Amateur third in Tokyo marathon

opus

Spotted this earlier on today, amazing performance from someone who isn't a full-time athlete!

Amateur runner Yuki Kawauchi finished third in the men's Tokyo Marathon on Feb. 27, overtaking semi-professional Japanese athletes to qualify for the world athletics championships this summer.

Kawauchi, 23, a full-time employee with the Saitama Prefectural Government, took third place in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 37 seconds. Some 36,000 runners from Japan and abroad took part in the event.

More...

I watched the youtube video and looks like he emptied the tank to get over the line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StGekhxY-qg

asimonov

wow. that looked pretty intense.

ElectraX

Incredible stuff. Only giveaway that he's an amateur is the stumbling over the line and collapsing in a heap.:D

robinph

The finish of that course looked a bit evil with all the little hills.

tunguska

That guy is my new all time hero. That was incredible, strangely moving aswell.

nerraw1111

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nerraw1111

More on Kawauchi. Fascinating insight into running in Japan.

Kawauchi had run only five marathons in the past. Four of those times, he ended up in the medical clinic after reaching the finish line.

"I run with no fear of dying,"


Yuki Kawauchi crossed the finish line and collapsed in exhaustion. The unassuming runner overcame his embarrassment at keeping pace with the bigger names in the field and spurted to a third-place finish in the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday.

As the top Japanese finisher in the race, Kawauchi will represent Japan at the World Championships this summer in Daegu, South Korea. That is, if he can get time off work.

"I'd like to make a decision after a talk with my boss," he said.

Kawauchi, 23, is a public servant of the Saitama prefectural government. He works at the prefectural Kasukabe High School collecting school lunch fees, issuing certificates and performing other tasks.

He is also known as a "citizen" runner--marathoners unaffiliated with a professional or corporate team.

Rest of the article here:

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201103010381.html

RHRN

nerraw1111 wrote: »

More on Kawauchi. Fascinating insight into running in Japan.

Kawauchi had run only five marathons in the past. Four of those times, he ended up in the medical clinic after reaching the finish line.

"I run with no fear of dying,"

Doesn't surprise me, straight into a heap after the finishing line!
Mental stuff :eek:

petermijackson

Central Governence that was discussed on Marathon Talk a few months back - perfect example of it

Mr Slow

Imagine trying to explain why to a non runner. That guy is amazing.