously as a step toward what's coming up." The Boston Marathon is famous for its uphills late in the race. September's MGC Race 2020 Olympic marathon trials event also features an uphill at 37 km, and the opportunity to get the same kind of experience was enough to convince him to run. Originally Inoue had been looking at running March's Tokyo Marathon where he ran 2:06:54 last year, but, he said, "I want to run for time when the time comes to run for it. This year is about finding out how competitively I can race." Inoue made his announcement just before departing for a training camp in New Zealand along with his MHPS teammate Ryo Kiname , 28. ...

After finishing 4th on the competitive Second Stage on Day One of the 2018 Hakone Ekiden , Kanagawa University star 4th-year Kengo Suzuki departed Japan to take part in the JAAF's New Zealand marathon training camp for the second year in a row. "I want to conquer my fears about the distance and get as close as I can come to the feeling of being in the race," he said. After winning November's National University Men's Ekiden for the first time in 20 years, Kanagawa ended up only 13th overall at Hakone . Following his graduation in March Suzuki, the 2017 National University Half Marathon champion, will join the Fujitsu corporate team. In order the reap the greatest return on investment from his marathon debut, in Tokyo next month Suzuki will focus on overall place rather than time. "I want to show that disappointment can be a spark for growth," he said. source article: http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/etc/20180108-OHT1T50010.html translated and e...

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https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20170414-00000013-sph-spo translated by Brett Larner Former Hakone Ekiden uphill star Daichi Kamino (23, Team Konica Minolta) has withdrawn from next week's Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon with pain in his right Achilles tendon after attending a JAAF marathon training camp in Nelson, New Zealand focused toward developing high-potential candidates for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics men's marathon team.  Kamino went to the training camp on Mar. 22 along with this year's Hakone Ekiden Second Stage winner Kengo Suzuki (21, Kanagawa Univ.) and other young talent.  Under JAAF direction they did marathon-specific training such as 50 km runs, but near the end of the camp Kamino sustained the injury.  He returned to Japan on Apr. 14 as originally scheduled.  Kamino will try to recover in time for his planned marathon debut at December's Fukuoka International Marathon.

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/1785576.html translated by Brett Larner A candidate to make the men's marathon team for August's London World Championships, Yuki Kawauchi (29, Saitama Pref. Gov't) has turned down an offer from the JAAF to join its three-week marathon training camp in New Zealand in the second half of March. In 2015 Kawauchi quit the JAAF's National Team project, saying, "There's more value in not part of it than in being in it."  According to an involved person, Kawauchi had considered joining the training camp for a short time, but as a full-time employee at a school in Kuki, Saitama he is extremely busy at the end of the fiscal year and the start of the new academic semester and, considering the time involved in travelling overseas, opted not to take part. With an overall theme of development to this year's New Zealand marathon training camp, the JAAF has invited former Hakone Ekiden uphill star Daichi Kam...

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/etc/20170212-OHT1T50016.html translated by Brett Larner According to a JAAF spokesperson, in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the JAAF will hold a men's marathon training camp in New Zealand in March.  Along with promising young talents like "God of the Mountain III" Daichi Kamino (23, Team Konica Minolta), the JAAF is in consultation to invite London World Championships candidate Yuki Kawauchi (29, Saitama Pref. Gov't). The camp is part of a new strategic initiative to raise the level of Japanese marathoning.  Of note are the athletes being invited.  Along with Kamino, who was the star of the Hakone Ekiden's uphill Fifth Stage while at Aoyama Gakuin University and who has continued to grow since going to the corporate leagues, this year's Hakone Second Stage winner Kengo Suzuki (21, Kanagawa Univ.) and other high-potential young distance runners without marathon experience are being invited. In addition, the ...

http://www.saga-s.co.jp/news/saga/10105/379587 translated by Brett Larner On Nov. 22 Athletics New Zealand signed an agreement with the Saga prefectural government to hold its national team training camp in Saga ahead of August's 29th World University Games in Taipei, Taiwan.  New Zealand has held pre-games camps in Saga since August last year.  Athletics New Zealand representatives were positive about the possibility of holding its pre-2020 Tokyo Olympics camp in Saga as well. Athletics New Zealand athlete performance support manager Michelle Wood met with Saga governor Yoshinori Yamaguchi .  Before last year's Beijing World Championships the New Zealand national team trained in Saga, and Wood had previously visited Saga two years ago.  "I felt that Saga was not too big, quiet and with wonderful hospitality that made it feel like home," she told Governor Yamaguchi of the deciding factor in Athletics New Zealand's decision. Looking toward the future she ...

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2012/07/28/kiji/K20120728003776590.html translated and edited by Brett Larner 3676 runners took part in the two divisions of the 65th Fuji Mountain Race on July 27.  Making his Mt. Fuji debut, Jonathan Wyatt  (39, New Zealand) won the summit course in a strong 2:33:59, with Mina Ogawa  (37, Amino Vital AC) taking the women's race in 3:07:51 for her second-straight summit win.   Toru Koide  (30, Salomon) and Maki Hagiwara  (37) won the men's and women's Fifth Stage course wins in 1:25:42 and 1:45:17. With a margin of 17 minutes over the runner-up, Wyatt's win was definitive.  A two-time Olympian for his native New Zealand with appearances in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic 5000 m and 2004 Athens Olympics marathon, Wyatt pulled clear into the lead after crossing into the purest mountain running section of the course after the Sixth Stage.  "My win today is one of the biggest honors in my long career," said a ha...

http://www.topics.or.jp/special/12254542636/2011/11/2011_132062725767.html http://sankei.jp.msn.com/region/news/111107/tks11110702200000-n1.htm translated and edited by Brett Larner Running along the banks of the late-fall Yoshino River and carried on by a wind of applause, 32-year-old  Masahi Shirotake  was the first of the 5799 finishers to break the goal tape at the Nov. 6 Tokushima Marathon, winning for the second-straight year and achieving a new course record of 2:24:49.  Headed back toward the finish in the later stages of the race he looked forward to being greeted by the traditional awaodori dancers at the finish line.  "The cheers from all the spectators were neverending and with a warmth that you can only find here," said Shirotake after the race.  "It really feels great to run the Tokushima Marathon." Shirotake was born in Konan, Kochi prefecture.  In junior high school and high school he was a 1500 m runner, but he could never advance be...

http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/general/news/20110225k0000e040034000c.html translated and edited by Brett Larner All nine athletes and six support staff from the federation-sponsored women's long distance training camp in Christchurch, New Zealand at the time of this week's major earthquake returned safely to Japan the morning of Feb. 25. Four of the athletes and five of the staff members arrived at Tokyo's Narita International Airport, with the remaining camp members flying in to Osaka's Kansai International Airport. The four athletes arriving in Tokyo shared comments on their experiences with members of the media. Multiple national record holder Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal) said, "I've never felt an earthquake that big before. It was too much to put into words." Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren), winner of last month's Osaka International Women's Marathon, was blunt, saying only, "It was terrifying. We were lucky, period." Azusa Nojiri ...

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/news/20110223-OYT1T00809.htm translated by Brett Larner On Feb. 23 Rikuren announced that the nine athletes and six support staff members training in Christchurch, New Zealand at the time of the major Feb. 22 earthquake will leave New Zealand the evening of Feb. 24 and arrive back in Japan the morning of Feb. 25. Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya), Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren), Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal), Azusa Nojiri (Team Daiichi Seimei) and five staff members will fly to Sydney before transferring to a Narita-bound flight. The other five athletes and remaining staff member will fly to Auckland and continue on to Kansai International Airport. The Rikuren-sponsored training camp was scheduled to run from Feb. 7 through the 27th, but to ensure the safety of all participants in the wake of the earthquake the decision was made to cut it short. The extensive damage to the roads and surrounding area make running outside impossible, and the hotel to which th...

http://ameblo.jp/redwing36/ translated by Brett Larner and Mika Tokairin Shuhei Akaba , coach and husband of 2011 Osaka International Women's Marathon winner Yukiko Akaba , is in Christchurch, New Zealand with Akaba and eight other top Japanese women distance runners on a Rikuren-sponsored training camp. He just posted the following report on today's earthquake a few minutes ago on his blog. Runners at the camp include Akaba, Kayoko Fukushi , Mai Ito , Yuko Machida , Yoko Miyauchi , Yurika Nakamura , Azusa Nojiri , Risa Shigetomo and Kaori Urata . Today there was a magnitude 6.3 earthquake here in Christchurch, New Zealand. It hit after lunch just as we were getting ready for afternoon practice. The shaking was so strong that we couldn't stand up in our rooms, and the ground outside was like a liquid. There was a big crack in the road surface just outside our hotel, too. In the hotel rooms the dishes and glass were all broken, and the electricity and water stopped. The ma...

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/osaka/sports/article/news/20110208-OHO1T00137.htm translated by Brett Larner On Feb. 7 seven athletes left from Tokyo's Narita International Airport for a Rikuren-sponsored women's long distance training camp in New Zealand. Four of the runners taking part in the camp including Beijing Olympics marathoner Yurika Nakamura (24, Team Tenmaya) and former national cross-country ski team member Azusa Nojiri (28, Team Daiichi Seimei) will run the Mar. 13 Nagoya International Women's Marathon in a bid to qualify for August's World Championships marathon squad. It is very unusual to see four athletes who will compete against each other in the same marathon training together. Nojiri, who will be running only her second marathon, commented, "I want to soak up as much of the good parts as I can." 2011 Osaka International Women's Marathon winner Yukiko Akaba (31, Team Hokuren) and 2011 Marugame International Half Marathon winner Kayoko ...

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/f-sp-tp0-20100501-624624.html translated by Brett Larner 2100 runners took part in the 46th Rotorua Marathon on May 1 in New Zealand. The sister race to Japan's Kawaguchiko Marathon, Rotorua invited top-ranking Kawaguchiko finisher Tsutomu Saeki (34, Hiratsuka City Hall) to this year's race. Saeki was in the lead at 38 km, but in the last km he fell behind and ended up 2nd in 2:27:09, 15 seconds behind winner Dale Warrander (36, New Zealand). "I'm not getting any younger and lately I've been feeling that it might be over, but this race showed me I can still do it," a pleased Saeki commented after the race. "It was a rejeuvenating race." Johanna Ottosson (32, New Zealand) won the women's race in 2:50:19. Exchange student Kentaro Yamada (23, Tokyo Univ.) was 12th in the men's race in 2:51:56. Translator's note: Thanks to JRN reader Jason Lawrence for assistance with the Kiwi athletes' names.

http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/sports/Sp201003050232.html translated by Brett Larner Note: This article repeats that of a few days ago but fleshes out the details significantly. Led by Team Chugoku Denryoku head coach and Rikuren director of men's marathoning Yasushi Sakaguchi, the athletes in Rikuren's men's marathoning reinforcement training camp depart Mar. 7 for two weeks in New Zealand. Departing from the usual practice, this year's camp is targeting university runners. Among the five student athletes attending the camp is two year-straight Hakone Ekiden Fifth Stage record setter Ryuji Kashiwabara (Toyo Univ.). We spoke to Director Sakaguchi about the training camp. Last year Rikuren revived the overseas training camps which had been a fixture of its calendar in the 1990's. What is the aim this time in focusing on athletes under age 23? Our goal is to get our most talented young runners looking toward the marathon from the start. We have a lot of runners who ...

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/sports/other/100228/oth1002281843019-n1.htm translated by Brett Larner Rikuren director of men's marathoning Yasushi Sakaguchi announced this week that the Japanese federation will organize two overseas training camps in March aimed at strengthening young distance runners. Attending the first camp, to be held Mar. 7-20 in New Zealand, will be two-time Hakone Ekiden 5th Stage record setter Ryuji Kashiwabara (2nd yr., Toyo Univ.) and Akinobu Murasawa (1st yr., Tokai Univ.) who passed 10 people on the ace 2nd stage at Hakone this year. Five other athletes including 2009 World Championships marathon 6th place finisher Atsushi Sato (Team Chugoku Denryoku) are also scheduled to attend. The second camp will take place Mar. 24-Apr. 13 and will include Tokyo Marathon runner-up Arata Fujiwara (Team JR Higashi Nihon). Director Sakaguchi commented, "We've assembled the athletes we expect to be the core of our team at the London Olympics." Translator...