Saturday's Hakone Ekiden Qualifier half marathon was the main event of the weekend, but between that and early ekiden season track time trials across the country there were a few other notable results at home and abroad.
In Sendai, the second running of the Tohoku Miyagi Fukko Marathon took place, an event launched last year to commemorate those lost in the 2011 tsunami and to show the area's recovery. In its first running organizers brought in then-future 2:06 man Hiroto Inoue to lead the field. This year it was 2017 Gold Coast Marathon winner Takuya Noguchi (Konica Minolta), who took more than 5 minutes off the course record with a workout-effort 2:18:37 for the win. Aki Odagiri (Takemura Seisakusho) won the women's race in 2:46:07.
In Toyama, 2018 Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) ran the Namerikawa Hotaruika Half Marathon a week after a disappointing run at the Chicago Marathon. Running completely solo he won in 1:05:18, beating 2nd place by six minutes. Next up he will run Tokyo's Takashimadaira 20 km, followed by his Italian debut at the Huawei Venice Marathon.
Across the Sea of Japan, 2018 Geneva Marathon runner-up Hisae Yoshimatsu (Shunan City Hall) ran China's Changzhou West Taihu Lake Half Marathon. In windy conditions Yoshimatsu took 5th in 1:16:50, bettering her expectations in a tune-up for a planned marathon later this season.
© 2018 Brett Larner
Comments
I am currently stationed in Japan for the next 3 years and have no clue how to sign up for road races. The English version of google shows some results, but if I go to the Japanese version of google it gives a completely different set of races. Do you think you could help me with this/finding races around Japan?
Respectfully,
Justin
Do you have the Men's Half-Marathon results
of the Changzhou West Taihu Lake Half Marathon held
on October 14 2018 down to 1:04.00?
These don't seem available on the race website!
Many many thanks in advance and best regards!