Kawauchi and Kiyara Live Up to Expectations With Wan Jin Shi Wins

Returning to Taiwan's Wan Jin Shi Marathon after having first run it in 2016, Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) ran 2:14:12 to score his fourth-straight marathon win in a third-straight wire-to-wire solo performance. Choosing the hilly Wan Jin Shi Marathon as his final main tuneup for next month's Boston Marathon, Kawauchi came out swinging, leading an all-African pack of seven by almost 10 seconds after the tough uphill opening 5 km and stretching that out to over two minutes by the turnaround point at halfway.

On track to break the 2:13:05 course record by more than two minutes. under sunny skies with temperatures climbing to 22C and nearly 80% humidity Kawauchi began to slow incrementally. Behind him, Johnstone Kibet Maiyo (Kenya) and Aredome Tiuyay Degefa (Ethiopia) separated from the chase pack and began to push each other in pursuit of the top spot. With every 5 km split the gap to Kawauchi narrowed. At 40 km Maiyo threw down to get rid of Degefa, blasting the downhill final kilometer through a long tunnel as Kawauchi came into sight.

Kawauchi began to weave side to side, dangerously close to smacking into the side of the tunnel. In a blink the course record was gone, but with Maiyo bearing down on him he pulled himself together to hang on for the win, exactly tying his time from two years ago but going one better on position. Kawauchi staggered and collapsed a few steps across the line, immediately picked up by medical staff and wheeled off to receive treatment for dehydration. Maiyo crossed the line 28 seconds back in 2nd, with Degefa shuffling in for 3rd another 14 seconds behind Maiyo. It was a sign of how tough the conditions were than none of the other four Africans who had been in the chase pack until late in the race broke 2:20.

Having covered his bases in his Boston prep with a solo win in sub-zero temperatures in January, Kawauchi's win in heat an humidity in Wan Jin Shi was a boost to his confidence heading into his main race of the season.

The women's race was relatively conservative most of the way before switching gears to an exciting sprint finish. A pack of eight women from Kenya, Ethiopia and North Korea set out at a lackadaisical 2:45 pace, gradually picking it up as they went but not cracking 2:40 pace until after halfway. By 30 km it was down to #1-ranked Rael Kiyara Nguriatukei (Kenya), Chemtai Rionotukei (Kenya) and Tizita Terecha Dida (Ethiopia), Dida dropping off shortly thereafter as the pace got hotter in parallel with the conditions.

Kiyara and Rionotukei were together until the bitter end, Kiyara just edging away in the final meters after the tunnel exit to take the win by a second in 2:35:57. 2016 Pyongyang and Macau Marathon winner Ji-Hyang Kim (North Korea) ran Dida down to finish over two minutes back in 3rd in 2:38:10.

New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi Marathon

New Taipei City, Taiwan, 3/18/18
click here for complete results

Men
1. Yuki Kawauchi (Japan/Saitama Pref. Gov't) - 2:14:12
2. Johnstone Kibet Maiyo (Kenya) - 2:14:40
3. Aredom Tiumay Degefa (Ethiopia) - 2:14:54
4. Stanley Kipchirchir Koech (Kenya) - 2:21:28
5. Tsegaye Debele Belda (Ethiopia) - 2:21:50

Women
1. Rael Kiyara Nguriatukei (Kenya) - 2:35:57
2. Chemtai Rionotukei (Kenya) - 2:35:58
3. Ji Hyang Kim (North Korea) - 2:38:10
4. Rebecca Jepchirchir Korir (Kenya) - 2:39:59
5. Salome Jerono Biwott (Kenya) - 2:40:07

© 2018 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Running the 2020 Olympic Marathon Course Part Three - The Men's Marathon and Racewalks

Following last week's run over most of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics marathon course exactly two years before the women's marathon, this morning I went out to do it again at the same time the men's marathon will be held. Last week we focused mostly on the first 20 km and finish. This week I looked more at the second part of the course after 20 km, starting at 7 a.m. and making it back to the stadium at 9:45, about the same time the last few runners in the men's race are likely to finish in two years. Effort-wise I ran about 4:15/km, slightly faster than last week's run to get a better sense of what a decent effort would feel like in the Tokyo conditions.

The Report Last week's heat, humidity and sun pretty well represented Tokyo's weather this summer, but no summer would be complete without a few typhoons. One passed just east of Tokyo yesterday and during the night, bringing cooler temperatures and shifting winds and humidity as it passed to the northeast. The …

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According to the YTFA, in the girls' 100 m hurdles and boys' 110 m hurdles at July's prefectural meet, while determining finishing time in finish line photographs the official measured the two athletes from the neck rather than from the torso, improving each athlete's time by 0.01 seconds. The official told investigators, "I knew it was wrong, but I had the qualifying marks for Nationals in mind."

The finish line photo data were sent to the JAAF, who discovered the manipulation of the results and brought it to the YTFA's attention on Aug. 2. The YFTA apologized to the two athletes and allowed them to participate i…

Running the 2020 Olympic Marathon Course Part Two - The Women's Marathon

Today marks two years until the women's marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. There's been a lot of concern about the 7:00 a.m. start time approved by the IOC two weeks ago as it means that athletes will be running under direct sunlight in temperatures in the low 30's and potentially high humidity. I went down to the Olympic Stadium site this morning and, starting at exactly 7:00 a.m., ran 30 km of the course to check for myself what kind of conditions the athletes will be facing.

If you're not familiar with Tokyo, take a look at the map to get a better idea of what I'm talking about. I ran from the stadium to the 20 km point and then back, cutting out the sections from 20 to 28 km and from 31 to 35 km which I'll do next week on the 9th, two years ahead of the men's marathon.
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