japan running news

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/article/sports/news/CK2009022002000136.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Naoko Takahashi stands between the two monuments in her honor on Tokunoshima island.

Sydney Olympics women's marathon gold medalist and former world record holder Naoko Takahashi (36, Phiten), who retired from professional running last fall, began training on the island of Tokunoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 19 for what she has up until now called a 'thank-you run' at the Mar. 8 Nagoya International Women's Marathon. Q-chan has said her goal for her 'final run' is simply, "to break 3 hours." However, she recently commented, "I'm really afraid that when the starting gun goes off I might get excited and try to run up front [in the lead pack] instead of going out as planned," suggesting the possibility that Nagoya might become a 'real run.' Takahashi was quick to add, "I'm going to try to hold back as much…

http://sports.nikkei.co.jp/index.aspx?n=SSXKB0323%2008122008

translated by Brett Larner

Management for former women's marathon legend Naoko Takahashi, who announced her retirement in October, revealed on Dec. 8 that Takahashi will run March's Nagoya International Women's Marathon in the individual entrant division, following through on a long-standing plan to run a 'Thank You' race for her fans. "I want to show my deepest gratitude to all those who cheered and supported me. I'll keep going on step by step as I look back at my running life," commented Takahashi.

Although she will run the race among the amateurs, Takahashi will head to Kagoshima Prefecture's Tokunoshima in February for a training camp as part of her preparation for Nagoya. Takahashi set her first Japanese national record at Nagoya in 1998, marking it as a special race in her heart. She won the 2000 Nagoya to qualify for the Sydney Olympics, where she went on to win Japan's firs…

http://dailynews.yahoo.co.jp/fc/sports/takahashi_naoko/?1226906024

translated by Brett Larner

After retiring from professional running in October, 2000 Sydney Olympic women's marathon gold medalist Naoko Takahashi appeared at a Nov. 17 event in Tokyo to promote the release of the 'Chronicles of the Narnia Pt. II: The Tale of Prince Caspian' DVD. The previous day Takahashi made her debut as a television announcer at the Tokyo International Women's Marathon; her appearance at the Narnia promotion marked her first turn as a celebrity personality at an 'arts event.' "It's strange to see myself being discussed on the celebrity gossip shows," Takahashi commented. She views her new career as a fresh start, saying, "Outside of running, I'm a rookie at everything. I want to find something that only I can do."

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/p-sp-tp0-20081030-424120.html

translated by Brett Larner

2000 Sydney Olympics women's marathon gold medalist Naoko Takahashi (36, Team Phiten) will pay back her debt to the Tokyo International Women's Marathon on Nov. 16. Since announcing her retirement on Oct. 28, Takahashi's management office has booked her for over fifty appearances on TV and as a special guest at public events. It will all begin with Takahashi's debut as a television broadcast commentator at the Tokyo International Women's Marathon in which Takahashi was originally scheduled to compete.

This year's 30th anniversary edition of the Tokyo Int'l will be the event's final, as next year it will relocate to Yokohama. To commemorate the occasion, organizers will host a symposium titled "Women Runners' Trail of Dreams." 400 people applied to hear Takahashi speak along with a panel including marathon legends Akemi Matsuda, Nanae Sasaki, M…

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/f-sp-tp0-20081028-423526.html
http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/f-sp-tp0-20081028-423581.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

2000 Sydney Olympics women's marathon gold medalist and former marathon world record holder Naoko Takahashi (36, Team Phiten) retired from professional running on Oct. 28. Takahashi planned to run three marathons this season, November's Tokyo International Women's Marathon, January's Osaka International Women's Marathon, and March's Nagoya International Women's Marathon, and has been at her training camp in Boulder, Colorado since May in preparation. Despite winning three races during this period, including a course record at the Mt. Evans mountain race in June, Takahashi couldn't meet the targets in her training plan and cancelled the rest of the camp and her three-marathon season, returning to Japan in secret a short time ago. She is scheduled to give a press conference later in …

http://dailynews.yahoo.co.jp/fc/sports/takahashi_naoko/?1206421181
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20080325-00000004-sanspo-spo

translated and edited by Brett Larner

2 weeks after finishing 27th in the Nagoya International Women's Marathon and missing her chance for the Beijing Olympics, Sydney Olympics women's marathon gold medalist Naoko Takahashi (35, Team Phiten) has found a new dream: she intends to run and win all three of the major elite women's marathons in Japan during next winter's season.

Speaking at a press conference on Mar. 24, Takahashi announced that she plans to race the Tokyo International Women's Marathon on Nov. 16 this year, the Osaka International Women's Marathon on Jan. 25 next year, and the Nagoya International Women's Marathon on Mar. 8, also next year. She told reporters that she will be running to win each of the races.

It may seem reckless for one person to try to run three marathons within four months, but Japan Rikuren has given …

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/feature/niwm/CK2008022802091213.html

In the leadup to the final selection race for the Beijing Olympics Japanese women's marathon team, the Mar. 9 Nagoya International Women's Marathon, Sydney Olympics marathon gold medalist Naoko Takahashi (Team Phiten) returned to Japan on Feb. 27 after 2 months at her high-altitude training camp in Kunming, China.

Takahashi, 35, failed to qualify for the Athens Olympics 4 years ago. This last chance to make the Beijing Olympics will be everything for her. Speaking to reporters at Tokyo's Narita Airport, Takahashi said of her training in Kunming, "Everyday, I did exactly what I needed to do. I feel ready now. My goal is to run my own race."

While at the training camp Takahashi might have gotten discouraged when she ran into problems, but, she explained, "I try to live by my motto, 'Your dreams will come true if you don't give up.' The only thing I am thinking about is winning…

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2008020400738

translated by Brett Larner

The winds of chance are blowing strongly. At the Osaka International Women's Marathon on Jan. 27, Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal) failed spectacularly in her highly-anticipated debut marathon. Speaking about this race from her high-altitude training camp in Kunming, China, Takahashi said, "Regardless of what happened in Osaka, I will be running to win in Nagoya with the kind of time nobody will be able to criticize." The Nagoya International Women's Marathon on Mar. 9 is the last of the selection races for the Beijing Olympics team, and is open to question whether Takahashi's feeling about her race are the same in the wake of Osaka.

Reiko Tosa (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo), winner of the bronze medal in the women's marathon at last summer's World Championships, has already been selected for the Beijing team. Athens Olympics women's marathon gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi (Team Sys…