Last weekend, was the IAAF Gold Label event at the Tokyo Marathon, this Sunday will be Japan's IAAF Gold Label Marathon and the oldest marathon in Japan, the 65th running of the Lake Biwa Mainchi Marathon in Otsu, a 45 minute train ride from the site of 2007 World Outdoor Championships in Osaka. 200,000 spectators are expected along the marathon route and another 9,000 in the very small Otsu Stadium, where the race will start and finish.
A very strong field international field is assembled toattempt to break the 2001 course record of Antonio Pena(ESP) in 2.07:34. The top 3 men have run faster then the current course record. The most recognizable runner is the 2004 ING NYC Marathon Champion, Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa with a best of 2.06:30 from one his top 10 places in the Virgin London Marathons. Ramaala, has run the London Marathon 8 times and finished all in the top 10. "This is much more calm, then the pressure of running in London. In London, they are always expecting a world record. This is so nice"
Asked about his missing the finishline tape as the 2004 ING NYC Marathon champion, "I didn't see it(finishline tape), I can see, but when I want to watch TV I wear my glasses, and I also wore them to pass my driving test. I don't like to wear my glasses." Funny because he was taking a course tour today, to see the turns, but wasn't wearing his (TV) glasses.{UNIVERAL}
In the last ten years, Ramaala has not run in London in 2002 and 2004, of which he won the 2004 Mumbai Marathon, "it was nuts at the finish, the photographers and everyone surrounded me with their joy". Ramaala, a Law Graduate with a South African best of 27.29.4 for 10,000 meters on the track has 2 children, Alex 10 and Sarah 2. His daughter, Sarah is named after his mom. Ramaala came from of family of 8, where he was the third boy, and has 2 younger sisters. His last race was the 2009 ING NYC Marathon and has trained well over the last 3 months, doing hill workouts in December as most of his training is in Johannesburg's Herman Eckstein Park and Zoo. This will be his third race in Japan, the 1996 Chiba Ekiden Relay and the 2007 World Outdoor Championships at the classic distance.
The 38 year old South African, had won back to back IAAF World Half Marathon Championship in 1998-99. But his most imfamous moment, came at the 2005 ING NYC Marathon in which he, and the World Record Holder of the Marathon, Paul Tergat, raced stride for stride until the last 10 meters for the closest finish in NYC Marathon History.
Ramaala will have strong competition from a field of International and the always powerful domestic group of Japanese runners. Yemane Tsegay(ETH) has a personal best of 2.06:30 from 2009 Paris Marathon, and was just out of the medals of the recent 2009 World Outdoor Championships Marathon in Berlin finishing 4th. A new comer to the marathon with a sub 60 minute half marathon best of 59:44 and his debut in last fall's 2009 Bank of America/Chicago Marathon, Charles Munyeki(KEN), 2.07.06. The Japanese Shimizu Twins will the locals it's best hope of a champion on home soil.
2010 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon Field and noteables
Yemane Tsegay 2.06:30 Ethiopia
Hendrick Ramaala 2.06.55 South Africa
Charles Munyeki 2.07:06 Kenya
Abrahim Tadesse 2.10:09 Eritrea
Yuriy Hychun 2.10:59 Ukraine
Masaya Shimizu 2.10:50 Japan
Tomoya Shimizu 2.09:23 Japan
Tomoyuki Sato 2.09:43 Japan
Yukihiro Kitaoka debut Japan
Laban Kagika 2.10:24 Kenya
Toshiya Katayama 2.10:12 Japan
Kenjiro Jitsui 2.08:50 Japan....age 41
Mark Tucker 2.13:49 Australia...trying to run a pr with 66.00 half split
Tomonori Watanabe 2.09:40 Japan
Dan Hornery 2.25:45 Australia...trying to run Commonwealth Games Standard of 2.17