Skip to main content

Some Stats From Hakone



Part of Japan's success in the men's marathon last year was the focus on half marathon distance development in university for the Hakone Ekiden, a ten-stage race over two days with distances between 20.8 km and 23.1 km. This year's race was record-breaking across the board, boding well for the next generation's chances of matching the current one's achievements in the last year. Half marathon equivalents for the winning times on each stage of this year's race and numbers of runners in the field of 23 per stage under equivalent half marathon times:

First Stage (21.3 km) - 1:02:35 = 1:01:59 half marathon
1 under 1:02:00 half marathon equivalent
15 under 1:03:00 half marathon equivalent
18 under 1:04:00 half marathon equivalent

Second Stage (23.1 km) - 1:06:18 = 1:00:33 half marathon
2 under 1:01:00 half marathon equivalent
7 under 1:02:00 half marathon equivalent
11 under 1:03:00 half marathon equivalent
17 under 1:04:00 half marathon equivalent

Third Stage (21.4 km) - 1:01:26 CR = 1:00:34 half marathon
1 under 1:01:00 half marathon equivalent
5 under 1:02:00 half marathon equivalent
12 under 1:03:00 half marathon equivalent
15 under 1:04:00 half marathon equivalent

Fourth Stage (20.9 km) - 1:00:54 CR = 1:01:29 half marathon
1 under 1:02:00 half marathon equivalent
1 under 1:03:00 half marathon equivalent
6 under 1:04:00 half marathon equivalent

Fifth Stage (20.8 km, ~800 m uphill) - 1:10:54 CR = 1:11:55 half marathon

Sixth Stage (20.8 km, downhill) - 57:57 CR = 58:47 half marathon

Seventh Stage (21.3 km) - 1:02:18 = 1:01:42 half marathon
1 under 1:02:00 half marathon equivalent
2 under 1:03:00 half marathon equivalent
8 under 1:04:00 half marathon equivalent

Eighth Stage (21.4 km) - 1:03:49 CR = 1:02:55 half marathon
1 under 1:03:00 half marathon equivalent
4 under 1:04:00 half marathon equivalent

Ninth Stage (23.1 km) - 1:08:50 = 1:02:52 half marathon
1 under 1:03:00 half marathon equivalent
3 under 1:04:00 half marathon equivalent

Tenth Stage (23.0 km) - 1:09:57 = 1:04:10 half marathon

total field size = 230 runners
excluding mountain stages = 184 runners
total number under 1:01:00 = 3 runners / 184
total number under 1:02:00 = 15 runners / 184
total number under 1:03:00 = 43 runners / 184
total number under 1:04:00 = 71 runners / 184

© 2019 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Buy Me A Coffee

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...

Mashiko Breaks U20 5000 m NR - Weekend Track Roundup

Saturday's Kanakuri Memorial Meet in Kumamoto was the weekend's main event in Japanese track, but there were good results at the Nittai University Time Trials meet in Yokohama too. Emmanuel Maru (Toyota Boshoku) led the men's 5000 m A-heat at Kanakuri in 13:14.06, with Tomonori Yamaguchi (SGH) clocking the fastest Japanese time in 13:16.38 in his first race as a corporate leaguer. Waseda University duo Rui Suzuki and Yota Mashiko went 6-7 in 13:20.64 and 13:22.87, the 18-year-old Mashiko shaving 0.04 off the U20 NR. In 8th, Yamato Yoshii (Toyota) ran a PB of 13:23.92. 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura (Subaru) continued to struggle after a weak indoor season, finishing 18th of 20 finishers in 13:45.10. 19-year-old Festus Kimorwo (Kurosaki Harima) was under 13:20 in the B-heat too, winning in a 13:19.59 PB. 2 more collegiate men broke 13:30, Daichi Fujita (Chuo Univ.) 8th in 13:28.93 and Riki Koike (Soka Univ.) 9th in 13:29.09. The top 6 in the men's 800 m A-hea...