Kayoko Fukushi Hangs Them Up

It's the end of an era, really. Two months shy of her 40th birthday, Kayoko Fukushi retired yesterday after running the Osaka Half Marathon. Five of the other legends of Japanese women's long distance, Akemi Masuda, Yuko Arimori, Naoko Takahashi, Masako Chiba and Mizuki Noguchi, were there to celebrate a career spanning national records that have stood for over 20 years, still-standing championship ekiden stage records, possibly the most spectacular elite marathon debut in history, a World Championships marathon medal, and four-straight Olympic appearances.

For all that success, it always seemed to be there in the background that she wasn't able to break Yoko Shibui's 10000 m NR, and she seemed like a reluctant marathoner, at least until it was too late. In interviews Fukushi was always interesting, dropping in her sharp, dry wit whenever she could, and with any luck we'll be getting more of that in the commentary booth for years to come. Since the start of the super shoe era all her major records have been broken, but a quick look back at those accomplishments shows that Fukushi remains in a class of her own. Feel free to put your favorite memories of Fukushi in the comments.

PBs

3000 m - 8:44.40 (2002, age 20, former NR)

5000 m - 14:53.22 (2005, age 23, former NR)

10000 m - 30:51.81 (2002, age 20)

10 km - 31:57 (2010, age 27)

half-marathon - 1:07:26 (2006, age 23, former NR/AR)

marathon - 2:22:17 (2016, age 33)

National Records

5000 m U20 NR - 15:10.23 (2001, age 19)

10000 m U20 NR - 31:42.05 (2001, age 19)

3000 m U20 NR - 8:52.3 (2001, age 19) - current U20 NR

3000 m NR - 8:44.40 (2002, age 20)

5000 m NR - 15:02.08 (2002, age 20)

5000 m NR - 14:55.21 (2002, age 20)

5000 m NR - 14:55.19 (2002, age 20)

5000 m NR - 14:53.22 (2005, age 23)

half marathon (mixed) NR/AR - 1:07:26 (2006, age 23)

20 km (mixed) NR - 1:03:41 (2006, age 23)

15 km (mixed) NR - 46:55 (2006, age 23) - current NR

5 km (women-only) NR - 15:39 (2006, age 24) - current NR

National Championships

5000 m national champion - 2002, 2004-2007, 2010

10000 m national champion - 2002-2007, 2010

Major Ekidens

27 individual stage wins at major ekidens spanning 2000-2018

8 new individual stage CR at major ekidens

holds CR for National Women's Ekiden 10.0 km anchor stage - 30:52 (2004, age 21)

passed 15 or more people on a single stage twice

Main Marathon Results

3rd, 2011 Chicago Marathon - 2:24:38

1st, 2013 Osaka International Women's Marathon - 2:24:21

bronze, 2013 Moscow World Championships marathon - 2:27:45

1st, 2016 Osaka International Women's Marathon - 2:22:17

14th, 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics marathon - 2:29:53

7th, 2019 Marathon Grand Championship Olympic trials - 2:33:29

Asian Games

silver, 2002 Busan Asian Games 10000 m- 30:51.81

silver, 2002 Busan Asian Games 5000 m - 14:55.19

gold, 2006 Doha Asian Games 10000 m - 31:29.38

World Championships

4th, 2000 Santiago de Chile World U20 Championships 5000 m F - 16:25.01

11th, 2003 Paris World Championships 10000 m F - 31:10.57

11th, 2003 Paris World Championships 5000 m H1 - 15:16.53

11th, 2005 Helsinki World Championships10000 m F - 31:39.98

12th, 2005 Helsinki World Championships 5000 m F - 14:59.92

6th, 2006 Fukuoka World Cross Country Championships 8 km - 25:51

6th, 2006 Debrecen World Road Running Championships 20 km - 1:05:32

9th, 2007 Osaka World Championships 10000 m F - 32:32.85

13th, 2007 Osaka World Championships 5000 m F - 15:19.40

9th, 2009 Berlin World Championships10000 m F - 31:23.49

bronze, 2013 Moscow World Championships marathon - 2:27:45

Olympics

26th, 2004 Athens Olympics 10000 m F - 33:48.66

9th, 2008 Beijing Olympics 10000 m F - 31:01.14

9th, 2008 Beijing Olympics 5000 m H2 - 15:20.46

10th, 2012 London Olympics 10000 m F - 31:10.35

8th, 2012 London Olympics 5000 m H1 - 15:09.31

14th, 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics marathon - 2:29:53

Chepkirui Wins Nagoya Women's Marathon

Heavy-duty favorite Sheila Chepkirui took the win at Sunday's Nagoya Women's Marathon , pulling away after 30 km to cruise in for 1st in 2:20:40. Erratic pacing early saw the first and second groups only seconds apart for much of the first half of the race, the top group slower than planned and the 2nd group a bit ahead of schedule. At halfway in 1:10:37 the front group included Chepkirui, #2-ranked Ruti Aga and last year's runner-up Eunice Chumba , and Japanese contingent Sayaka Sato , Rika Kaseda , Natsuki Omori and Mao Uesugi . Omori was the first to drop, then Uesugi, then Aga, who ultimately dropped out before 30 km. When the pacers stopped at 30 km Chepkirui made a move that dropped Kaseda and strung out Chumba and Sato behind her, but all four came back together once before another surge put Kaseda away for good. As Chepkirui inched away Sato and Chumba passed each other repeatedly, and Chumba could only watch as the top Japanese runner got away from her again thi...

Nagoya Women's Marathon Preview

The Nagoya Women's Marathon , the world's largest women-only marathon and the last race in the selection cycle for September's Tokyo World Championships, happens Sunday. Weather conditions are looking better than what they had in Tokyo and Osaka the last two weekends, 7˚ at the start and rising to 12˚ with sunny skies. The wind looks a bit stronger than ideal, but it could be worse. Fuji TV has the live broadcast starting at 9:00 a.m. Sunday local time, and if you've got a VPN you should be able to watch the TVer streaming . One option for a leaderboard is here , and another here . We'll have some coverage on @JRNLive . Just like last time around there are three Ethiopian and Kenyan-born athletes at the top list, this time it being sub-2:20 women Sheila Chepkirui , winner in NYC last year, and Ruti Aga , winner in Xiamen in January, and last year's Nagoya runner-up Eunice Chebichii Chumba . But last year Yuka Ando still pulled off the win, so there's a c...

Who's Running Tokyo Worlds?

The Japanese marathon teams will be the most prestigious ones to be on for September's Tokyo World Championships, and with Sunday's Nagoya Women's Marathon the window for Japanese athletes to get onto the JAAF's shortlist closed. Who's on it? The final decision won't be made until Mar. 26, but let's look through the selection criteria and see who's guaranteed, who's pretty likely, and who has a chance. 1. Marathon medalists at the Paris Olympics - There weren't any, so nobody makes the team this way. Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko) and Yuka Suzuki (Daiichi Seimei) were the top placers, both of them running PBs in the Olympics to finish 6th. You'd think that would count for something a year later, but you'd think wrong. 2. JMC Series IV Champions - The top point scorers in the Japan Marathon Championship Series IV, which ran from April, 2023 to March, 2025, earn places on the marathon teams along with cash prizes. For women that's Yuka ...

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