japan running news

http://kumanichi.com/fsports/marathon/2015/kiji/20150117001.xhtml translated and edited by Brett Larner On Jan. 16 the organizing committee of the Kumamotojo Marathon announced the 18 men and women making up the elite field for the 59th running of the Kanaguri Hai Kumanichi 30 km Road Race scheduled for Feb. 15.  The list is packed with talent from this year's New Year Ekiden and Hakone Ekiden. At the top of the corporate ladder are Minato Oishi , the Fifth Stage winner for New Year Ekiden national champion Toyota , and 2013's 5000 m national champion Sota Hoshi (Fujitsu).  Three-time Hofu Yomiuri Marathon winner Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mongolia, NTN) and Kyushu Gakuin H.S. graduate Daiichi Motomura (Nissin Shokuhin) are also on the list. At last year's Kumanichi 30 km Yuma Hattori (Toyo Univ.) won in a collegiate national record 1:28:52.  This year his younger brother Hazuma Hattori (Toyo Univ.) takes up the challenge, looking to establish a Hattori dynasty....

http://www.plus-blog.sportsnavi.com/tokaisports/article/672 translated by Brett Larner At the Oct. 10 Izumo Ekiden, Tokai University long distance ace junior  Akinobu Murasawa  finished 2nd on the anchor stage.  Five days later he went for the 27:45 Olympic 10000 m A-standard at the Shizuoka Time Trials meet but came up short as he ran only 28:19.67.  Murasawa feels the impact of the double disappointment and talked to us about how it motivates him for the rest of the season. This year was your first time running the Izumo Ekiden.  You were 2nd on the anchor stage and put Tokai into 4th.  How do you feel looking back on these results? Murasawa: We didn't reach our goal of a top three finish because I couldn't run the way I should have.  The fact that I was 2nd on the stage just proves that I wasn't 100%.  As far as the rest of the ekiden season goes, that race taught me a lesson. What lesson is that? When I couldn't see the gap to the ru...