by Brett Larner
photos by Mika Tokairin
In hopes of breaking their year-old 2:13:14 course record the organizers of Taiwan's New Taipei City Wanjinshi Marathon brought in three 2:08 men, Kenyans William Chebon Chebor and Julius Ndiritu Karinga and Japan's Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't), to give it a go. Running to show his support for the victims of last month's Tainan earthquake, Kawauchi took the challenge to heart. With a tough uphill first 5 km including a long tunnel he pushed things at sub-2:10 pace, unusually aggressive against tough competition and quickly disposing of everybody but Chebor and Karinga. Both took turns attacking, Chebor in particular matching Kawauchi's aggression with multiple hard surges. The lead changed countless times between all three but nobody got away cleanly.
At halfway Kawauchi led in 1:05:15, Karinga a second behind and Chebor one more back. Around 23 km Chebor threw in another hard surge and this time neither Kawauchi …
photos by Mika Tokairin
In hopes of breaking their year-old 2:13:14 course record the organizers of Taiwan's New Taipei City Wanjinshi Marathon brought in three 2:08 men, Kenyans William Chebon Chebor and Julius Ndiritu Karinga and Japan's Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't), to give it a go. Running to show his support for the victims of last month's Tainan earthquake, Kawauchi took the challenge to heart. With a tough uphill first 5 km including a long tunnel he pushed things at sub-2:10 pace, unusually aggressive against tough competition and quickly disposing of everybody but Chebor and Karinga. Both took turns attacking, Chebor in particular matching Kawauchi's aggression with multiple hard surges. The lead changed countless times between all three but nobody got away cleanly.
At halfway Kawauchi led in 1:05:15, Karinga a second behind and Chebor one more back. Around 23 km Chebor threw in another hard surge and this time neither Kawauchi …