japan running news

 https://www.maurten.com/mariko-yugeta A photo essay with text on women's 60+ marathon world record holder Mariko Yugeta . Photos by Kaoru Fukui, text by Mika Tokairin.

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1106024/tokyo-2020-test-events-set-to-resume

In normal years a World Athletics silver label race with a field of 20,000, the Kobe Marathon has announced that it plans to go ahead with its tenth running on Nov. 21, 2021 with a full-sized field. In contrast to the Tokyo Marathon, which recently announced that it will hold its next running in October and will accept entries from abroad, Kobe will limit its event to residents of Japan and will not accept either mass-participation or elite athletes from abroad, citing the risk from the ongoing coronavirus crisis. It's too early to say whether this announcement has implications for whether the Fukuoka International Marathon two weeks later will be open to international entries for its final running . Fukuoka International typically accepts entries in September, and if they follow last year's process then if Japan's borders are not open at that time then they will not take international entries. The Kobe Marathon's entries open in June. Read Kobe's full announcemen...

a press release from the Nagoya Women's Marathon organizers - Nagoya Women’s Marathon was the first mass participation event in Japan since the Covid-19 pandemic started  - Organisers implemented a range of measures to prevent the spread and transmission of Covid-19  - 2 weeks after the event, which welcomed 4,704 runners in the marathon, there are no reports of Covid-19 infection or suspected cases  The Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2021 , the largest women’s marathon in the world and a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, was held on Sunday, March 14, 2021 as the first mass participation road race to be held in Japan since the Covid-19 pandemic started. From top elite athletes to general runners, a total of 4,704 women runners participated in the race and had a joy of running on the city streets of Nagoya. Another 4,052 ran the accompanying half marathon. To prevent the spread and transmission of Covid-19, various measures were taken at all event sites throughout the ...

With the Japanese academic and fiscal year ending Wednesday, this year saw one last blowout with decently competitive track time trial meets across the country. At the Asahi Kasei  corporate team's home track in Nobeoka , 2016 Rio Olympics steepler Kazuya Shiojiri  (Fujitsu) led five men under the 28:16.00 B-standard for May's 10000 m National Championships, winning in 28:09.10. Olympic marathon team alternate Shohei Otsuka  (Kyudenko) had a bad day of it, off the back in the first lap and finishing last in 29:55.91. Keijiro Mogi  (Asahi Kasei) led start to finish in the slower heat to win in 28:48.58. In suburban Tokyo, National University Ekiden and Hakone Ekiden champ Komazawa University  dominated the fast races at the Setagaya Time Trials meet. Komazawa's Takumi Karasawa  won the 5000 m A-heat in 13:40.90, with teammate Mebuki Suzuki  bouncing back from qualifying for the World University Games half marathon two weeks ago to win the 3000 m A-he...

It has been learned that the Fukuoka International Marathon , a longtime fixture on Fukuoka's December streets, will be discontinued after this year's race. A classic event long given official World Athletics certified status, 2021 will be the race's 75th edition.  According to a source involved with the organization, the JAAF, which is in charge of the event, made the decision that this year would be Fukuoka's last. Reasons cited for the decision include a loss of sponsors and the high cost of producing the television broadcast. The Fukuoka International Marathon has long been known as one of the fastest courses in the world and has been home to many famous athletes . The JAAF plans to make an official announcement of the historic event's termination soon. Translator's note: Following the end of the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon last month, Fukuoka International is the last of the purely elite-only men's marathons left in Japan. Lake Biwa will be incorporated...

 https://www.wsj.com/articles/olympic-torch-relay-kicks-off-tokyo-summer-games-11616638307?mod=e2tw

The 1st National Mixed-Gender University Invitational Ekiden took place Sunday in Nagai Park, Osaka. The first combined women's and men's team competition on the university ekiden circuit and featuring a six-stage, 20.0 km course, the new event aims to improve development for collegiate middle and long-distance running. Juntendo University  was the new event's first champion, taking the win in 1:01:53. Kyoto Sangyo University  was 36 seconds back in 2nd, with Nittai University  3rd another 15 seconds behind. Osaka University  was the top finisher among public schools, 9th overall in 1:04:42. The race's format saw men passing the tasuki to women and the women on to men. In their first experience of a mixed ekiden Juntendo's Hakone Ekiden team members Sodai Shimizu  and Tatsuya Iyoda  showed their strength despite the rain, the 4th-year Shimizu handling the 3.0 km opening leg and 2nd-year Iyoda the 5.0 km Third Stage. The team's captain, Shimizu smiled as h...