LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD
JANUARY
- This year, as in the past 28 years, the first Sunday of December saw several Namban Rengo teams participating in the Okutama Ekiden out in the hills in western Tokyo. In fact, this year we had more teams than ever: 5 men’s and 3 women’s, for a total of 39 runners. Our top men’s team was 43rd (115 teams) and top women’s team was 22nd (49 teams).
- Also on the 4th (I think) Tomohiro Nezu ran the Itabashi Riverside Half Marathon in 1:27:37; Bob Johnston and Yuri Kambara ran the Naha Marathon in Okinawa; Yasuo Hayakawa ran the Izumi Half in 1:40:13; and over in the USofA, Brent Millican finished the California International Marathon with a 40 sec PB in 3:04:25.
- Not sure of the dates, but in warm, lovely Singapore, Stuart McIntosh completed two races: the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in 3:21:09 and the MR25 Marathon in 3:22 — 1st Veteran!
- The FIT 9.3km race was held in Omotesando on the 11th. Nizar Grira placed 4th in the 5K, Padraig MacColgain ran the 10K in 38:40, and Stan Chow also ran both the 10k and 5k for fun.
- That same day, in the New River Road 10 Mi’le, Yuki Fukushima ran 59:08 for 7th AG.
- And hopping over to Hawaii, Rika Homma completed the Honolulu Marathon in 3:42:09, as did Marcus Kosins in 4:07.
- And finally, Rie Onodera made it through the Izu Trail 71.7km race in 12:08 – a long, cold run.
- The first event of the year for Namban runners was the Iikoto 6-hour Relay in Nissan Stadium. Otsukaresama to Yukiko Kanazawa, Mika Kume, Mika Tokairin, Miyuki Nishida, Yoshiro Morioka, Nick Coyle, Yuichiro Mizukami and Bob Johnston. With support from Naoko Hanakawa and Steve Lacey.
- On the 15th, many Nambanners began the racing year as usual with the Shibuya Ekiden, as the club entered two men’s teams, one women’s team, one mixed team and one masters team. It was early and cold, but the runners ran, the cheerers cheered and the A team (Mike Hegarty, Kota Torii, Fabian Dubois, Yuki Fukushima) came in 4th.
- Also on the 15th, Rika Homma was out on Yokota Airbase for the popular Frostbite Half, where she recorded a PB of 1:42:44. Nice start to the year!
- Yoshie Niitsuma did the 30km Tokyo Smart Marathon around the Imperial Palace in 2 degrees weather, finishing in 3:19.
- PBs were the order of the day at the Chiba Marine Half on the 22nd. Runners and times were: Nizar Griar 1:20:20, Eric Lebrasseur 1:22:24, Derek Leong 1:23:59, Yuichi Kanamori 1:25:14, Marie Gras 1:27:15 Padraig MacColgain 1:35:37, Nick Coyle 1:39:24, Yasuo Hayakawa 1:41:52, Yuki Seshimo 1:53:07, Yumiko Kato 1:55, Celine Bouny 2:00:18, Pat Higase, Mike and Yuka Rayner
- Down in Texas in the good ‘ol USA, Brent Millican ran the 3M Half Marathon in 1:26:54, good for 6th in his AG.
- Bob Johnston and Hemand Tiklar ran the Tokyo 30K on the 28th.
- There were several races on the 29th. Quite a few people were at the Shinjuku City Half, as described in the story to the right. At the Tateyama Wakashio Marathon, Terry Minegishi ran 3:41:53 and Nick Coyle 3:54:10, while Jay Johannesen came in 2nd AG in the 10K, And Emmanuel Gomez and Mika Tokairin ran the Katsuta Marathon, Emmanuel racing to a 9-minute PB of 2:49:17!
FEBRUARY
May you enjoy good running in 2017.
Wednesday nights in Yoyogi Park. Meet at the kiosk 100m inside park entrance near Harajuku station at 7:15pm.
- 1 – 1000 x 6
- 8 – 2000, 1000 x 3, 500 x 2
- 15 – 1000 x 5, 500 x 2
- 22 – 5,000m time trial
- 26 – Tokyo Marathon
HAIKU OF THE MONTH
Wearing sunglasses.
Not ‘cause it’s too bright to run.
Cold hurts your eyeballs.
— Thanks to Anna Novick for the idea.
