japan running news

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20130117/ath13011720530000-n1.html translated by Brett Larner The Shiseido corporation has announced that women's long distance team head coach Tsutomu Hiroyama , 46, will retire from the team at the end of March.  The announcement comes partly as a consequence of the Shiseido team's 13th place finish at December's National Corporate Women's Ekiden, the latest in a series of increasingly shaky results in recent years.  Hiroyama's wife Harumi Hiroyama , 44, who beginning with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics made three straight Olympic teams in track distance events, has been serving as an assistant coach and according to the announcement will also retire from the team.  Following their departure current coaching staff member Toshitaka Andoji , 47, will be promoted. Tsutomu joined Shiseido in 1989, switching the focus of his own career as an athlete to coaching and helping to develop Harumi and others.  The couple's stoic characte...

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20090310-OHT1T00006.htm translated by Brett Larner Rikuren's new division charged with strengthening Japanese marathoning announced on Mar. 9 that it plans for the members of the women's marathon team for this August's World Championships to prepare together at a special training camp in Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A. The planned camp will begin in mid-May and last for about one month, ending before the June 25-28 National Track and Field Championships in Hiroshima. Along with the extra motivation of working together toward a common goal, it is hoped that the improved medical care and communication between coaches made possible by having all of the runners together in one location will help to increase the international competitiveness of the national team members. Confirmed team members Yoshimi Ozaki (Team Daiichi Seimei) and Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido) will take part in the camp, and probable members Yuri Kano (Second Wind AC) an...

http://www.topics.or.jp/localNews/news/2009/02/2009_123362622264.html http://www.47news.jp/CN/200902/CN2009020201000205.html http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2009020200646 translated and edited by Brett Larner Veteran long distance runner Harumi Hiroyama (40, Team Shiseido) announced on Feb. 2 that she plans to retire following her run in March's Tokyo Marathon. "The Tokyo Marathon will be my last race as a professional athlete," she told reporters. If her preparations for Tokyo go smoothly Hiroyama will run the Feb. 22 Kaifugawa Marathon in her native Fukushima Prefecture as a tuneup race. However, Hiroyama's husband and Team Shiseido head coach Tsutomu Hiroyama (42) cautioned that she is currently injured and may be unable to run in Tokyo. If this proves to be the case she will target another race for her last run. "Since turning 40 it has become harder and harder for Harumi to stay mentally strong and to keep in top form," Coach Hiroyama explaine...