japan running news

by Brett Larner photo courtesy of STITCHrunner The 2013 International Chiba Ekiden lived up to expectations with a dynamic race that saw two-time defending champion Kenya  make it three in a row in a course record 2:03:59 for the six-stage, 42.195 km course with a team made up of three men and three women. Kenya led wire to wire, but despite a couple of scares from 2012 runner-up Japan  mid-race, Kenya managed to build a lead of over three minutes on the final two stages to seal the record-setting win.  Japan again took the silver spot in 2:07:13, with last year's 4th-placer Russia  moving up to 3rd just a few meters back in 2:07:22.  The 2012 bronze medal U.S.A.  team spent much of the race in the back half of the field, advancing to 5th on the anchor stage but outrun by 28 seconds by a team made up of the world's best collegiate distance runners, the Japanese University Select Team , 4th in 2:08:03. 2010 World XC champion Joseph Ebuya  (Ken...

by Brett Larner In its fifth year with a mixed men and women team format, the 2011 International Chiba Ekiden was one of the better editions in recent memory.  All three Kenyan men won their stages, with Patrick Mutunga Mwikya  and Edwin Nyandusi Mokua  setting stage records, while all three Japanese women won theirs including a stage record from anchor Hitomi Niiya , making for a tense race with lead changes on almost every stage.  Kenya came out 19 seconds ahead of the Japanese team for the win in 2:04:40 as both broke the old course record.  The defending champion, the Japanese University Select Team, was far back in 3rd in 2:07:26 after spending most the race battling 4th placer Russia.  The United States and Australia also had a good duel throughout the ekiden, American men Robert Cheseret  and Bobby Mack  making the top three on their stages and Australian women Lisa Corrigan  and Emily Brichacek  doing likewise.  ...