Yuta Shitara named Japan’s Long Distance Runner of Year

Japan’s Yuta Shitara has the potential to run 2:06:30, based on his 1:00:17 half. Moen’s disciplined pacing at Fukuoka is a role model for Shitara. Based on Shitara’s two marathons to date there’s no sign that he intends to approach the marathon with the same maturity and professionalism as Moen, but if he did he would be Japan’s best chance of seeing its 2:06:16 national record broken. Shitara ran like no one else in Japan this year to earn the Japanese long distance man of the year title.

posted Wednesday December 27th