Running News Daily

2021 Nagano Marathon has been cancelled due to the pandemic

The Nagano Marathon organizing committee held the meeting on February 2nd at Nagano city and decided to cancel the 23rd Nagano marathon.

This is the judgement to put utmost priority to safety to participant runners and local residents considering the condition of coming April cannot be foreseen because 11 prefectures in Japan are still under the second proclamation of state of emergency due to the spread of new coronavirus.

The committee has considered the necessary infection prevention measures, however the spread ot the third wave infection, which began from around November last year, is continuing and the state of emergency period is expected to be extended.

for only this time, the applicant will be given a full refund of the entry fee and will also be given priority entry to the next Nagano marathon. In addition, we are planning to hold alternative events such as online marathon that can be held without runners becoming crowded. 

We are going to prepare for the next Nagano Marathon hoping new coronavirus will go down as soon as possible and both domestic and foreign runners will be able to participate in the next race with smiles.

Thank you very much for your continued support. The Nagano Organizing Committee. 

(02/05/2021) Views: 1,054 ⚡AMP

The 22nd Nagano Marathon was trying to make it work but in the end like so many other races they have cancelled their marathon for 2020

The Nagano Marathon was one of the few major races in world in April featured by My Best Runs that had not been cancelled or postponed.  "Like so many other races they tried to make it happen," says Bob Anderson, MBR director, "but in the end COVID 19 won the battle. Today the Marathon organizers posted the following message on their wesite."

"The Nagano Marathon Organizing Committee (composed of Japanese Olympic Committee, Japan Association of Athletics Federations, Nagano Prefecture, Nagano City and The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun / Co-host: NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)/ Superintendence: Nagano Athletic Association) had the meeting on 25th March and has decide to cancel the 22nd Nagano Marathon planned to held in Nagano City on 19th April, 2020.

This is the decision to put utmost priority to safety and prevent spread of new-coronavirus (COVID-19) in the situation in which the end of the pandemic has not yet been seen.

The Nagano Marathon Organizing Committee has considered the measures to hold the race safely with carefully watching ever-changing world situation, cooperating with respective related organizations.

However, The Nagano Marathon Organizing Committee has thought the risk of infections cannot be excluded completely for this race in which approximately ten thousand runners will participate and there are many chances for runners, volunteers who support the race, staffs and spectators along the course to get together.

The numbers of runners for the 22nd Nagano Marathons are 10,743 runners for domestic general entry, 392 runners for foreign general entry, 30 runners for visually impaired person’s entry and 11,217 runners in total together with guest runners and corporate team’s runners.

The Nagano Marathon Organizing Committee is considering specific ways to address to the runners and will inform you at a later date.

Thank you very much for your understanding and kind cooperation for Nagano Marathon."

(03/25/2020) Views: 1,578 ⚡AMP
by Race Organizers

Another close finish as Jackson Kiprop wins Japan’s Nagano Marathon by just three seconds

Jackson Kiprop became the first Ugandan winner of the Nagano Marathon while Meskerem Hunde won the women’s contest at the IAAF Bronze Label road race on Sunday (21).

Both races were close. Kiprop, who finished 10th in the marathon at the 2013 and 2015 IAAF World Championships, won the men’s race by just three seconds in 2:10:39, while Meskerem won the women’s race by 14 seconds in 2:33:32.

It was Kiprop’s second marathon victory to date and the second-fastest time of his career after the 2:09:32 PB he set on his debut at the distance when winning in Mumbai in 2013.

The men’s contest was a typical race of attrition. A large pack was reduced to seven runners by the half way point (1:04:59). By 30km, the lead pack was reduced to four runners and five kilometres later the race turned into a duel between Kiprop and Deresa Geleta.

Kiprop outkicked Geleta at the end to win by three seconds. Japan’s Naoya Sakuta finished third in a PB of 2:11:21. Kering, the fastest runner in the field, was fourth in 2:12:45.

The women’s race was decided in the final kilometre. A lead pack of seven runners were together at the half way point but just three remained – Valentine Kipketer, Kebene Chala and Meskerem Hunde at 25 kilometres.

They stayed together past 35 kilometres before Kipketer, the fastest in the field, dropped behind. Hunde left Chala in her wake in the final two kilometres to win by 14 seconds in 2:33:32, the second fastest marathon of her career.

(04/21/2019) Views: 1,988 ⚡AMP
by From IAAF

Former Amsterdam Marathon winner Valentin Kipketer from Kenya Is going after a new course record in the Nagano Marathon on Sunday

"I have had to deal with injury concerns, but I have been in top fitness for the last three months. This has enabled me go through training well and I have cleared my training program," said Kipketer on Tuesday in Nairobi.

Kipketer will lead four other Kenyans in their tour of Japan and hopes with better preparations, she will be able to do well on her debut in Japan.

"I have been working on my speed in the last week. Hopefully, it will pay off in Nagano," she added.

Kenya's Beatrice Jepkemboi and Pauline Wangui will be leading women on the course eyeing to add the city's marathon to their collection.

Kipketer holds a fast time of 2:23:41 in Chicago 2016, but has not won a race in the last two years. She will have to be at her best game to beat home talent Hiroko Yoshitomi (2:30:09).

Ethiopia's challengers will be led by China's Nanjing Marathon champion Kebene Chala (2:30:49). Others are Tizita Terecha (2:31:45) and Meskerem Hunde (2:33:50).

"It is a strong line-up of veteran runners. But if you focus on the strength of your opponents, then you will be beaten in the mental battle. I want to look at my own preparations and focus on winning the race irrespective of who I will be running against," said Kipketer.

Former Lisbon Marathon champion Alfred Kering leads Kenya charge in the men's race. Kering, who is also a former bronze medalist from the Hengshui Lake Marathon in China is making a comeback after a poor season in 2018.

Kering's last marathon was in Lisbon in October, where he finished eighth in his title defense clocking 2:09:44.

"It has been tough for me, but I feel I have rested enough to challenge for the medals in Nagano," he said.

"I have no intentions of competing in the World Marathon championships owing to my poor run this season. But someday, I will represent Kenya in the Olympics."

(04/17/2019) Views: 2,036 ⚡AMP

Kenyan´s Julius Keter will be eyeing new course record in Nagano marathon

Julius Keter will be eyeing to return to the winner's podium and break the course record at the Nagano Marathon on April 15. "I have cleared my training program and am working on speed this week. Hopefully, we will go through this preparations without a hitch and focus on winning the race in Japan," said Keter. Keter will face stiff competition from Uganda's Jackson Kiprop, who holds a personal best time of 2:09:32 and Ethiopia's Abdela Godana (2:09:45) while Japanese-based Ethiopians Abiyot Abinet and Yeneblo Biyazen, who have recorded fast time in 10,000m races will be making their marathon debuts. Kenya's Beatrice Jepkemboi and Pauline Wangui will be leading women course eyeing to add the city's marathon to her collection. (04/04/2018) Views: 1,738 ⚡AMP