Japanese senior men cross country team have decent runners, many of them around 27:50-28:10 for 10,000 track, but despite those fine credentials, usually finish 3-4 minutes behind the leaders!
Here are some stats and positions from the Japanese team at this year's World Cross.
89th - Y.Iwamizu, 38.11 (3.33 behind Bekele). 1.74/53kg, 5000/10,000 - 13:37.99/28:18.64, 3000 steeple - 8:18.93, Half Marathon - 62:21, 10 miles road - 46:43 (d.o.b. 1979)
94th -Yuki Sato, 38:19 (+3.41 behind), 1.78/59.00, 5000/10,000 - 13:23.57/27:51.65 (d.o.b.1986)
95th - T.Ugachi, 38.20 (+3.42), 1.63/43.00 (tiny man!), 5000/10,000 - 13:48.97/28:45.08, Half Marathon - 62:54 (dob - 1987)
106 - M.Tobimatsu, 38.22 (+3.54), 5000/10,000 - 13.54.40/28:32.45 (dob - 1980)
116 - Yuki Nakamura, 38.43 (+4.05), 1.70/51.00, 2000 - 5.10.97, 3000 - 7.56.21, 5000 - 13.31.67, 10,000 - 28.12.37
(dob - 1981)
121 - Satoru Kitamura, 38.48 (+4.10), 1.61/50.00 (jockey size!), 5000/10,000 - 13.40.98/28.00.22 (07), (dob - 1986)
123 - Hiroyoshi Umegae, 38.49 (+4.11), 1.73/60, 3000 steeple - 8.46.09
124 - Hidekzazu Sato, 38.51 (+4.13), 1.80/58 (unusual tall thin Japanese), 5000/10,000 - 13.39.87, 28.10.32 (dob - 1986)
The Japanese do well in Junior races (guys and girls, esp. girls) but then in the senior races, they do not do themselves justice. 28:00 minute track 10,000 guys finishing 4 minutes behind the top Africans does not make sense. Is it physical or psychological. There is no physical reason as to why they should not run well on the cross country courses. When you have a 13.23/27.51 runner (Sato) finishing more than 3.5 mins behind the leader, there is a problem somewhere.
Based on their track and road credentials, some of those guys should be dicing for the spots in 30-50th, not back in the 90's and 100's.
Other interesting participants finishing down the field.
47th - Wilson Busienei 37.02 (+2.24)
54 - M. Dos Santos 37.17 (+2.39), Marilson has times such as 13.19/27.30/2:08 - NYC Marathon winner
57 - Jose Manual Martinez 37.21 (+2.43) superstar 'Chema' did not have a good run here.
85 - James Carney 38.04 (+3.26), 27.45 10,000 runner
120 - Reyes Estevez 38.47 (+4.09) - 3.31/1500 runner
Cross country is the toughest event to run well in. And those who do well in World Cross are the toughest runners. There is no pain that matches that of cross country, with the 4 minute per mile pace initial kilometre, followed by bursts of speed, and constant variation in pace.
My favorite runner on the cross country circuit - Paul Tergat, for his smooth running, followed by John Ngugi, for his courage and ability to go alone for large portions of the race.
Kenny is a great runner, but he just sits and lets the others do the work, until the last possible moment. I preferred the Tergat and Ngugi styles.
Ghost in Korea,
, apply now, good conditions, c.moulton