| I am always fascinated with this Marathon Race in Japan during the 80’s where Toshihiko Seko won this race from 1978 to 1980 and winning his last championship in 1983. Frank Shorter of USA had won this event for four (4) consecutive years in 1971 to 1974. My other running “idols” who won this race were Bill Rodgers of USA in 1977 and Rob de Castella of Australia who won in 1981. Shorter and Seko are still the only runners who won the event for four times.I consider this marathon event as the race among the “elite marathoners” of the world because of the prestige it brought during the 70’s and early 80’s. This is where the Marathon record time was always broken.Invitation to this race had never exceeded to 700 runners, all male runners.I am posting this article about Fukuoka Marathon for the younger runners and “soon to be” marathoners. This is also my way of remembering my “running idols” of the past—Seko, Shorter, Rodgers, and de Castella.
This is a preview written by Sharon Ekstram: The Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship will celebrate its sixty-first running on December 2, 2007 and will, as usual, set the stage for some incredible distance running. Notable for 2007 will be the debut marathon performance by Half-Marathon world record holder Sammy Wanjiru who will be competing against an international roster of elite marathoners as well as most of the top Japanese marathoners who will be attempting to qualify for the Japanese Olympic Team in this first race in Japan’s Olympic selection process. History of Fukouka Marathon During the early years, this race was held at several different locations, but as the race had the same name and sponsorship, it was considered the same marathon. Th event found its permanent home in Fukuoka in 1963 when it was run on the proposed 1964 Tokyo Olympics course. In 1966, the race became the Fukuoka International Marathon Championships and was sanctioned by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and organizers adopted the concept of a year-end event which would invite the winners of all the major marathons around the world to crown the best marathon runner of the year. Olympian Frank Shorter, who was the four-time winner of the Fukuoka Marathon (1971-1974), had this to say about the race: “Before the big city marathons (pre 1978) Fukuoka was viewed by all the athletes as the de facto World Championships because it was the only race where the iron curtain countries would participate between Olympic Games. It fell off in prestige in the 80’s and is now starting to come back. It’s flat and fast and you are pampered. You get the feeling all they want you to do is run your best.” In many years, Fukuoka’s elite roster outshone the Olympic Marathon field. Two world records were set at Fukuoka: Derek Clayton set the record of 2:09:36 in 1967 and became the first marathoner to break 2:10 and Rob de Castella set the world record of 2:08:18 in 1981. As another indication of its speed, Fukuoka has seen sub 2:10 winning times in each of the past 10 years. The 2007 Elite Runners
Other elite athletes registered in the field include Haile Negussie (ETH, 28)(PR=2:08:16) winner of the 2005 Boston Marathon, Daniel Yego (KEN, 28)(pr=2:08:16), winner of the 2007 Rock N Roll Marathon, Alberto Chaico (POR, 34)(pr – 2:09:25) 8th at the 204 Athens Olympics and Mark Carroll (IRE, 35) a 5,000 meter specialist who has participated in three Olympics in the past, his 2002 New York City Marathon debut earned him a 6th place, but he would like to run the marathon at the Beijing Olympics. Ireland is using Fukuoka as a marathon qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Games. |
Month: December 2007
31st Wedding Anniversary
05 December 2007
Today is our 31st Wedding Anniversary with my “one and only” wife, Estrella. I will be calling her this afternoon at 4:00 PM (12 Midnight, Local Time: Los Angeles) to remind her that she has a husband and father to our kids serving its native country and be able say the magic words “I Love You”.
After the long-distance call, I will start my long run inside the camp, whether it will rain or shine. I really need to run after resting for two days.
I’ve instructed my cook to serve “Sotanghon Pancit Guisado” and “Pork Adobo” for dinner tonight with my security and personal staff. Two bottles of Gatorade, a glass of Green Tea and a slice of Red Ribbon Chocolate Cake will complete my day.
I’ll pray for more wedding anniversaries to come..I will not compromise or put in danger my “share” with my wife’s bountiful retirement benefits and wealth! (Just joking!) Ha! ha! ha!
Top 20 Female: 2nd City of Angels Half-Marathon (Los Angeles)
| 1 | Cheryl Foody | Aliso Viejo, CA | 757 | F-27 | 1:16:04 | 5:49 | F 25-29/0 | 9 | 1:16:04 | 37:29 |
| 2 | Kristen Van Rooyen | Pasadena, CA | 4568 | F-38 | 1:24:54 | 6:29 | F 35-39/1 | 45 | 1:25:00 | 41:12 |
| 3 | Jennifer Overlock | Burbank, CA | 2723 | F-32 | 1:25:36 | 6:32 | F 30-34/1 | 53 | 1:25:42 | 41:12 |
| 4 | Jody Wolk | Encino, CA | 723 | F-32 | 1:26:48 | 6:38 | F 30-34/2 | 62 | 1:26:51 | 40:04 |
| 5 | Edith Martinez | Brea, CA | 99 | F-40 | 1:27:20 | 6:40 | F 40-44/1 | 72 | 1:27:23 | 40:57 |
| 6 | Kathy Desmond | Long Beach, CA | 1387 | F-40 | 1:29:51 | 6:52 | F 40-44/2 | 104 | 1:30:07 | 43:41 |
| 7 | Julie Sanchez | Los Angeles, CA | 4562 | F-32 | 1:30:12 | 6:53 | F 30-34/3 | 108 | 1:30:20 | 43:01 |
| 8 | Veronica Garcia | South Gate, CA | 1627 | F-34 | 1:30:35 | 6:55 | F 30-34/4 | 111 | 1:30:38 | 43:37 |
| 9 | Ashley Backman | Encinitas, CA | 877 | F-29 | 1:31:09 | 6:58 | F 25-29/1 | 120 | 1:31:12 | 43:36 |
| 10 | Chole Anderson | Los Angeles, CA | 829 | F-25 | 1:31:12 | 6:58 | F 25-29/2 | 122 | 1:31:23 | 42:22 |
| 11 | Linda Rosenthal | La Canada, CA | 3008 | F-42 | 1:32:02 | 7:02 | F 40-44/3 | 133 | 1:32:08 | 43:22 |
| 12 | Andre Gonzalez | Walnut, CA | 1689 | F-26 | 1:32:33 | 7:04 | F 25-29/3 | 143 | 1:32:44 | 43:43 |
| 13 | Cindy Demarco | Newport Beach, CA | 242 | F-43 | 1:32:44 | 7:05 | F 40-44/4 | 148 | 1:32:51 | 44:33 |
| 14 | Berith Velasque | San Fernando, CA | 3986 | F-52 | 1:33:08 | 7:07 | F 50-54/1 | 150 | 1:34:03 | 44:34 |
| 15 | Nance Tran | Tarzana, CA | 3367 | F-38 | 1:33:15 | 7:07 | F 35-39/2 | 155 | 1:35:23 | 46:10 |
| 16 | Jennifer Turner | Toluca Lake, CA | 3396 | F-33 | 1:33:31 | 7:08 | F 30-34/5 | 158 | 1:33:41 | 44:31 |
| 17 | Jennifer Harkins | Los Angeles, CA | 1802 | F-32 | 1:33:34 | 7:09 | F 30-34/6 | 160 | 1:33:38 | 43:31 |
| 18 | Maria Ordaz | Azusa, CA | 2698 | F-34 | 1:34:55 | 7:15 | F 30-34/7 | 183 | 1:35:22 | 45:56 |
| 19 | Alma Loya | Los Angeles, CA | 3742 | F-36 | 1:35:41 | 7:18 | F 35-39/3 | 197 | 1:35:52 | 44:46 |
| 20 | Cindy Fierros | Whittier, CA | 1524 | F-24 | 1:36:09 | 7:21 | F 19-24/1 | 201 | 1:36:26 | 48:05 |
Top 20 Male: 2nd City of Angels Half-Marathon (Los Angeles)
| 1 | Sergio Reyes | Palmdale, CA | 3767 | M-26 | 1:06:58 | 5:07 | M 25-29/0 | 1 | 1:06:58 | 32:22 |
| 2 | Romualdo Sanchez | Los Angeles, CA | 100 | M-36 | 1:06:59 | 5:07 | M 35-39/1 | 2 | 1:07:01 | 32:28 |
| 3 | Luis Ibarra | Montebello, CA | 1958 | M-27 | 1:09:11 | 5:17 | M 25-29/1 | 3 | 1:09:11 | 32:29 |
| 4 | Danny Martinez | Alhambra, CA | 2375 | M-45 | 1:13:16 | 5:36 | M 45-49/1 | 4 | 1:13:18 | 34:30 |
| 5 | Matthew Cook | North Hollywood, CA | 3705 | M-30 | 1:14:21 | 5:41 | M 30-34/1 | 5 | 1:14:24 | 36:16 |
| 6 | Ariel Rodriguez | Simi Valley, CA | 4513 | M-31 | 1:15:08 | 5:44 | M 30-34/2 | 6 | 1:15:10 | 35:51 |
| 7 | Daniel Arteaga | Chino Hills, CA | 858 | M-45 | 1:15:39 | 5:47 | M 45-49/2 | 7 | 1:15:42 | 35:52 |
| 8 | Armand Crespo | Pasadena, CA | 220 | M-41 | 1:15:57 | 5:48 | M 40-44/1 | 8 | 1:16:01 | 36:06 |
| 9 | Adrian Aguilar-Guillen | West Covina, CA | 3675 | M-27 | 1:16:12 | 5:49 | M 25-29/2 | 10 | 1:16:14 | 36:04 |
| 10 | Edgar Contreras | Los Angeles, CA | 1256 | M-34 | 1:16:52 | 5:52 | M 30-34/3 | 11 | 1:16:52 | 36:45 |
| 11 | Carlos Vizcarra | Los Angeles, CA | 3481 | M-34 | 1:17:17 | 5:54 | M 30-34/4 | 12 | 1:17:21 |
| 12 | Gregorio Crisanto | Los Angeles, CA | 1292 | M-24 | 1:17:33 | 5:55 | M 19-24/1 | 13 | 1:17:36 | 36:43 |
| 13 | John Cherland | Los Angeles, CA | 1178 | M-30 | 1:18:25 | 5:59 | M 30-34/5 | 14 | 1:18:35 | 36:55 |
| 14 | Alberto Albis | Altadena, CA | 4580 | M-30 | 1:18:54 | 6:02 | M 30-34/6 | 15 | 1:18:58 | 37:50 |
| 15 | Juan Bustos | Huntington Park, CA | 1074 | M-17 | 1:19:00 | 6:02 | M 13-18/1 | 16 | 1:19:05 | 37:00 |
| 16 | Clayton Bullock | West Hollywood, CA | 1064 | M-41 | 1:19:11 | 6:03 | M 40-44/2 | 17 | 1:19:22 | 37:57 |
| 17 | Rigoberto Contreras | Bell, CA | 3909 | M-30 | 1:19:37 | 6:05 | M 30-34/7 | 18 | 1:19:40 | 38:36 |
| 18 | Edwin Palencia | Pacoima, CA | 2743 | M-34 | 1:19:44 | 6:05 | M 30-34/8 | 19 | 1:19:48 | 38:22 |
| 19 | Jose Jimenez | Altadena, CA | 1994 | M-37 | 1:20:00 | 6:07 | M 35-39/2 | 20 | 1:20:00 | 36:44 |
| 20 | Jemerald Soon | Cerritos, CA | 3228 | M-17 | 1:20:02 | 6:07 | M 13-18/2 | 21 | 1:20:08 | 36:53 |
Insights & Plans
I watched two movies last week, “Hitman” and “The Kingdom”. These are good movies where I can personally relate. I have a better bald head shape than “Special Agent # 47” who speaks like the young Clint Eastwood in his “Spaghetti/Italian Cowboy Movies”, which were popular when I was still in college. “The Kingdom” reminds me of my personal experiences during one of the fiercest fights in Basilan in the early 2000’s where I nearly got killed.
I bought my new “New Balance” Running Shorts last Saturday, a day before the 10K RUNNEX, with 60% discount at the New Balance Store in Shangrila Mall. The shorts was the one I used in the said road race. It matches with my New Balance 902 shoes. Unfortunately, the singlet for the shorts was already “sold-out”. I later found out that the shorts is water-resistant!
The top winners in the 10K Runnex Run are executives who are 15-20 years younger than me. When I was in their ages, I was running 10K races in 40-45 minutes. The top ten runners’ time ranges from 41-47 minutes. How I wish I could bring back those times. But with the runner’s training that I had started for the past 4-5 weeks, I could still lower my PR best time for the 10K race below 50 minutes and finish the marathon below 4 hours. These are my running target goals: 47-49 minutes for the 10K & 3:45:00-3:55:00 for the marathon.
More training & homework to be done in Jamindan. I need to do more hill running workouts along the mountain trails and faster tempo runs along the concrete roads of Capiz. I need more strengthening exercises for my upper torso & leg muscles.
I need to train in Baguio City this Holiday/X’mas season for my altitude training. I hope to go back to the “colored trails”/mountain trails at the edges of Camp John Hay and find out if they are still there.
I am planning to run the 21K Subic Marathon on 20 January 2008.
The 7th DND-AFP “Gintong Pangarap” Half-Marathon Race on 17 February 2008 is being planned to be conducted. The race will be managed by the Philippine Air Force. Tentative route: Camp Villamor-The Fort-Kalayaan Overpass-Buendia & Back to Camp Villamor. This will be a nice long run race one week prior to the 2008 Pasig River Heritage Marathon.
My posting on the 1st City of Angels Half-Marathon in Los Angeles which shows my picture with my daughter running the said race is becoming the Nr. 1 top post in my blog due to many “hits” for the past few days prior to the conduct of the 2nd City of Angels Half-Marathon. My daughter paid $ 50.00 for a CD where all my pictures were copied and stored. It was made by professionals, “Brightroom: Professional Event Photography”.
2nd City of Angels Half-Marathon (02 Dec 2007)
My daughter was not able to make it at the starting line due to lack of training/preparation. It could had been her second attendance to this race. Well, her race number was not stolen this time! Her designated race number is #2603 and it appears that her number is not significant or meaningful to be stolen.
My son, on the other hand, just sent me a SMS that he was able to join the said race. This is his first experience to run the said course. He was late for the firing gun at the starting line and he was the second to the last participant to pass through the starting line and the “electronic carpet” that activates his “running chip”. From the results taken from his “running chip”, he was late by 8:32 minutes! Anyway, I did not ask him why he arrived late at the starting line.
He finished the race in 1:54:31 with an average pace of 8:45 minutes per mile 0r 5:24 minutes per kilometer. His 10K time was 56:12 minutes with an average pace of 5:36 mins per kilometer or 9:03 mins per mile. He ran faster during the second-half of the race. He was #813 out of the 3,305 runners who finished the race.
If there was a chance that I could be with my son in this race, I could had made him run faster (for at least, 5-6 minutes) and never be late for the starting gun!
Don’t worry kids, I will be running with you on December 2008!!!
Wanjiru Wins 61st Fukuoka Marathon (2:06:39)
Kenya‘s Wanjiru wins Fukuoka Marathon
Sun Dec 2, 5:59 AM
TOKYO (AFP) – Samuel Wanjiru from Kenya ran his first full marathon at the Fukuoka international on Sunday, winning the event in record time. Wanjiru, 21, world record holder of the half marathon, finished the Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship in two hours six minutes and 39 seconds, with Ethiopia‘s Deriba Merga second at two hours six minutes and 50 seconds.Originally from Kenya, Wanjiru has trained himself in Japan for six years and now is in his third year running at Toyota Motor Kyushu in the southwestern city of Fukuoka.“It feels very good,” Wanjiru said. “I was a bit nervous until about 30 kilometres (18.6 miles), but I felt the strength afterward.”Japan’s Atsushi Sato, Japan’s half marathon record holder, took third, finishing the race with a smile and an arm raised as he spearheaded his bid to win a ticket to the Beijing Olympics next year.The race was one of three marathons that the Japanese Association of Athletics Federations set aside as national trials to decide three Olympic berths for Japanese men.Merga, 27, and Sato closely marked Wanjiru until shortly after 33 kilometres. Wanjiru and Merga pulled away from Sato after the 35 kilometre marker.
1st Infantry Marathon, Fort Benning, Georgia
When I had my schooling at the Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia, I joined the 1st Infantry Marathon which was held on 22 January 1984, on the third Sunday of the month of January. Unfortunately, I did not run well in this race after spending my Christmas vacation with my family in Los Angeles. The route consisted of a two-loop course (half-marathon per loop) which goes around the populated area of the camp up to the landing strips/airfield where airborne/parachute training are being conducted.
I ran the race for four hours plus and the course was a challenging one as it is considered as rolling terrain route and due to the prevailing cold climate at that time.
I have only one evidence that I ran the said marathon. It was a light blue colored long-sleeved finisher’s T-shirt (Hobbie T-shirt) which I framed and displayed in my office during my stint in Mindanao.
After a thorough research at the Fort Benning’s Infantry School’s Website, I could not see anything about the conduct of this yearly Infantry Marathon or as part of the MWR/Sports activities of the camp. However, it was my first time to see the conduct of a Sprint Reverse Triathlon in the said website which was well-attended by officers & soldiers in the said military camp.
The 1984 Infantry Marathon was my first international marathon race!
Old Pictures at Fort Benning
I attended my Infantry Officer’s Advance Course at the US Army Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia, USA from November 1983 to May 1984. It took me only one week to orient, get to know the names of all the installations/facilities/roads and go around the vast camp by jogging/running. Because of this talent & quick knowledge of the place, I became the “designated driver” of our group (five officers) in a Volkswagen Rabbit car!
During weekends, I had the chance to run 10K road races inside the camp and to the nearby city of Columbus, Georgia & Phenix City, Alabama. It was winter time when I had my schooling and I had to wear a cap, woolen gloves, and long-sleeved Hobbie shirts for my runs.
One of my sprint runs before the finish line.
Our “group” (Filipino Officers in the class) consists of 3 Philippine Army Officers and 2 Philippine Constabulary Officers. Aside from being the “designated driver”, I was also the “official cook/chef” of the group! The PC Officer on the extreme left became a Brigadier General (one-star); I reached the rank of a Major General (two-star); the officer at my left became the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (four-star); and the remaining officers retired as Colonels.
52:07 @ RUNNEX 10K
6:30 AM 02 Dec 2007
I joined the 27th RUNNEX 10K Executive Classic Run this morning which started at 6:30 AM and conducted along the streets of UP Diliman Campus. I finished the 10K race in 52:07 minutes. I was able to improve my PR best time for the distance from 55:31 minutes, which was time in the 10 K Animo Run last Sunday, to 52:07 minutes. I was able to improve my time by 3 minutes & 24 seconds.
My split time at 5K, which is the distance of one loop of the 10K distance, was 25:24 minutes. My time for the 2nd loop, last 5K, was 26:43 minutes. I paced slower on my second loop.
Overall, my average pace for the whole run was 5:12.6 minutes per kilometer. I am getting faster!
Bald Runner 
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