by Brett Larner
Click here for photos from the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon via M. Kawaguchi.
Mongolia's Serod Bat-Ochir successfully defended his title at the Dec. 18 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon, dropping Japanese amateur Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref.) in the final kilometers to win in 2:11:56, the fastest time in Hofu since Ethiopian Haile Negussie's 2:08:16 CR in 2002. The race ran at 2:13-flat pace through 25 km, splitting 1:06:31 at halfway, but following the departure of pacer Hiroyoshi Umegae (Team NTN) at 25 km things broke up quickly. Kawauchi, who ran 2:09:57 in Fukuoka only 2 weeks ago, surged into the lead at 25 km, clocking under 3:00 for each of the next 2 km to kill off most of his competition. Bat-Ochir was the only runner to follow, and for the next 10 km the pair traded feints. They split 15:02 from 25 to 30 km, and after the pace slowed to 35 km Bat-Ochir made a decisive move away from Kawauchi with 6 km to go. He continued pushing the pace, splitting 6:55 for his fin…
Click here for photos from the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon via M. Kawaguchi.
Mongolia's Serod Bat-Ochir successfully defended his title at the Dec. 18 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon, dropping Japanese amateur Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref.) in the final kilometers to win in 2:11:56, the fastest time in Hofu since Ethiopian Haile Negussie's 2:08:16 CR in 2002. The race ran at 2:13-flat pace through 25 km, splitting 1:06:31 at halfway, but following the departure of pacer Hiroyoshi Umegae (Team NTN) at 25 km things broke up quickly. Kawauchi, who ran 2:09:57 in Fukuoka only 2 weeks ago, surged into the lead at 25 km, clocking under 3:00 for each of the next 2 km to kill off most of his competition. Bat-Ochir was the only runner to follow, and for the next 10 km the pair traded feints. They split 15:02 from 25 to 30 km, and after the pace slowed to 35 km Bat-Ochir made a decisive move away from Kawauchi with 6 km to go. He continued pushing the pace, splitting 6:55 for his fin…