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Yoshihisa Hosaka Gets World Record #3 at Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon (updated)

by Brett Larner

photo (c) 2009 Mika Tokairin

A year after his 60+ world record of 2:36:30 at the 2009 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, Yoshihisa Hosaka did it again with a 2:38:12 world record for the 61 year old bracket at this year's Beppu-Oita on Feb. 7. Hosaka's time breaks the existing world record, set by Wil van der Lee of the Netherlands at the 1991 Amsterdam Marathon, by a slim 20 second margin. Hosaka now holds the world record for three consecutive age brackets.

59 - 2:34:23, Fukuoka 2008
60 - 2:36:30, Beppu-Oita 2009
61 - 2:38:12, Beppu-Oita 2010

In this year's race Hosaka started conservatively compared to his previous two world record runs, clocking consistent mid-37 minute 10 km splits through 30 km and hitting halfway in 1:18:26. By comparison, at this past December's 2009 Fukuoka International Marathon, a few weeks before his 61st birthday, Hosaka went through halfway in 1:15:48. In Beppu-Oita he slowed significantly between 30 and 35 km but managed to rally and claim the record with a 1:19:46 second half. "I ran as hard as I could to get this world record and I'm very happy with it," Hosaka told JRN. He will next run the Tokyo Marathon on Feb. 28.


Yoshihisa Hosaka sets the 60+ world record of 2:36:30 at the 2009 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon. Photo courtesy of Yoshihisa Hosaka.

Update: A summary of Hosaka's last few marathons:

2:38:12 - Beppu-Oita 2/7/10 (age 61)
2:40:39 - Fukuoka, 12/6/09 (age 60)
2:41:15 - Hokkaido, 8/30/09 (age 60)
2:39:33 - L.A., 5/25/09 (age 60)
2:40:16 - Nagano, 4/19/09 (age 60)
2:36:30 - Beppu-Oita, 2/1/09 (age 60)
2:34:23 - Fukuoka, 12/7/08 (age 59)

There are probably a few more in there that I don't know about.

(c) 2010 Brett Larner
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Comments

Jon in Tokyo said…
Amazing.
Something for all Nambanners to aim at in the future.
February 8, 2010 at 8:50 AM
Samurai Running said…
Yes Jon,

All runners now have something to think about. And thanks Brett for your continued promotion of Mr. Hosaka. He really is an inspiration. And a nice guy to boot, I've heard from Bob, et al.
February 8, 2010 at 9:15 AM
Matt said…
Great performance. It is amazing the stress load the human body can handle at older ages. I look forward to seeing Yoshihisa run more records in the future.
February 9, 2010 at 2:20 AM
Michael Quispe said…
I passed him in Boston this year and immediately wondered if it was him. Checked the results and sure enough, there he was. Amazing guy!
April 27, 2010 at 1:25 AM
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