Rescheduled Shonan International Marathon Cut Back to 25 km Over Coronavirus Fears

For the half year to go until we attempt to hold the 15th Shonan International Marathon in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, we have set two unique factors, the "possibility of staging" and "event distance," to help in determining the likelihood that the event will be able to go forward. Initially we had planned to announce the "event distance" on Dec. 10, the deadline for our final decision with regard to the "possibility of staging." However, the demands of the era necessitate more time than originally anticipated in order to make preparations for the race to go ahead. As a result, we would like to make an early announcement about the "event distance."

With no vaccine or specific treatment yet available, the number of people infected with the coronavirus is on the climb. Faced by the difficulty of assessing the current situation's development, the overwhelming majority of marathons across the country chose to cancel their events. But the Shonan International Marathon organizing committee has thoroughly studied how to manage the risk and is convinced the race can be held even in the midst of the pandemic crisis.

Based on the situation as it currently stands, we have determined that given the extra time required on race day to minimize congestion in the start area and along the course, the time limit we have secured for road closure makes it possible to hold a race of up to 25 km in distance. As such we have changed the event from the marathon distance to 25 km.

We had hoped to continue to explore ways to stage the traditional full marathon right up to the original Dec. 10 deadline. But with the extra time required by a course change being an unknown variable we needed to make the announcement earlier, and we apologize for the inconvenience it will cause participants.

On Dec. 10 we still plan to make a final announcement with regard to the "possibility of staging" based on the state of the coronavirus crisis at that point. If the decision to go ahead is made, the 15th Shonan International Marathon will take place as a 25 km race and not a full marathon, regardless of whether the coronavirus situation improves before the race date on Feb. 28. We ask for your understanding on this point.

We are sure that many participants will be disappointed and not being able to run a full marathon in Shonan, but we on the organizing committee will continue to take all necessary steps with regard to infection risk management, event management and race planning, and we will do our best to make sure there is no drop in the event's quality. As we work toward holding an enjoyable, safe and secure race on Feb. 28, 2021 let's come together in hope for an end to the coronavirus crisis soon.

Shonan International Marathon Organizing Committee

Major Japanese marathons still scheduled to happen in 2020 and 2021 marathon announcements to date:

Dec. 6: Fukuoka International Marathon (370) - scheduled with limited field size
Dec. 20: Hofu Marathon (2,724) - scheduled with limited field size

2021

Jan. 10 - Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon (10,954) - canceled
Jan. 31 - Katsuta Marathon (10,627) - canceled
Jan. 31 - Osaka International Women's Marathon (423) - scheduled with limited field size
Feb. 7 - Beppu-Oita Marathon (3,141) - canceled
Feb. 14 - Ehime Marathon (9,554) - canceled
Feb. 14 - Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon (536) - TBA
Feb. 21 - Kyoto Marathon (13,894) - canceled
Feb. 21 - Kochi Ryoma Marathon (10,924) - canceled
Feb. 21 - Kumamoto Castle Marathon (10,444) - canceled
Feb. 21 - Kitakyushu Marathon (9,485) - canceled
Feb. 21 - Okinawa Marathon (7,990) - canceled
Feb. 28 - Shonan International Marathon (16,821) - rescheduled from Dec. 6, cut to 25 km
Feb. 28 - Himeji Castle Marathon (6,938) - canceled
Feb. 28 - Iwaki Sunshine Marathon (5,259) - canceled
Feb. 28 - Lake Biwa Marathon (191) - scheduled
Mar. 7 - Kagoshima Marathon (9.356) - canceled
Mar. 7 - Tokyo Marathon (151) - postponed to October 17
Mar. 14 - Shizuoka Marathon (9,802) - canceled
Mar. 14 - Nagoya Women's Marathon (96) - scheduled with limited field size

Mar. 21 - Itabashi City Marathon (13,310) - canceled
Mar. 21 - Koga Hanamomo Marathon (8,766) - canceled
Mar. 21 - Saga Sakura Marathon (8.509) - canceled

Mar. 28 - Tokushima Marathon (11,010) - decision in mid-November
Mar. 28 - Sakura Marathon (5,614) - canceled
Apr. 18 - Kasumigaura Marathon (10,096) - scheduled
Apr. 18 - Nagano Marathon (8,082) - scheduled with limited field size

source articles:

https://www.shonan-kokusai.jp/15th/important/course.html

translated by Brett Larner

Chepkirui Over Sato Again to Win 2nd-Straight Nagoya Women's Marathon, Chen Breaks Malaysian NR (updated)

This year's Nagoya Women's Marathon felt like a changing of the guard, with some the bigger domestic names over the last few years fading early and a lot of newer faces stepping up with quality debuts or second marathons. The front group was set to be paced for 2:20 flat with the 2nd group at 2:23:30 to hit the auto-qualifying time for the 2027 MGC Race, Japan's L.A. Olympics marathon trials race in Nagoya. Up front things went out OK, but after a 33:10 split at 10 km Ayuko Suzuki , 2:21:22 here 2 years ago, lost touch, ultimately finishing 23rd in 2:33:28. Windy conditions started to play with pacers' ability to keep things steady and the pace slowed majorly over the next 10 km, but even with a 34:05 second 10 km there were big-name casualties. 2024 Nagoya winner Yuka Ando was next to drop, ending up 17th in 2:30:32. NR holder Honami Maeda was next, followed quickly by Bahraini Kenyan Eunice Chumba and debuting Wakana Kabasawa . Maeda faded to 21st in 2:31:21, whil...

16 Women and 26 Men on the Current Olympic Trials Qualifier List

Last weekend's Nagoya Women's Marathon and the Tokyo Marathon the weekend before brought the main part of the first year of qualification for the Marathon Grand Championship Race, Japan's L.A. Olympics marathon trials to be held in Nagoya in October, 2027, to an end. There are still a few races like the Nagano Marathon and overseas World Athletics platinum label races this season where people might qualify, but for the most part we're not likely to see many new additions until August's Hokkaido Marathon, where the qualifying period opened last year. As of right now 16 women and 26 men have qualified, although the first woman to make the cut, Ai Hosoda , announced that she was retiring after Tokyo earlier this month. Out of the 16 women to have qualified so far, Mikuni Yada is the fastest with her 2:19:57 debut at Osaka Women's in January. Including Hosoda that makes 2 qualifiers for the Edion corporate team, but Daihatsu has the biggest share of the field so ...

How it Happened

Ancient History I went to Wesleyan University, where the legend of four-time Boston Marathon champ and Wes alum Bill Rodgers hung heavy over the cross-country team. Inspired by Koichi Morishita and Young-Cho Hwang’s duel at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics I ran my first marathon in 1993, qualifying for Boston ’94 where Bill was kind enough to sign a star-struck 20-year-old me’s bib number at the expo. Three years later I moved to Japan for grad school, and through a long string of coincidences I came across a teenaged kid named Yuki Kawauchi down at my neighborhood track. I never imagined he’d become what he is, but right from the start there was just something different about him. After his 2:08:37 breakthrough at the 2011 Tokyo Marathon he called me up and asked me to help him get into races abroad. He’d finished 3rd on the brutal downhill Sixth Stage at the Hakone Ekiden, and given how he’d run the hills in the last 6 km at Tokyo ’11 I thought he’d do well at Boston or New York. “I...

japan running news

Search This Blog