stuck in japan wrote:
Yes, of course a US runner can be successful on a Japanese corporate team but...
Due all respect to the self professed experts on the issue Americans aren't wimps as you seem to be implying. And I surmise this incorrect assumption of the US runner stems from your turning the myth of Japanese running into reality. In particular the person writing under the moniker "Nobby", you're dead wrong about both sides of the Pacific. Christine MacNamara a full blooded American excelled in Japan. She went even further than running for herself - she helped the coach build a newly established company team (Tenmaya) into becoming a household name in Japan in less than two years. Chris is a legend in woman's running teams out here. Her example is the benchmark by which athletes are measured. She was the ultimate team player, mentor and go-to girl. In short, Miss MacNamara was no slacker.
And on the other point - African runners in Japan, I wish the truth about us was one percent closer to what Nobby believes. Douglas Waikuhuri wrote no letter to Nakamura. If Nobby really knew him he would have also known that Douglas is the nephew of the great Wilson Waigwa (ex-UTEP). And Wilson through the Kenya based Japanese 'agent', MR. Japan (Not his real name) arrainged for Douglas to go to Japan. MR. Japan is the single most important figure in Japanese corporate team recruitment. He has single handedly funelled east African runners - Ikangaa, Waikuhuri, Osano, Wainaina, Esther Wanjiru et al - to Japan for marathons and Ekidens. He is their unregistered agent. He fixes company contracts for them - and I do mean fix, arranges to have them repatriated when injuries cut their careers short... I was warned about him by Filburt Bayi back in '82 when I met him as a junior runner in my home country. "That man is interested in taking you to Japan," Filburt said, "go to America instead. He is not a very honest man. Ask all the Kenyans and Tanzanians that he has taken over there and abused..."
The point is I am in Japan now - sorry Filburt, I should have listened to you, and I am still waiting to be paid my fee which was clearly an annual up-front fee. The company Mazda Motor Corporation has yet to pay me a single dime of my running fees for seven years. Telling one lie after another about how and when they'd pay. Today 14 years later I'm still waiting for more than $700 thousand in fees. And what does Mazda tell me? "The chairman was part of the scam so we can't really ask him..." Mazda HR.
And I am not the only foreign runner in this predicament. American runners to be fair to you, you should be taking this topic as an insult. You are not very welcome in Japan because they (Japanese corporations) are afraid of you so they won't try to recruit you. They believe that they can't cheat you as easily as they can cheat us Africans and as many top coaches have said to me, Americans call their embassy...
There is nothing you can't handle out here, except perhaps the running lifespan. Corporate runners on average have a three year running life span. One injury and it's off to the knackers. No such thing as rehab out here. Injured athletes walking instead of jogging are admonished publically and sent home while the rest of the team is at training camp. We usually got back to find young 'Joe' was no more - sacked. Explanation? Heck no! Ask, "where's Joe?" and you might as well be speaking to the bonsai shrub in front of you. The local runners are treated worse than they treat us Africans. It's really no place to be holding in such esteem. I believe it's about time somebody set the record straight.
Japanese Olympians are nothing after the games and especially after injury. A gold medal is everything, the rest simply scrap. Life in company teams makes sweat shops look like garden parties. A life of human rights abuses is definitely not a standard by which US runners should be judged.
I take it very personally when they say US runners lack the stuff to make it out here. Nobody makes it out here! This is a gulag. Leaving Japan or the team with your wits and dignity like Miss MacNamara did is the only success you can think about. And apologese to Chris for personal pains and losses she did not talk about.
Running in Japan as a measure of success? Phrrrr...
But a message to any American friend, success for you will come through finding an appropriate coach. Keep your focus on the advice of that one person. Don't divide you loyalties!!!! However, consult with the great American runners of the past (read, watch old films, talk to veterans etc.) and that means going past Ralph Cunningham's era. You need roots upon which to grow your running pride. Pedigree is seriously lacking among many of you - your emmotional foundations could be stronger. Trust me, if you've got pride you've got half the goods to lead you through training and competition. If I could improve in your great country heck there's nothing to stop you. And you've got home track advantage!