japan running news

http://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/-/1100/602608/-/sjsfjpz/-/index.html

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2008/news/track/long/news/20080728-OYT1T00534.htm

translated by Brett Larner

On July 28, Team Toyota Jidosha Kyushu of Miyawaka, Fukuoka Prefecture, received a letter of resignation from its star runner, Kenyan Olympic marathon team member and half marathon world record holder Samuel Wanjiru, 21. The letter was sent by a Tokyo law office and stated that Wanjiru would be resigning "for personal reasons." Wanjiru has been training in Kenya separately from the team since mid-July. Representatives from Team Toyota Jidosha Kyushu commented, "We have to confirm that this letter was actually sent by Wanjiru and that this is really his intention."Wanjiru joined Team Toyota Jidosha Kyushu in 2005 after graduating from Sendai Ikuei High School in Miyagi Prefecture where he studied as an exchange student. In his debut marathon at last December`s Fukuoka International Marathon Wanjiru won the race in a course record time. In April this year he wa…

by Brett Larner




Mekubo Mogusu in the lead. Click image for video of the race.

One week after winning his third titles in the 1500 m and 10000 m events, setting a PB, meet record and Japanese university record of 27:27.64 in the latter, Yamanashi Gakuin University senior Mekubo Mogusu of Kenya broke his own course record to win the half marathon on the final day of the Kanto Regional University Track and Field Championships at Tokyo`s National Stadium.

The half marathon was contested over a ten-loop course. Beginning in the National Stadium, runners completed 1 km on the track before exiting the stadium for a hilly, twisting section on the roads. Runners then re-entered the stadium before beginning the next iteration of the road loop. The course is notoriously difficult; last year Mogusu set the course record of 1:03:10 in the midst of a year in which he broke one hour for the half marathon three times. This year competitors faced the additional challenge of rain and wind brought by the …

http://iaaf.org/LRR08/news/newsid=44043.html

Half marathon world record holder Samuel Wanjiru is based in Kyushu, where he runs for the Toyota Jidosha Kyushu jitsugyodan team. He set the world record at last year's CPC Half Marathon and is scheduled to run next month's London Marathon.

http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/article.php?mid=P2008030900093&genre=L1&area=K10

translated by Brett Larner

Komazawa University's Soji Ikeda won the 15th Kyoto City Half Marathon on Mar. 9, starting in front of Kyoto's Heianjingu and breaking the tape on the 21.0975 km course in 1:02:10. Aki Fujikawa of Team Shiseido won the women's race in a time of 1:10:41.

Together with Kazuo Ietani (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko), Ikeda broke away from the lead pack of six runners at the 15 km point but could not drop Ietani until the last km, winning by 8 seconds. Kyoto residents Tsukasa Morita (Team Sanyo Tokusho Seiko, Kyoto Sangyo University) and Takahiko Onishi (Kyoto Sangyo University) were 4th and 8th respectively.

Fujikawa had a more commanding win in the women's race, running alone after the halfway point. She was 24 seconds ahead of 2nd place finisher Yui Sakai (Josai University), while last year's winner Ryoko Kisaki (Bukkyo University) was 3rd. Hiroaki Nishihara (Minam…

http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Athletics/10193629.html
http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Athletics/10193631.html

Wanjiru's time was apparently 1:00:33. Although this article doesn't mention it, Wanjiru has elsewhere been reported to be slated to run another half marathon in The Hague, where he set the world record last year, prior to running London.

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2008011600730

translated by Brett Larner

At a pre-race press conference on Jan. 16, race officials announced the elite men's and women's fields for the 62nd Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon on Feb. 3rd. The women's field includes veteran runner Harumi Hiroyama (Team Shiseido) and Osaka World Championships women's marathon competitor Mari Ozaki (Team Noritz). In the men's race, 30 km world record holder Takayuki Matsumiya (Team Konica Minolta) is scheduled to appear.

Translator's note: Matsumiya's appearance is significant in that he comes to Marugame fresh from a strong 2007 and in particular from running 1:02:28 for 22 km in the New Year Ekiden, a performance equivalent to 59:54 for a half marathon. This is 31 seconds faster than Atsushi Sato's national record set in October, albeit with a drop of 30 m over the 22 km distance. Mekubo Mogusu ran under 1 hour on the Marugame course last year, so it is entirely possible t…