October 2019 Race Results

• As the weather cools, the racing season heats up. October began with the Nagareyama 10K, in Chiba. This 10K attracts 4,000 runners, and is held on a mostly flat course but with five ups and downs to keep it interesting. 10 Nambanners ran in weather that was slightly challenging: 22° but humidity of about 85%. Mike Trees 35:13 (2nd 50s AG – at age 57!), Renaud Isman 38:01, Nate Breznau 38:02 (visitor), Alan Cannon 39:07 (15th AG), Tony Collins 39:13 (PB), Andy Drought 39:39 (PB), Faith Geraghty 41:00 (3rd AG, PB), Ashley Harvey 42:24 (PB), Bob Poulson 43:32 (1st AG), Taeko Hara 54:37 (10th AG).

• The Aizu Tsuruga Castle Half Marathon is a nice race up in Fukushima, on a good course – if you don’t mind the possibility of being stopped by a train crossing – twice! (Rika and Dan were stopped.) Yuki Fukushima 1:18, Yoann Potiron 1:23:50 (PB), Kota Torii 1:29:52 (PB), Rika Homma 1:37:05 (9th AG), Roselle Kingsbury 1:41:36 (PB), Rui Natsuka 1:46:33, Dan Hewins 1:48:23 (PB with 30sec. stop), Glenn Rubin, Chika Kanai, Yumiko Kato, Ayano Onodera. Kinue Nishioka ran the 10K in a PB of 59:35.

• Shihori Shinsaka was at the Madarao Forest Trails 50K on the 6th and finished 4th in women’s category. Congratulations!

• The huge Chicago Marathon (45,000!) was on the 13th. Making the trip to the Windy City were Daigo Asada who went sub-3 with a 2:57:56, Yaeko Kubota and Carol Cunningham (from Sydney), both of whom ran sub-4:00 (Yaeko with a broken arm!).

• Yoshi and Yoko Fukuchi traveled to Victoria, Canada (1hr from Vancouver) for the Victoria Marathon, which has a beautiful course. Yoshi did great, finishing in 2:49:23, 1st in the 45-49 age group and his 20th consecutive sub-3 marathon!! Yoko unfortunately was a DNF due to a hamstring injury.

• David Sweet  and Yoko Kubo ran the Chuo-ku 10K on the 14th, in 39:39 and 51:32, respectively.

• Emi Do trekked her way through the 112K Trans Jeju trail race in 23hrs. 19min., finishing as 11th female. Wow!

• At the Gorman Cup in Minami-aizu on the 20th, Rie Onodera was 1st overall in the Half Marathon in 1:42:23 and Yuko Takamuki was 1st overall in the 10K in 46:03 – GREAT!! Yoko Kubo, Shinobu Shikauchi, Marcus Kosins and Hiroshi Sase also took part – it was a fun trip!

• Another annual trip and race and drinking party was the same day – the Koshu Fruit Marathon. Chika Kanai always makes the podium and did again this time, coming in 3rd in the Half. Also joining the fun, despite post-typhoon travel difficulties, were Yukari Oimatsu, Youri Lavoine, Mika Kume, Mike and Yuka Rayner, Glenn Rubin, Alan Cannon and Yoshie Niitsuma.

• On the 27th, Kota Torii ran the Teganuma Half in Chiba in 1:32:57. Yumi Kato and Rui Natsuka (1:48:06) also ran it, enjoying the flat course and music by local bands.

• Meanwhile, Youri Lavoine was at the Takao 15K Trail Run, where he placed 7th, after a 175k bike ride the day before.

• But the day’s major run was The Irish Run the World charity 5K, along the still messy Tamagawa, with lots of Nambanners participating.

• The most impressive feats of the month, however, were the efforts of Mika Kume and Nick Coyle at the Atacama Desert Ultramarathon. This was a 250km, 6-stage, self-supported run across all types of difficult terrain in Chile. Both of them not only survived, but did great. Nick finished 49th in a total time of 51 hrs., 43 mins. and Meeks finished 61st in 60 hrs. and 13 mins. A huge Well Done to both of them!

HAIKU

Don’t be a big bear.

Shuffling along. Be a

Hare, bounding lightly.