japan running news

by Brett Larner Sendai Ikuei H.S. graduate Ruth Wanjiru (Kenya) and 2:06:46 man Eshetu Wendimu (Ethiopia) headline the international field at Sunday's New Taipei City Wanjinshi Marathon , where with good weather in the forecast the 2:17:17 and 2:34:52 course records are bound to fall.  Special guests in attendance to celebrate Wanjinshi's first edition as an IAAF bronze label race, the first label race in Taiwan, include include former pole vault world record holder and IAAF vice president Sergey Bubka . Wanjiru at the pre-race press conference. Wanjiru leads the small women's field of seven, the only woman there to have broken 2:30 in her career with a 2:27:38 at the 2009 Osaka International Women's Marathon.  In the absence of last year's winner Ji Hyang Kim (North Korea), Wanjiru's main competition look to be her countrywoman Rose Kosgei (Kenya) and Aregu Lechisa Awaki (Ethiopia). Miyata and Bubka. His 2:06:46 in Dubai in 2010 makes Wen...

by Brett Larner Tokyo-based Yuri Kano (Second Wind AC) took a break from her training for August's World Championships marathon to run in the women-only NYRR New York Mini 10k on June 7 in New York's Central Park. While winner Rose Kosgei of Kenya already had a lead of more than 20 seconds over Ethiopia's Ashu Kasim and a chase pack of eight at halfway, Kano ran in a smaller pack of four another 10 seconds back. She finished strong, picking off one member of the larger chase pack and nearly closing the gap on two more, but finished 9th overall in 33:43, exactly one minute behind Kosgei. Complete results from the New York Mini 10k are available here .