20-year old Japanese runner Genki Yagisawa runs 13:28 - Chris Derrick only ran 13:29 at at 20

That's 'only' 1 second faster

Yagisawa won't break 13:07

He might not run 13:07 if he moves to the roads like most Japanese runners. But Japan has produced some pretty decent track times recently (those two guys nearly breaking the 5k 10k national records). If they get a group to focus on the track their national records should go down at least (or if some guys go train with an American group)

the only thing I know about Japanese track runners is they come to big meets like stanford and burn out, finishing way behind the leaders, sometimes getting lapped, well behind their pr, despite not even going with the leaders initially. Show me these national record holders actually winning against international competition.

virginia runner wrote:

the only thing I know about Japanese track runners is they come to big meets like stanford and burn out, finishing way behind the leaders, sometimes getting lapped, well behind their pr, despite not even going with the leaders initially.

Like this year, for example?

Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational Stanford University --Stanford, California

Event 21 Men 10000 Meter Run Section 1

Finals

1 Ben St Lawrence Melbourne Tr 27:37.55

2 Suguru Osako Waseda University 27:38.31

3 Yuki Sato Nissin Foods 27:39.50

4 Chris Thompson Otc 27:40.81

5 Bashir Abdi Golazo Sports 27:43.99

6 Ryan Vail Unattached 27:44.05

7 Aaron Braun Adidas 27:44.58

8 Jake Robertson Unattached 27:45.46

9 Sean Quigley Boulder Track Club 27:50.78

10 Girma Mecheso Oklahoma State 27:52.38

Show me these national record holders actually winning against international competition.

Since you asked, sure. Here's the national record holder doing pretty well against international competition:

–_Men's_10,000_metres

What ever happened to Suguru Osako going to the Oregon Project?

If you read the blog post, that A heat had 30 finishers under 1405 - that's in one heat...I assume that this includes pros (include foreign athletes and the cream of the university runners (?) But considering only university results, anyone know how this compares to D1? How does this one meet produce as many fast times as an entire NCAA season? (Exaggeration for effect, but how far away am I? Brett?)I can't wrap my head around that number...or these ones either - at this meet there were 42 heats for the 5000m, with the largest having 48 finishers...With this kind of depth, I just don't understand why the Japanese just refuse to focus more on the track - there must be a few in there who can get down below 1310

LetsRun.com wrote:

http://japanrunningnews.blogspot.com/2013/09/20-year-old-genki-yagisawa-breaks.html

Brett Larner wrote:

Genki Yagisawa, a former high school star who has so far struggled to live up to expectations on the university ekiden circuit. Running in the 5000 m A-heat Yagisawa scored a massive 27-second PB of 13:28.79 for 2nd behind a PB run from Sendai Ikuei H.S. ace Hiram Ngatia (Kenya) and ahead of the likes of 2010 World XC junior silver medalist Clement Langat (Kenya/Team Subaru), his time making him only the second Japanese 20-year-old to ever go sub-13:30. For comparison, current #1 under-23 American Chris Derrick's best at the same age was one second slower, 13:29.74, with only four American 20-year-olds including Alberto Salazar ever clocking better times.

To be fair, Derrick did also run 13:29 at age 18. Did it again at age 20 and then improved to 13:19 at 21 and then 13:08 this year at age 22.

Just FYI, going thru the results of this particular Nittai Univ. Time Trials meet, it was the last 2 of the 42 heats that produced the sub 1405 times - 23 in the second fastest heat, and 30 in the fastest. Total number of sub 1400 minute times was 41 - again I have no idea how the college runners would rank in this, and there were some high-schoolers (Japanese and Kenyans) in the sub14s as well) but anyone want to make a comparison to the NCAA?

PARKER STINSON was faster at that age!!!

Lil Po No wrote:

PARKER STINSON was faster at that age!!!

Sadly, no.