As an athlete Seino was a member of Sendai Ikuei's winning team at the 2001 National High School Ekiden during his second year, and of Juntendo's winning team at the 2007 Hakone Ekiden his fourth year there. After graduating from Juntendo he served as head coach at Sendai Ikuei from 2008 to 20012, then as assistant coach at the Sekisui Kagaku women's corporate team from 2014 to 2018. Following that he worked in sales for home builder Sekisui Heim.
With a proven record of achievement as a coach and athlete and business experience outside athletics, Teikyo Teika felt that Seino was the ideal choice to lead its women's ekiden team, launched in 2018, to its first National University Women's Ekiden appearance. Located in Adachi ward, Tokyo, the school's campus features a 400 m track and team dormitory and is situated near the Arakawa river, making daily running easy. "It's an excellent training environment," Seino commented. "I look forward to working together with the athletes to make the National University Women's Ekiden as quickly as we can."
Seino ran the downhill Sixth Stage for Juntendo at the 2007 Hakone Ekiden, the team's last win. His teammates that year included famed uphill Fifth Stage star Masato Imai (Toyota Kyushu) and current Juntendo head coach Shunsuke Nagato. "Imai is still competing and has qualified for the MGC Race Olympic marathon trials this fall," Seino said. "Nagato is doing great work as a coach too. As head coach at Teikyo Teika I want to match their success."
Junichi Seino - Born Oct. 11, 1984 in Zhao, Miyagi. 38 years old. Ran the National High School Ekiden all three years at Sendai Ikuei H.S., placing 3rd on the Seventh Stage as a 1st-year, 4th on the Third Stage as a 2nd-year, and 5th on the Fourth Stage as a 3rd-year. The team finished 2nd, 1st, and 6th those years. Entered Juntendo in 2003, running the Hakone Ekiden three times and placing 17th on the Fourth Stage as a 2nd-year, 10th on the Tenth Stage as a 3rd-year, and 8th on the downhill Sixth Stage as a 4th-year when Juntendo won the overall title.
translated by Brett Larner
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