This National Championship was the biggest day in Japanese 10000 m history, four women going under 31 minutes and three men breaking the national record thanks to a combination of the fast track at Tokyo's National Stadium, the Wavelight pacing system, superb pacing work from Kenyans, perfect weather, the continuing evolution in shoe tech, fans allowed onto the track at the Olympic stadium to roar their support, and the carrot of the Paris Olympics hanging just out of reach. In a lot of ways it was the same race twice, with both the women's and men's races seeing packs of four Japanese athletes, including two teammates, led by a Japan-resident Kenyan pacer locked onto the Wavelight, steady splits just off a historic mark, and a fast last 200 m by the winner to clear the mark. In the women's case it was Judy Jepngetich (Shiseido) leading teammates Rino Goshima and Yuka Takashima , former 5000 m NR holder Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) and underdog Haruka Kokai (Daiich
Given all the breakthrough runs over 10000 m in Japan the last few weeks, enough to take Japan to 30 men sub-28 for the distance this year, it seems a bit odd to have the 10000 m National Championships happening this Sunday in Tokyo's National Stadium. But relative to the timing of ekiden season, the rest of the National Championships in the late spring, and next summer's Paris Olympics, it makes sense. NHKBS is broadcasting it live, with the men's race starting at 16:03 and the women's at 16:43. The 27:00.00 would be a stretch at this point for any of the Japanese men in the race, but one woman, former 5000 m NR holder Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) has actually cleared the 30:40.00 standard before with a 30:39.71 at the 2022 Oregon World Championships. But that was before the qualifying window opened, so she'll have to try to continue to build back from the injuries she suffered last winter if she wants to hit the standard here. Her best this year is 31:35.12 at