Nationals Runner-Up Rakunan H.S. Training in Kochi With Support From Medical Science University Students
17 members of Kyoto's Rakunan H.S. boys' ekiden team are currently on a training camp at Kochi's Haruno Sports Park. At the Dec. 26 National High School Ekiden Rakunan became the first all-Japanese team to break 2:02 for the 42.195 km course, finishing 2nd overall. After training in Kochi last year, this camp is the team's second time there. "It's warmer here than in Kyoto so it seems easier to move, even when we're doing hard workouts," said 2nd-year Yuichiro Kojima.
In addition to their regular training workouts, on this camp the runners are also working with students from Kochi Professional University of Rehabilitation. The university students are providing medical science support across a range of areas such as measurements of lactic acid, an indication of physical fatigue levels. "In school we're learning a lot of highly specialized information," commented one of the students, Shogo Nakayama. "I expected it to be difficult to convey this knowledge to the students effectively, so this has been a good learning experience."
At a session on Jan. 5, Kazuya Nishitani, a physiotherapist overseeing high altitude training in Hida Takayama, Gifu, conducted a session on drills to increase ankle spring as a way to counter fatigue from running. While watching Rakunan athletes do the drills he gave them feedback such as "Why don't you try to extend your whole body a little further when you spring?" and "You're still overexaggerating a bit, so try to hold back more."
Rakunan 2nd-year Daichi Shibata was positive about the experience, saying, "If what we learned today just ends here today then I won't get any better. If I keep doing these drills I hope it will help take my running up another level or two." The Rakunan H.S. boys will train in Kochi through Jan. 7.
translated by Brett Larner
Comments
Not relevant I know but just something I noticed while looking at some of Rakunan races and that make it very difficult for me to distinguish their runners haha.