Alistair Cragg runs 63:39 half and comes 65th!

We should all just be happy to see him finish a race.

Are we certain this was an accurate course?

fen trekker wrote:

Are we certain this was an accurate course?

Marugame is AIMS certified.

Also luckily for Cragg Japanese races usually award prize money by time rather than place.

We should all just be happy to see him finish a race.[/quote]

Veeeery good one!

Wow, a little clump of Kenyans up front, gap, then an endless stream of Japanese from 1:01:30+

Would be a winning time at a Rock n Roll half.

90 under 65

179 under 70

Sailor Bob wrote:

90 under 65

179 under 70

WTF!

Yuki Kawauchi in 27th at 1:02. What a beast, the guy never takes a rest

I cannot think of any races that come anywhere near as close in terms of depth. What sort of training do the Japanese do? Is it Lydiard based?

All based on the clock for the Japanese, with timed circuits and runs from 2k to 30k timed by their coaches, on marked courses, mostly in small parks but also on main roads. They do little running on trails, and mostly wear light road racing shoes or hybrids.

Don't believe the hype about Japanese running slow distance on their non workout days (of which there are few). I timed most of the guys, and they would mostly run around 3.45 - 4.00 (slowest) per km on their easy days, doubling up.

Interesting to note Baranovsky (Ukraine 2.07 marathon guy) finished in the 50s in this race, and Rashid Kisri (Morocco), a 2.07 man, was in the 20s. The Japanese possibly have more depth than anyone, save the Kenyans.

Work ethic second to none.

Ghost in Saudi,

www.kfupm.edu.sa

, apply today

If they could only translate their HM performances either downward to 10,000m or upward to the Marathon. A 1h02' Kenyan will run a 2h07' Marathon, but a 1h02' Japanese will either DNF or run 2h10' in the Marathon or never make it. Such a bummer, but a flaw in Japanese training methodology.

Kawauchi ran a 1:02:18 PR @ he has run 2:08 so...

The BAA should NOT have let him into Boston without a Boston Qualifier.

A fairly fast half marathon is still NOT a Boston Qualifier.

Money money wrote:

The BAA should NOT have let him into Boston without a Boston Qualifier.

A fairly fast half marathon is still NOT a Boston Qualifier.

Yeah, because a guy who runs 62 should have to prove that he is capable of 3:05.

Sowler wrote:

If they could only translate their HM performances either downward to 10,000m or upward to the Marathon. A 1h02' Kenyan will run a 2h07' Marathon, but a 1h02' Japanese will either DNF or run 2h10' in the Marathon or never make it. Such a bummer, but a flaw in Japanese training methodology.

DNF? Japanese marathoners almost never DNF. Most 2:06-2:07 Japanese marathoners (there are 11) have not broken 62, or not by much. Likewise for the 23 guys who have run 2:08.

Doesn't matter when the fcker makes his debut at Boston and DNFs

yeah man, the japanese have crazy depth. tons of blue collar runners.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=4269574

another half marathon in japan is referenced in the link...

I have always wondered whether the depth of Japanese elite/sub-elites was due to the many post-collegiate racing opportunities or whether the post-collegiate racing opportunities are there because of the depth. Chicken and the egg issue.

I think the US would have similar depth if there were the same post-collegiate opportunities. Aside from the smattering of USATF championship road races, most post-collegiate runners in the US have no competition at local races. They usually give up on racing after a few years of winning the local 10k by a minute or two.