I agree.
It's just amazing that he could do this in two weeks.
He's a unique character and seems to be enjoying himself. And how long can any marathoner stay at peak. This seems to work for him. If I ever ran sub 2:10, then I would be able to criticize him. I mean its crazy but what ever works.
The best way judge an athlete's training approach is to look at their race results. In Kawauchi's case he has made a huge amount of progress over the last 5 years and is now international class over the marathon and 1/2 marathon distance. And he is still regularly pumping out PRs each year. These are facts not delusions.
You are free to express your opinion that his training or racing is stupid but you should also ask yourself again, how many full time working stiffs have run 2:08xx in the marathon? Maybe you believe that Kawauchi would run 2h 02 min in the marathon with your more intelligent/traditional training approach. Unfortunately this is something that cannot be proven. Maybe Kawauchi will burnout next year or get series of injuries that will end his career and you could have a point. But for now Kawauchi is still running strong and progressing and he may never have got to where he is now without using his own unique approach.
Beyond Impressed wrote:
The best way judge an athlete's training approach is to look at their race results. In Kawauchi's case he has made a huge amount of progress over the last 5 years and is now international class over the marathon and 1/2 marathon distance. And he is still regularly pumping out PRs each year. These are facts not delusions.
You are free to express your opinion that his training or racing is stupid but you should also ask yourself again, how many full time working stiffs have run 2:08xx in the marathon? Maybe you believe that Kawauchi would run 2h 02 min in the marathon with your more intelligent/traditional training approach. Unfortunately this is something that cannot be proven. Maybe Kawauchi will burnout next year or get series of injuries that will end his career and you could have a point. But for now Kawauchi is still running strong and progressing and he may never have got to where he is now without using his own unique approach.
It is also possible that if he were to change his current training (add mileage, intensity, etc.) that he might THEN get that injury. Like you said... it cannot be proven. What is important is that if he is reaching HIS goals... then his current training is working.
Half the 2012 US Olympic Marathon team either DNS'd or DNF'd.
Kawauchi has found a method that works well for him. We have no fact-based reason to criticize him.
Hey guys. Have you considered maybe he does 2 marathons in a month because he WANTS to? Isn't that reason enough?
If he ran two marathons a year, maybe he would have a 2:07 PR (maybe), but none of us would know his name.
The Japanese like Kawauchi will not make it in the running world. They run like 200 miles a week on pavement. That explains the 2 2:10 marathons he ran but his running career is not going to survive much longer.
sdfsdfsdfasdfdsfsdfsdfasdfasdf wrote:
The Japanese like Kawauchi will not make it in the running world.
So 2:08.XX isn't "making it"? The guy clearly runs to compete, and if anyone in the world is a competitor, it's him. So I'd say he's "making it".
sdfsdfsdfasdfdsfsdfsdfasdfasdf wrote:
The Japanese like Kawauchi will not make it in the running world. They run like 200 miles a week on pavement. That explains the 2 2:10 marathons he ran but his running career is not going to survive much longer.
Kawauchi does very low mileage for a marathoner. You can read about his training in a Running Times article from last year. I think it was something like 80 mpw mostly in singles.
sdfsdfsdfasdfdsfsdfsdfasdfasdf wrote:
The Japanese like Kawauchi will not make it in the running world. They run like 200 miles a week on pavement. That explains the 2 2:10 marathons he ran but his running career is not going to survive much longer.
Oh, like that guy named Bill Rodgers? :-/ Ho hum.
Maybe U.S. marathoner's need to be more like Kawauchi and run more marathons! I think the US had four (?) guys break 2:10 this year: Ryan Hall and Abdi both dropped out of the olympic marathon with injuries, Ritz ran a 2:07:47 in Chicago but has a long history of injuries, and Meb is pretty consistant but has had many injuries. Nobody seems very durable, they are getting old, and we don't seem to have many young guys turning in fast times. The guys from the 70's seemed to race more and have fewer injuries.
Has Kawauchi had any [significant] injuries in his career so far?
Maybe his reasons for running are the same as Ann Trason's.
Trason, a 34 minute 10k high school runner(20 years ago!), was extremely talented. She may have been able to make an Olympic marathon team if she had put her efforts in that direction. Instead she chose to run ultras (I think she won the Western States 100 mile race ten straight years, challenging even the best male runners) Not knowing Ann or her reasons, I am only speculating: but, maybe she ran for the sheer enjoyment of trail running. Running through the woods like a child. Maybe Kawauchi enjoys the physical sensation of running sub 5 minute miles, mile after mile.
Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do.
Bill Rodgers ran a 2:08:23 on a course that was 200 meters short (i.e. 2:09:00ish) two weeks after running 2:10:10 in NYC in 1976. Actually would have been his personal best yet NOBODY knows about it...
Two words.. Doug Kurtis.
Beyond Impressed wrote:
The best way judge an athlete's training approach is to look at their race results. In Kawauchi's case he has made a huge amount of progress over the last 5 years and is now international class over the marathon and 1/2 marathon distance. And he is still regularly pumping out PRs each year. These are facts not delusions.
You are free to express your opinion that his training or racing is stupid but you should also ask yourself again, how many full time working stiffs have run 2:08xx in the marathon? Maybe you believe that Kawauchi would run 2h 02 min in the marathon with your more intelligent/traditional training approach. Unfortunately this is something that cannot be proven. Maybe Kawauchi will burnout next year or get series of injuries that will end his career and you could have a point. But for now Kawauchi is still running strong and progressing and he may never have got to where he is now without using his own unique approach.
Great post. Kawauchi is obviously doing something right to be so consistent and without the sheer volume other guys are doing. His shorter distance PRs aren't anything special, yet he continues to improve those too.
casual commentary wrote:
Great post. Kawauchi is obviously doing something right to be so consistent and without the sheer volume other guys are doing. His shorter distance PRs aren't anything special, yet he continues to improve those too.
I think he just enjoys it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CprU8tIAjiYMy question is, why does this guy have to work full time? I know Japan has this great work ethic and all, but they have pro groups over there, why isn't one of them snapping him up? Does he have sponsors?
Zamboomba--
He works full-time because he wants to. He's had offers from corporate teams and has turned them down. As a government employee he doesn't have sponsors, and he seems to like it that way.
He texted last night and said, "This year I ran sub-2:13 five times. If I can get just a little stronger then I think I'll get to the point of being able to run sub-2:10 many times in one year."