japan running news

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 the MGC…

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 Marathon a…

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. Target…

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 edited by Brett L…