My life is getting shorter," says Naomasa Kimura over a fried pork cutlet rice bowl drizzled in a sweet and savory sauce. "It's too much. I promised my wife this is the last time I try... It's a touchy subject." The 41-year-old inventory manager at a tractor company in Osaka is sitting at a cramped restaurant table with five other men eating the same dish in the lush, wooded town of Komagane in the valley splitting Japan's Southern and Central Alps.
It's a cool, damp June evening, and cheery garden gnomes are perched on a windowsill holding tools and politely observing the conversation. Most of the men are rail-thin with muscular legs, and several are wearing T-shirts from 100-mile races. They've each run a sub-3:20 marathon in the past year (most sub-3:00), a feat that satisfies one of the many prerequisites to even be invited to tomorrow's Athlete Selection Event, a two-day qualifier for the biennial Trans Japan Alps Race (TJAR) in August. The encyclopedic rabbit hole of entry requirements and necessary physical achievements is so demanding and convoluted that qualifying for one of the 30 spots in the actual race might be more impressive, and dangerous, than finishing it.
Roughly 70 applicants submitted documentation of their attempts to meet the requirements, which among many other things, included camping at least 10 nights above 6,562 feet (2,000 meters) and completing a race with an event time cutoff of 25 hours or more in less than 60 percent of that time. With 60 available spots, 59 runners gained entry to the two-day trial and were informed one month in advance.
This story is from the Issue 02, 2023 edition of Runner's World US.
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This story is from the Issue 02, 2023 edition of Runner's World US.
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Twenty-One Years Ago, He Incarcerated Was for Life. Last Year, He Ran the NYC Marathon a Radically Changed Man.
Rahsaan Thomas rounded a corner.
100 WOMEN. 100 MILES. ONE HISTORIC RECORD.
On June 3, 2023, a group of 100 women came together to reclaim the 100x1-mile relay world record. | It reminded her of what she loved about running in the first place: a tight-knit community of women.
CAN YOUR GARMIN WATCH REPLACE A COACH?
Artificial Intelligence continues to rapidly creep into seemingly every facet of our daily lives. While no amount of computer learning will ever be able to do the actual running for you, there are aspects, like coaching, where AI could have a meaningful impact. In every debate about Al, the conversation almost always includes this question: Is it better than what humans can accomplish? In the case of running, would Coach AI be better than, say, Ed Eyestone, a two-time Olympian and coach of Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, the top two men at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February?
A SHORTLIVED AFFAIR WITH A WALKING BOOT
“Usually, engage in all kinds of activities when start a relationship. With you, Fiking, dancing, and running are clearly of the table.”
HOW TO (NOT) COMPETE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER
Our first race together was a 5K Color Run. I'm not sure why we signed up, because neither of us was a runner, but in May 2016, my boyfriend of three years, Jonathan, and I showed up to run around the parking lot at Citi Field. It was fun, but I didn't think it would amount to anything.
GAMIFY TRAINING TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU
Instead of sticking to an iron-clad structure and numbers, I've tailored it to what motivates me, borrowing from the community around me and learning from their training.
THIS KITCHEN GADGET IS AN UNHERALDED TRAINING TOOL
Not only would the rice cooker help me meal-prep and pile on the carbs, but it was a badge of honor, a commitment to serious training.
REASONS TO RACE BEYOND CHASING A TIME GOAL
It's the determination, joy, and pride I see shine on everyone-a unique light that seems to illuminate most when running races-that brings more meaning to the miles.
A LIFETIME JOURNEY OF FUELING MISTAKES
DURING THE 2023 New York City Marathon, Runner's World set up shop in an empty storefront on West 57th Street with Adidas and hosted three days of inspiring talks, shakeout runs, and shoe demos.
THE ACCIDENTAL JOY OF RUNNING WITHOUT HEADPHONES
I'M FUMING. I rummage through my work tote, turn my workout bag inside out, lift every notebook on my desk, go through the pockets of every piece of clothing in my zone of vision, then my tote again... It's 5 p.m. I'm standing in the middle of the office dressed for a run, but my AirPods are nowhere to be found-and I can't possibly leave without them!
