Lake Biwa marathon

Here, click on the orange ovals for each split.

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ja_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mat.jp%2fbiwako%2f2008%2fsection.html

At least 30 guys through 20K in under 61 minutes; awesome!

Shami won in 2:08:23.

another good win for shami as 4 go under 209

Final results; 131 finishers.

lee troop??

I give the update about Lake Biwa Marathon.

The temperature was ok (between 9 and 11 degrees), but there wasa very strong wind penalizing the runners, expecially after 30km, from 3 to more than 4 m/sec.

The pacers made a good job, expecially the last, Isaac Macharia, runner able to do 2:07:16 behind Gebrselassie in Dubai in January, that lead the group till 30k in 1:30:16. The race started fast but regular, with first 5k in 15:01 and a lot of people together, then 10k in 30:02 (apart the rabbits, Shami , Asmeron, Peter Kariuki, Baranovskiy, Troop, Rios and a lot of Japaneses, with Osaki, Onishi, Shimizu, Sato, Ikenaga, Fujiwara, Katayama, Ishige, Arai, Masuda, Nagao, Noguchi, Sakai and Isomatsu). Some wind against reduced the speed from 10 to 15 (15:08), and the train lost some wagon : between 45:10 and 45:13 there were Shami, Asmeron, Osaki, Onishi, Shimizu, Rios, Sato, Ikenaga, Fujiwara, Katayama, Ishige, Arai, Kariuki, Masuda, Baranovskiy, Nagao, Noguchi, Sakai and Isomatsu. From 15 to 20k the wind was favourable (14:57), passage of 60:07 for Shami, Asmeron, Osaki, Onishi, Shimizu, Rios, Sato, Ikenaga, Fujiwara, Arai, Masuda and Baranovskiy. The Japaneses were very aggressive, because for them this race was the last chance for being selected for Beijing, needing a time under 2:08:40. HM was, for this group, 1:03:23.After HM, the real selection began. Another fast 5k leaded by Macharia and Julius Maina (14:54, for leaded by Macharia and Julius Maina (14:54, for a time of 1:15 Maina (14:54, for a time of 1:15:01 at 25k) and only more 5 athletes in front : Shami, Asmeron, Ｏｓａｋｉ，　Ｒｉｏｓ　ａｎｄ　Sato, with Onishi in 1:15:05 and other over 1:1 in 1:15:05 and other over 1:15:20. 1:15:05 and other over 1:15:20. Baranovskiy was at 1:16:04 1:15:20. Baranovskiy was at 1:16:04, Troop at 1:16:20. When Macharia finished his job, left 2 athletes in front at Macharia finished his job, left 2 athletes in front at 30k : Shami and Asmeron in 1:30:16, with some meter on Osaki and Rios (1:30 with some meter on Osaki and Rios (1:30:20) some meter on Osaki and Rios (1:30:20), Sato (1: Osaki and Rios (1:30:20), Sato (1:30: and Rios (1:30:20), Sato (1:30:24 Rios (1:30:20), Sato (1:30:24) and (1:30:20), Sato (1:30:24) and Onishi (1: Sato (1:30:24) and Onishi (1:30:3 (1:30:24) and Onishi (1:30:37). Baranovskiy already in crisis was in 1:33:13, Troop dropped out.

Asmeron started to push, while the wind became very strong against, and took till 10 meters of advantage on Shami. At 35k, they, together, were in 1:45:30 (15:13), followed by Osaki (1:45:57) together with Rios, and Sato (1:46:06) followed by Onishi (1:46:08). At 37k, when the wind was stronger, Asmeron was no longer able to stay, and needed to reduce, so Shami took about 200m of gap. But, 2 km later, Shami had very deep blisters in his left foot, and had to reduce the pace, looking only for winning. That`s was the reason because the final was so slow, and he could not better the race record (2:07:34). His final 2,2k was the slowest of his life (7:07), and the other athletes could approach him again. In the last 3k, the Japanese Satoshi Osaki, understanding that could run under 2:08:40, was able to increase his speed, finishing in 6:43 the last 2,200m.

This are the official results :

1) SHAMI 2:08:23 (15:01 - 30:02 - 45:10 - 1:00:07 - 1:03:23 - 1:15:01 - 1:30:17 - 1:45:30 - 2:01:16 + 7:07)

2) ASMERON 2:08:34 (as Shami till 35, then 2:01:39 + 6:55)

3) OSAKI 2:08:36 (as Shami till 25k, then 1:30:20 - 1:45:57 - 2:01:53 + 6:43)

4) ONISHI 2:08:54 (as Shami till 25k, then 1:30:37 - 1:46:08 - 2:02:06 + 6:48)

5) SHIMIZU 2:09:23

6) RIOS 2:09:38 (as Osaki till 35k, then 2:02:14 + 7:24)

7) Tomoyuki SATO 2:09:59

8) IKENAGA 2:10:44

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13) Peter KARIUKI 2:13:38

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17) BARANOVSKIY 2:16:17

This Marathon can produce very good times if there is no wind, otherwise can be difficult running fast, but there is a very good organization, and local people follow the race with great appreciation, being this Marathon the oldest in Japan (first edition in 1946).

Renato, thank you for the excellent summary of the race. Much appreciated.

MDC

Renato, congratulations! Shami is a championship performer!

Do you happen to have his buildup schedule for this marathon performance? We would love to see it. Thanks, and what is next for Shami (Olympic Marathon, I assume)?

Renato, thanks for the great race summary. Congradulations on another great run by Shami. He has got to be on the short list of contenders for the olympic medals. Based on his win in tough conditions in Paris last spring, his worlds silver running with some hamstring problem? I believe, and now this win over a very strong field. Good luck to both of you in his recovery and Olympic prep.