japan running news

http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=48094.html

http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/news/20080519k0000e050087000c.html translated by Brett Larner Sumie Inagaki of Aichi Prefecture broke her own world record to win the women`s race at the 2008 Surgeres 48-Hour Ultramarathon. Held in Surgeres, France from May 16th to 18th, the Surgeres Ultra features a loop course 300 m in length. Inagaki set a new world record of 382.718 km to take 1st. Masae Kamura of Tokyo was 3rd. Ryoichi Sekiya of Kanagawa Prefecture likewise won the men`s competition, running 401.416 km to take the top spot. Last year`s winner Masayuki Otaki of Tokyo was 6th. This year`s event was the 23rd running of the Surgeres Ultra, making it one of the world`s great races. JRN reader Jaris sent a link to complete Surgeres results: http://www.48heures-surgeres.net/archive/2008/05/13/pointage_live_2008?hour=48

http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/main/20071125STXKA005625112007.html translated by Brett Larner Asia`s most prestigious 24-hour ultramarathon, the Togo International Ultramarathon in Taipei, took place from Nov. 24 to 25 on Togo University`s 400 m track. Ryoichi Sekiya of Kanagawa Prefecture won the men`s race, while Sumie Inagaki of Aichi Prefecture and Yuko Okiyama of Tokyo took first and third in the women`s race. Sekiya shattered the Asian record by 3 km, setting a new mark of 275.684 km. Inagaki ran a total of 232.920 km.