Japanese Marathoners - Why are they so much better than the Americans?

62 is slow

slow! wrote:

62 is slow

Cool story bro.

What are you talking about? wrote:

Japan's national record is 60:17. With 3 men under 60:30 for the half.

America national record is 59:43. With only 4 men under 60:30.

https://www.iaaf.org/records/all-time-toplists/road-running/half-marathon/outdoor/men/senior?regionType=countries&region=usa&drop=regular&fiftyPercentRule=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2019-03-02https://www.iaaf.org/records/all-time-toplists/road-running/half-marathon/outdoor/men/senior?regionType=countries&region=jpn&drop=regular&fiftyPercentRule=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2019-03-02

Correct:

Top 3 USA:

1)59:43

2) 59:47

3) 59:52

Top 3 Japan:

1) 1:00:17

2) 1:00:25

3) 1:00:30

Japan can't even get one guy under an hour!!

On what planet would someone surmise that Japan is better??

Japan with the big fat 0 for going under 60:30 last year:

https://www.iaaf.org/records/toplists/road-running/half-marathon/outdoor/men/senior/2018?regionType=world&drop=regular&fiftyPercentRule=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true

slow! wrote:

62 is slow

No it isn’t.

They suk wrote:

Japan with the big fat 0 for going under 60:30 last year:

https://www.iaaf.org/records/toplists/road-running/half-marathon/outdoor/men/senior/2018?regionType=world&drop=regular&fiftyPercentRule=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true

Other than Rupp, how many Americans went under 2:10 for the marathon last year?

ncrunner25 wrote:

“Japan produced more sub-2:08 and sub-2:09 marathoners in 2018 than the United States has in its entire history.”

Facts. True, America is better when it counts and we have had the absolute fastest person vs. Japan for some time, so I agree that the US has been better in some regard but obviously Japan has way more depth than the US. They have a culture of road racing and marathoning that we just can’t beat. If NCAA elites put everything into the marathon and eikidens then I think we would blow them out the water. We absolutely crush in the 800, mile, 5K versus them. Their mile record is 3:56. So everyone has their strengths

It's not binary. Once US Americans graduate there's no one forcing them to stick with the 5K/10K and perennially finish 6th or worse at USAs.

more ummm motivation

douglas burke wrote:

As for 2018 it is only 2 months old

Nope

Japan is clearly the third best nation in marathon at the present time. Kenya and Ethiopia being one and two in the world. Except for Galen the U.S. men are a third rate nation at the marathon distance.

For 2018

Number of runners under to 2:09: Japan 16 the U.S 1

Fastest time for the year: Japan 2:05 the U.S. 2:06

10th fastest: Japan 2:08 the U.S. 2:14

olyrun wrote:

Japan is clearly the third best nation in marathon at the present time. Kenya and Ethiopia being one and two in the world. Except for Galen the U.S. men are a third rate nation at the marathon distance.

For 2018

Number of runners under to 2:09: Japan 16 the U.S 1

Fastest time for the year: Japan 2:05 the U.S. 2:06

10th fastest: Japan 2:08 the U.S. 2:14

Number of flat, time trial type marathons run for the Japanese: 100%

Number of flat, time trial type marathons run for the US: 5%

Not sure why someone would pick 2:09 as some great time. If you're not running less than 2:07 nowadays you're nothing.

Not much a difference between US and Japan sub 2:07 is there?

As a matter of fact, only number one matters. Just as your handle suggests, the Olympics run is where you get to see the best nation vs nation. You'll see who's better than the US in 2020 just like you did in 2016...

What’s to prevent US marathoners from going to Japan to run these flat fast courses?

Nothing.

Kudos to the few Americans that will do it. Why not go for a 2:10 there instead of a fake 2:12 at CIM?

olyrun wrote:

Japan is clearly the third best nation in marathon at the present time. Kenya and Ethiopia being one and two in the world. Except for Galen the U.S. men are a third rate nation at the marathon distance.

For 2018

Number of runners under to 2:09: Japan 16 the U.S 1

Fastest time for the year: Japan 2:05 the U.S. 2:06

10th fastest: Japan 2:08 the U.S. 2:14

The IAAF keeps track of sub-2:12 marathon runners. In 2018 there were 283 runners who went sub-2:12. Here’s the breakdown:

Kenya: 138

Ethiopia: 63

Japan: 31

U.S.: 1

Rest of World: 48

lkhlh wrote:

Ignorant of history wrote:

GOLD

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2004_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women%27s_marathon

......

Soooo, now you're including the womens side too? Interesting.

By the way, do you have any idea how many medals the US has won over the last 100 years since you're willing to go back that far?

Step one: Make bold factually incorrect statement

Step two: someone helpfully provides objective evidence to prove your statement was wrong

Step three: dismiss and/or don’t acknowledge their evidence and pivot your argument in an attempt to keep yourself in what you perceive as the right.

Internet arguing in a nutshell.

The weather in Tokyo must have blown in from across the Pacific, because they all ran like Americans.

What is the average Japanese male height and weight? Isn’t it like 5’5” and 110 lbs? Makes a huge difference, both in training durability and in a race as long as 42.2k.

Same for women. Throw in a culture completely immersed in distance running and you are bound to have depth and produce more than a few studs.

And on the East African scale 2:12 is a sub elite performance.

olyrun wrote:

And on the East African scale 2:12 is a sub elite performance.

Exactly. In 20 years are we going to be counting all the guys in the US and Japan going under 2:30??

2:06 or 2:07 times at the least is what we should be looking at. What is the point of a 2:11 runner? Even 2:09?

Nice post, but the truth is americans are not factors in major marathons. ( yes we have done well at championships relatively speaking, Rupp and Meb.

American elite marathon times are some of slowest by any country.

Americans as a whole have slowed down. American elite distance runners start the marathon too late in age to maximize their best potential.

Key your eye on the upcoming spring marathons , facts speak louder than words.