japan running news

by Brett Larner updated 1/19/13 with start list The partner event to last weekend's National Women's Ekiden, the final men's championship ekiden of the season takes place this Sunday with the 18th National Men's Ekiden in Hiroshima.  Like the women's event, the National Men's Ekiden features 47 teams from each of Japan's prefectures made up of top junior high school, high school, university and corporate-league runners.  Although there is less cross-division competition than in the National Women's Ekiden, the three high school stages and two junior high school stages in the National Men's Ekiden have often been the site of the first national appearance of future stars while the 8.5 km Third Stage and 13.0 km anchor stage always feature the rare sight of the top New Year Ekiden pros and Hakone Ekiden collegiate runners going head to head.  The National Men's Ekiden is broadcast live nationwide and commercial-free on NHK starting at 12:15 p....

http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/sports/article/20121216000045 translated by Brett Larner The 20th National Junior High School Ekiden Championships took place Dec. 16 on the Yamaguchi Prefectural Seminar Cross-Country Course in Yamaguchi. Hyogo's Kakogawa Yamate J.H.S. won the six-stage, 18.0 km boys' division in 56:51, while Fujimi J.H.S. of Gunma took the five-stage, 12.0 km girls' race in 40:20. In its sixth appearance at Nationals Kakogawa Yamate's victory was decided in an exciting photo finish with rival Eishin J.H.S.  of Saitama, both schools being given the same time after Eishin anchor Daiki Ito  ran down a 41-second margin to Kakogawa Yamate's Yuki Sakamoto . Tochigi's Shioya J.H.S. took 3rd, while last year's champion Kushigata J.H.S. of Yamanashi could do no better than 18th. In its second time running Nationals Fujimi broke the existing course record. Okubo J.H.S. of Hyogo was 25 seconds back in 2nd, while defending champion Niihama Hi...

http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/sports/0005100503.shtml translated by Brett Larner The hope of the junior high world, Chikashi Ikeda  (Kakogawa Yamanote J.H.S.) is in great shape.  At a time trial meet at Baycom Field in Amagasaki on May 25 he ran 8:21.22 for 3000 m, breaking the seven-year-old J.H.S. national record.  Following closely behind a star runner from the illustrious Nishiwaki Kogyo H.S. team, he ran with determination and surprised even himself when he crossed the finish line.  "Did I really run that fast?" he asked in open shock. Throughout the run Ikeda tailed Keisuke Nakatani  (Nishiwaki Kogyo H.S.).  "He threw is some wild surges but I stuck with him," said Ikeda.  The pair split 2:50 through 1000 m and 5:38 through 2000 m, with Ikeda running a 2:43 final 1000 m.  With each lap Ikeda's turnover increased as the pace got faster and faster from what was planned.  He ran out of gas with one lap to go, taking 70 seconds fo...