Kiyoko Shimahara

Born Dec. 22, 1976 in Yamaguchi. Graduated from Kokushikan University and joined the Shiseido corporate team. Left Shiseido in 2007 with head coach Manabu Kawagoe and three teammates to form the independent Second Wind AC. Hot-weather specialist.

After a good marathon debut off the beaten path at the 2003 Katsuta Marathon, Shimahara had a remarkably consistent run of 2:26 performances from 2004 to 2006. The streak ended with her silver medal performance at the hot 2006 Asian Games, and for the next three years she was more consistently in the 2:30-2:31 range. In August, 2009 Shimahara ran a PB of 2:25:10 at the Hokkaido Marathon, her first sub-2:30 in three years, a new course record, and faster than the winning time at the previous week's World Championships in tougher conditions. In just over 100 days following Hokkaido Shimahara went on to break 2:30 twice more, both in warm weather.

In part one of her interview with JRN Shimahara talked about that fall season, what went right, and the consistent years of training that got her there. In part two she discussed the challenges facing Japan's young women distance runners and what these problems mean for the future.

Personal Bests

5000 m: 15:54.09 (2003) 10000 m: 32:54.03 (2004) half-marathon: 1:10:16 (2006) marathon: 2:25:10 (2009)

Marathon History

2016 Himeji Castle Marathon: 3:03:51, 8th
2015 Osaka International Women's Marathon: DNF
2014 Yokohama International Women's Marathon: 2:51:18, 17th
2014 Nagano Marathon: 2:42:50, 7th
2014 Wan Jin Shi Marathon: 2:46:59, 8th
2013 Osaka Marathon: 2:44:37, 3rd
2012 Osaka International Women's Marathon: 2:29:51, 4th
2011 Osaka Marathon: 2:33:36, 2nd
2011 Hokkaido Marathon: 2:34:26, 2nd
2011 Tokyo Marathon: 2:42:19, 15th
2010 Guangzhou Asian Games Marathon: 2:32:11, 5th
2010 Nagano Marathon: 2:34:46, 4th
2009 Honolulu Marathon: 2:29:53, 2nd
2009 Yokohama International Women's Marathon: 2:28:51, 1st
2009 Hokkaido Marathon: 2:25:10, 1st - CR, PB
2009 Tokyo Marathon: 2:31:57, 6th
2008 Honolulu Marathon: 2:32:36, 1st
2008 Chicago Marathon: 2:30:19, 3rd
2008 Nagoya International Women's Marathon: 2:30:30, 11th
2007 Shanghai Marathon: 2:35:41, 2nd
2007 Osaka World Championships Marathon: 2:31:40, 6th
2007 London Marathon: DNF
2006 Doha Asian Games Marathon: 2:30:34, 2nd
2006 Boston Marathon: 2:26:52, 5th
2006 Osaka International Women's Marathon: 2:26:47, 3rd
2005 Hokkaido Marathon: 2:26:14, 2nd
2004 Tokyo International Women's Marathon: 2:26:43, 2nd
2003 Tokyo International Women's Marathon: 2:31:10, 3rd
2003 Katsuta Marathon: 2:28:17, 1st - CR, debut

Other Major Results

2009 Osaka Half Marathon: 1st
2000 Shanghai International Half Marathon: 1st

Hobbies

shopping

Interests

nature

© 2010 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Chien Breaks TPE NR, Iwata Betters ID-Class WR - Weekend Track Roundup

The last weekend of the academic and fiscal year saw at least 5 meets with good results domestically and abroad. Kicking things off Friday was the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, where Tomohiro Shinno and Naoto Hasegawa took 1st and 3rd in the men's high jump, both of them only clearing 2.18 m along with 2nd-placer Roman Anastasios . 12 other Japanese athletes were in action on the second day of the meet on Saturday, where 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura ran 3:42.84 for 6th in the men's 1500 m. Nagiya Mori had a better one in the men's 3000 m with a 7:45.40 for 4th. Both Yota Mashiko and Rui Suzuki cleared 8:00 too, Mashiko's 7:53.84 the 2nd-fastest ever by a Japanese-born high schooler. Abigail Fuka Ido and Nagisa Takahashi both placed 3rd in their events, Ido going 23.85 (-0.9) in the women's 200 m and Takahashi clearing 1.82 m in the women's high jump. 8 Japanese men were at The TEN in California to run 10000 m. In the B-heat won by Edward Marks in ...

JAAF Announces World Road Running Championships Half Marathon Team

The JAAF announced the men's and women's half marathon teams today for this fall's World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen: Women Yumi Yoshikawa (Canon) - 1:09:14 (1st, 2026 Osaka Half) Wakana Kabasawa (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 1:09:20 (1st, 2026 Nat'l Corp. Half) Rina Shimizu (Noritz) - 1:09:22 (2nd, 2026 Osaka Half) Yuna Takahashi (Shimamura) - 1:09:23 (3rd, 2026 Osaka Half) Men Tomoya Ogikubo (Hiramatsu Byoin) - 1:00:22 (4th, 2026 Marugame Half) Yuma Nishizawa (Toyota Boshoku) - 1:00:26 (5th, 2026 Marugame Half) Neo Namiki (Subaru) - 1:00:29 (6th, 2026 Marugame Half) Daisuke Sato (Chuo Univ.) - 1:00:40 (7th, 2026 Marugame Half) Mile and 5 km teams, if any, will be decided after June's National Track and Field Championships. © 2026 Brett Larner , all rights reserved

Updates on Transfers

April 1 is the start of Japan's new academic and fiscal year, and there's always a wave of transfer announcements to go with it. Some notable ones yesterday: 800 m NR holder Rin Kubo skipped university to go straight to 2023 Queens Ekiden national champion Sekisui Kagaku after her graduation from Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S. Multiple NR holder Nozomi Tanaka rejoined the Toyota Jidoshokki women's team after having left it to pursue a solo pro career as a New Balance athlete. Already on the team for this fall's Nagoya Asian Games in the 10000 m, Ririka Hironaka announced a switch from her longtime home at Japan Post to the Uniqlo women's team. Collegiate marathon record holder Asahi Kuroda joined the 2026 national champion GMO corporate team after graduating from 2026 Hakone Ekiden champ Aoyama Gakuin University last week. Hakone Ekdien First Stage CR holder Rui Aoki joins the Sumitomo Denko corporate team after running his final race for 2025 Izumo Ekiden w...

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