This Friday in Japan: Hitomi Niiya goes for the 10000 NR

Aussiestatman wrote:

18 year old record, about 8 sec under her PB. This is the woman who won the Houston half in January. A quick time puts her in the mix for a minor medal in her home Olympics next year.

I think with the help of the dragonfly spikes (they are much better than most people realise/are willing to admit, already pulled her - a 4:20 1500m runner - to 14:55 this year) she will definitely break Yoko Shibui's NR, I predict a time of ~30:30. Sadly this still is way too slow for being in contention for a medal next year, even if she ran her 1500m PB at the end of a fast 10000m final the likes of Hassan, Gidey and Tirop still would finish 15+ seconds ahead of her. I hope she moves up to the marathon soon, with some traditional japanese marathon training there definitely is potential for a time of ~2:17 or even faster.

I feel like the main thing with the dragonfly, similar to the 4% etc, is that they save the legs from taking a beating in training and early in races which in turn allows for a stronger 2nd half of a race

Be honest: have you ever raced/done multiple hard sessions in the dragonfly, or are you speaking without experience?

Later tonight, hope you are right about the time.

Aussiestatman wrote:

18 year old record, about 8 sec under her PB. This is the woman who won the Houston half in January. A quick time puts her in the mix for a minor medal in her home Olympics next year.

Hitomi doesnt even have the quickest PB in her race. 38yo Kayoko Fukushi is running as well but her best is well behind her. 32.17.xx her one time this year and it is 2012 since she was faster than that.

First 5k in 15:07

split provider wrote:

First 5k in 15:07

30:20,46!! Even lapped 3rd place

split provider wrote:

split provider wrote:

First 5k in 15:07

30:20,46!! Even lapped 3rd place

Time got corrected to 30:20.44

Also nice depth, 2:20 marathoner Mao Ichiyama for second in 31:11 with in total 14 women going sub32.

Aussiestatman wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

18 year old record, about 8 sec under her PB. This is the woman who won the Houston half in January. A quick time puts her in the mix for a minor medal in her home Olympics next year.

Hitomi doesnt even have the quickest PB in her race. 38yo Kayoko Fukushi is running as well but her best is well behind her. 32.17.xx her one time this year and it is 2012 since she was faster than that.

Nice run by Niiya. That record should stand for a while.

Fukushi’s best days are well behind her. She does hold a slew of Japanese track records.

Niiya’s chances at an Olympic medal are close to nil. She has no wheels, and will be left in the dust in the last lap. See the 2013 world championships.

Just watched her run and she basically lead the entire thing from start to finish. She seems to do well running on her own but I'm sure she has even more in her if she could get a pacer to take some of the early leader. Either way 30:20 is super impressive. I think her best chances are in the marathon but she doesn't have time for move to that even by next year.