japan running news

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2013/01/11/kiji/K20130111004955310.html translated and edited by Brett Larner Their ultimate goal is the stuff of dreams: a medal.  With their current sponsorship set to expire at the end of March, all twelve athletes and staff members on the S&B Foods team appeared at a Tokyo-area press conference on Jan. 10 to formally announce their new contract with cell phone video game maker DeNA.  Team DeNA supervising head coach Toshihiko Seko , who made the Japanese men's Olympic marathon team for Moscow in 1980, Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988, was clear about his grand ambitions for the new project: "We are going to produce athletes who can win a medal in the marathon at the Olympics.  With the Olympics coming to Tokyo in 2020 we're not interested in anything else.  I hope others will share in this dream." As a starting point, the team's first goal is to win the New Year Ekiden national championships within three yea...

http://www.yonden.co.jp/press/re1301/1180944_1968.html translated by Brett Larner The Shikoku Denryoku company regrets to announce that due to the difficulties currently facing the power industry our executive board has been forced to adopt strict efficiency measures throughout the company, and that as a part of these measures the Shikoku Denryoku men's and women's running team will be disbanded at the end of the current fiscal year in March. The running team was founded in April, 1992 as part of our company's 40th anniversary with the aims of: Contributing to the development of sports within the Shikoku region and fostering an atmosphere of interaction and exchange with local residents. Building morale, unity and camaraderie within the company by uniting employees in supporting the team's activities. Over the last 20+ years through its record of achievement in the National Corporate Ekiden Championships and at major marathons, in the number of team members w...