japan running news

Betsudai - the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon daigaku - university ekiden - a long-distance relay race faito - a courseside audience cheer; see ganbatte ganbatte (ganbare) - a courseside audience cheer; see faito gasshuku - an intensive training camp Hakone Ekiden - the annual university men`s championships jitsugyodan - corporate-sponsored professional running teams onsen - a hot spring Q-chan - Naoko Takahashi, the 2000 Sydney Olympics women`s marathon gold medalist, Olympic record holder and first woman to break 2:20 in the marathon rikujo - track and field, the marathon, and other running events Rikuren - the JAAF tasuki - the sash which is handed off during an ekiden zannen - too bad otaku - a nerdy, socially awkward person, usually male, who is obsessed with some esoteric topic

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This site is pretty comprehensive and has links to running team sites for many universities and schools throughout Japan, some of which seem to be dead links. The Kanto region in central Japan is the home of many of the best running universities; I have added links to most of these below as well as a few strong schools from elsewhere in the country. This article  talks about an American runner's experiences training with the Yamanashi Gakuin team. Men`s Teams Aoyama Gakuin * Asia * Chuo * Chuo Gakuin * Jobu * Josai * Juntendo * Kanagawa * Kokugakuin * Kokushikan * Komazawa * Kyoto Sangyo * Meiji * Nihon * Nittai * Ritsumeikan * Takushoku * Tamagawa * Teikyo * Tokai * Tokyo * Tokyo Gakugei * Tokyo Kokusai *  Tokyo Nogyo * Waseda * Yamanashi Gakuin Women`s Teams Bukkyo * Hokkaido Kyoiku * Josai * Josai Kokusai * Juntendo * Matsuyama * Meijo * Tamagawa * Ritsumeikan

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Links to elite runners' personal blogs. In Japanese unless otherwise noted. Yukiko Akaba (marathon) Minori Hayakari (steeplechase) Rena Joshita (hurdles) Yuri Kano (marathon) Manabu Kawagoe (coach) Kenji Kimihara (marathon) Akari Kishikawa  (middle distance) Yusei Nakao (track/road) Hiromi and Takami Ominami (marathon) Akemi Ozaki (marathon) Nobuharu Sato (coach) Yoko Shibui (marathon) Kiyoko Shimahara (marathon) Nobuaki Takata (marathon) Chihiro Tanaka (marathon) Katsutoshi Tanaka (secondary site here ) (marathon/steeplechase) Reiko Tosa (marathon) Mara Yamauchi (marathon) Mara Yamauchi (English) (marathon) Nissin Shokuhin (team)

Below is a ranking of Japan's 25 fastest marathon men graded relative to their era. The % difference indicated is that between the average of the athlete's 5 fastest performances and the average of the 5 all-time fastest performances at the midpoint of the athlete's career. The third of the athlete's 5 best performances chronologically is used as the midpoint. A % closer to zero indicates a stronger athlete relative to world standard during the athlete's career. Gold indicates a ranking within roughly the top 10 worldwide era-graded rankings, silver indicates top 25, bronze top 50, and green top 100. Click to enlarge. Updated 5/4/09

Below is a ranking of Japan's 25 fastest marathon women graded relative to their era. The % difference indicated is that between the average of the athlete's 5 fastest performances and the average of the 5 all-time fastest performances at the midpoint of the athlete's career. The third of the athlete's 5 best performances chronologically is used as the midpoint. A % closer to zero indicates a stronger athlete relative to world standard during the athlete's career. Gold indicates a ranking within the top 10 worldwide era-graded rankings, silver indicates top 25, bronze top 50, and green top 100. Click to enlarge. Updated 5/4/09

Below is a ranking of Japan's 25 fastest marathon men by the average of their 5 fastest performances. The date listed is that of the most recent of their 5 runs. Click to enlarge. Updated 5/4/09