Skip to main content

Records and Stats From Hakone 2011

by Brett Larner

Records set at this year's outstanding Hakone Ekiden along with associated stats and commentary:

Average 5000 m, 10000 m and half marathon PBs of the ten starters from each of the 1st through 5th place teams overall:

While the average 5000 m and 10000 m PBs have little relationship to the final finishing order, there is, unsurprisingly, a direct correlation with average half marathon PB. The average stage length in Hakone is 21.8 km.

Overall Course Record - 217.9 km, 10 Stages (average stage length 21.8 km)
Waseda Univ. - 10:59:50 - 3:27 under old CR
av. pace: 3:01.7 / km; equiv. 10-man half marathon av.: 1:03:53

Toyo Univ. - 11:00:12 - also under previous CR
av. pace: 3:01.8 / km; equiv. 10-man half marathon av.: 1:03:55

First time all ten men on one team have averaged under 1:04 for equivalent half marathon performance. Previous record of 11:03:17 set by Komazawa Univ. in 2000. Waseda became the first school to win and set course records at all three major university ekidens, October's Izumo Ekiden, November's National University Ekiden Championships, and the Hakone Ekiden, in one season.

Day One Course Record - 108.0 km, 5 Stages (>800 m climb)
Toyo Univ. - 5:29:50 - 1:16 under previous CR
av. pace: 3:03.2 / km

Waseda Univ. - 5:30:17 - also under previous CR
av. pace: 3:03.5 / km

Previous record of 5:31:06 set by Yamanashi Gakuin Univ. in 2003.

Fourth Stage Record - 18.5 km
Tomonao Nishimura (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.) - 54:34 - 0:31 under previous CR

Previous record of 55:04 set by Yusuke Mita (1st yr., Waseda Univ.) in 2009.

Sixth Stage Record - 20.8 km (>800 m descent)
Kenta Chiba (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.) - 58:11 - 0:10 under previous CR

Previous record of 58:21 set by Nobutaka Kaneko (3rd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) in 2001.

Regular Year (20 Teams) Passing Record
Akinobu Murasawa (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 17 places (20th to 3rd, 2nd Stage)

Previous record of 15 jointly held by Daniel Gitau (3rd yr., Nihon Univ./Kenya, 2nd Stage, 2008) and Takuro Nakagawa (Juntendo Univ., 2nd Stage, 2003). Gitau passed 20 people at the 2009 Hakone Ekiden which featured 23 teams. Also making the all-time passing lists, Tetsuya Yoroizaka (3rd yr., Meiji Univ.) and Takehiro Deki (2nd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) each passed 11 people on the 2nd Stage, and John Maina (1st yr., Takushoku Univ./Kenya) passed 10. Cosmas Ondiba (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ./Kenya) passed 11 people on the 3rd Stage, the 2nd-most ever on that leg.

Closest-Ever Margin of Victory
22 seconds, Waseda Univ. (1st) - Toyo Univ. (2nd)

Closest-Ever Margin for Seeded Bracket
2 seconds, Koku Gakuin Univ. (10th) - Josai Univ. (11th)

Best-Ever Performances by First-Years
First Stage (21.4 km) - Suguru Osako (1st yr., Waseda Univ.) - 1:02:23
Second Stage (23.2 km) - Keita Shitara (1st yr., Toyo Univ.) - 1:08:09

Best-Ever Performances by Second-Years
Second Stage (23.2 km) - Akinobu Murasawa (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 1:06:52
Fourth Stage (18.5 km) - Yuki Maeda (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.) - 55:06
Sixth Stage (20.8 km) - Kenta Chiba (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.) - 58:11

Best-Ever Performances by Third-Years
Third Stage (21.5 km) - Cosmas Ondiba (3rd yr., YGU/Kenya) - 1:02:19
Fourth Stage (18.5 km) - Hiroyuki Uno (3rd yr., Toyo Univ.) - 55:25
Fifth Stage (23.4 km) - Ryuji Kashiwabara (3rd yr., Toyo Univ.) - 1:17:53

Best-Ever Performances by Fourth-Years
Fourth Stage (18.5 km) - Tomonao Nishimura (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.) - 54:34

School Record Times and Best-Ever Team Placings - Overall (217.9 km, 10 Stages)
1. Waseda Univ. - 10:59:50 (course record time, first win in 18 years)
2. Toyo Univ. - 11:00:12
4. Tokai Univ. - 11:08:12
5. Meiji Univ. - 11:08:24 (best placing in 48 years)
7. Takushoku Univ. - 11:11:28 (best-ever placing)
9. Aoyama Gakuin Univ. - 11:13:20
10. Koku Gakuin Univ. - 11:13:23 (first-ever seeded finish)
11. Josai Univ. - 11:13:25
13. Teikyo Univ. - 11:14:21
14. Tokyo Nogyo Univ. - 11:15:43
19. Jobu Univ. - 11:25:11

School Record Times - Day One (108.0 km, 5 Stages, >800 m climb)
1. Toyo Univ. - 5:29:50 (course record time, 3rd-straight win)
2. Waseda Univ. - 5:30:17
3. Tokai Univ. - 5:31:47
4. Meiji Univ. - 5:32:11
6. Koku Gakuin Univ. - 5:35:00 (best-ever placing)
7. Josai Univ. - 5:35:32 (best-ever placing)
9. Takushoku Univ. - 5:36:01
11. Tokyo Nogyo Univ. - 5:36:28
14. Senshu Univ. - 5:37:18
16. Aoyama Gakuin Univ. - 5:37:53
20. Jobu Univ. - 5:41:36


School Record Times - Day Two (109.9 km, 5 Stages, >800 m descent)
1. Waseda Univ. - 5:29:34 (course record time)
2. Toyo Univ. - 5:30:22
4. Takushoku Univ. - 5:35:27

4. Aoyama Gakuin Univ. - 5:35:27
7. Meiji Univ. - 5:36:13
13. Koku Gakuin Univ. - 5:38:23
15. Tokyo Nogyo Univ. - 5:39:15
18. Jobu Univ. - 5:43:35

All-Time Top-10 Schools Overall - 217.9 km, 10 Stages
1. Waseda Univ., 2011 - 10:59:50
2. Toyo Univ., 2011 - 11:00:12
3. Komazawa Univ., 2000 - 11:03:17
4. Juntendo Univ., 2007 - 11:05:29
5. Nittai Univ., 2005 - 11:07:23
6. Nihon Univ., 2005 - 11:07:48
7. Chuo Univ., 2005 - 11:07:49
8. Tokai Univ., 2011 - 11:08:12
9. Meiji Univ., 2011 - 11:08:24
10. Yamanashi Gakuin Univ., 2003 - 11:08:28


All-Time Top-10 Schools Day One - 108.0 km, 5 Stages
1. Toyo Univ., 2011 - 5:29:50
2. Waseda Univ., 2011 - 5:30:17
3. Yamanashi Gakuin Univ., 2003 - 5:31:06
4. Tokai Univ., 2011 - 5:31:46
5. Meiji Univ., 2011 - 5:32:10
6. Komazawa Univ., 2005 - 5:32:41
7. Juntendo Univ., 2007 - 5:33:13
8. Nihon Univ., 2005 - 5:34:09
9. Chuo Univ., 2006 - 5:34:45
10. Teikyo Univ., 2000 - 5:34:52


All-Time Top-10 Schools Day Two - 109.9 km, 5 Stages
1. Komazawa Univ., 2002 - 5:28:47
2. Waseda Univ., 2011 - 5:29:34
3. Toyo Univ., 2011 - 5:30:22
4. Juntendo Univ., 2001 - 5:30:57
5. Chuo Univ, 2005 - 5:31:13
6. Daito Bunka Univ., 2001 - 5:31:22
7. Kanagawa Univ., 2001 - 5:31:34
8. Nittai Univ., 2005 - 5:31:42
9. Hosei Univ., 2006 - 5:32:55
10. Asia Univ., 2006 - 5:33:09


All-Time Top-10 Individuals By Stage
First Stage - 21.4 km
1. Yuki Sato (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.), 2007 - 1:01:06
2. Yasuyuki Watanabe (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1994 - 1:01:13
3. Yuji Nakamura (2nd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.), 1995 - 1:01:32
4. Masatoshi Ibata (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.), 1994 - 1:01:40
5. Seiji Kushibe (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1993 - 102:09
6. Suguru Osako (1st yr., Waseda Univ.), 2011 - 1:02:23
7. Takashi Hojo (4th yr., Meiji Univ.), 2010 - 1:02:27
8. Kazuyoshi Tokumoto (2nd yr., Hosei Univ.), 2000 - 1:02:39
9. Yo Yazawa (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.), 2010 - 1:02:40
10. Tatsuo Yuasa (4th yr., Senshu Univ.), 1998 - 1:02:46
10. Koji Gokaya (4th yr., Senshu Univ.), 2010 - 1:02:46


Second Stage - 23.2 km
1. Mekubo Mogusu (4th yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ./Kenya), 2009 - 1:06:04
2. Naoki Mishiro (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 1999 - 1:06:46
3. Yasuyuki Watanabe (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1995 - 1:06:48
4. Akinobu Murasawa (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.), 2011 - 1:06:52
5. Daniel Gitau (3rd yr., Nihon Univ./Kenya), 2009 - 1:07:04
6. Benjamin Gandu (2nd yr., Nihon Univ./Kenya), 2011 - 1:07:09
7. Stephen Mayaka (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ./Kenya), 1995 - 1:07:20
8. Masakazu Fujiwara (4th yr., Chuo Univ.), 2003 - 1:07:31
9. Masami Otsuka (4th yr., Nittai Univ.), 1983 - 1:07:34
10. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (3rd yr., Meiji Univ.), 2011 - 1:07:36

Third Stage - 21.5 km
1. Kensuke Takezawa (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2009 - 1:01:40
2. Yuki Sato (1st yr., Tokai Univ.), 2006 - 1:02:12
3. Cosmas Ondiba (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ./Kenya), 2011 - 1:02:19
4. Takuya Noguchi (3rd yr., Nittai Univ.), 2010 - 1:02:46
5. Masamiki Kobayashi (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 1995 - 1:02:49
6. Yuichiro Ueno (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.), 2007 - 1:02:50
7. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (2nd yr., Meiji Univ.), 2010 - 1:03:08
8. Shota Hattori (1st yr., Nittai Univ.), 2011 - 1:03:13
9. Daniel Gitau (1st yr., Nihon Univ./Kenya), 2007 - 1:03:15
10. Yoshiaki Kitajima (2nd yr., Teikyo Univ.), 2000 - 1:03:16

Fourth Stage - 18.5 km
1. Tomonao Nishimura (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.), 2011 - 54:34
2. Yusuke Mita (1st yr., Waseda Univ.), 2009 - 55:05
3. Yuki Maeda (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.), 2011 - 55:06
4. Keita Baba (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.), 2009 - 55:12
5. Yasunori Murakami (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2006 - 55:20
6. Takahiro Aso (4th yr., Kokushikan Univ.), 2008 - 55:24
7. Hiroyuki Uno (3rd yr., Toyo Univ), 2011 - 55:25
8. Kodai Matsumoto (3rd yr., Meiji Univ.), 2009 - 55:28
9. Hidekazu Sato (2nd yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2007 - 55:30
10. Masatoshi Kikuchi (2nd yr., Asia Univ.), 2006 - 55:36


Fifth Stage - 23.4 km (>800 m climb)
1. Ryuji Kashiwabara (2nd yr., Toyo Univ.), 2010 - 1:17:08
2. Masato Imai (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2007 - 1:18:05
3. Ryota Komano (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2008 - 1:18:12
4. Kazuharu Murakami (4th yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2006 - 1:19:30
5. Hideyuki Anzai (4th yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2008 - 1:19:38
6. Hiroki Oe (2nd yr., Meiji Univ.), 2011 - 1:19:52
7. Hiroyuki Ono (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2009 - 1:19:56
8. Masato Takeshita (4th yr., Nittai Univ.), 2009 - 1:20:02
8. Shun Amano (4th yr., Kanagawa Univ.), 2011 - 1:20:02
10. Masaki Shimoju (4th yr., Nihon Univ.), 2006 - 1:20:19

Sixth Stage - 20.8 km (>800 m descent)
1. Kenta Chiba (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2011 - 58:11
2. Nobutaka Kaneko (3rd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.), 2001 - 58:21
3. Shoji Miyai (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2001 - 58:29
3. Shunsuke Nomura (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.), 2004 - 58:29
5. Noriaki Nagai (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.), 2000 - 58:35
6. Hiroki Takano (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2011 - 58:55
7. Yoryo Tatsumi (4th yr., Senshu Univ.), 2006 - 59:07
8. Shogo Matsugaki (3rd yr., Hosei Univ.), 2006 - 59:09
9. Takumi Sato (4th yr., Daito Bunka Univ.), 2009 - 59:14
10. Sodai Kato (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.), 2008 - 59:15


Seventh Stage - 21.3 km
1. Yuki Sato (3rd yr., Tokai Univ.), 2008 - 1:02:35
2. Ryuji Takei (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1993 - 1:02:53
3. Yuji Kai (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2000 - 1:03:12
4. Masayuki Kobayashi (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 1997 - 1:03:13
5. Shogo Yoshimura (1st yr., Kanagawa Univ.), 2001 - 1:03:20
6. Ryuji Sorayama (1st yr., Waseda Univ.), 2002 - 1:03:33
7. Junichi Shibata (2nd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.), 2002 - 1:03:36
8. Takanori Sakai (3rd yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2001 - 1:03:38
9. Shinobu Kubota (1st yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2011 - 1:03:43
10. Masamiki Kobayashi (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1994 - 1:03:44


Tenth Stage - 23.1 km
1. Genta Matsuse (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2007 - 1:08:59
2. Hiroyuki Yamada (4th yr., Nittai Univ.), 2005 - 1:09:05
3. Hiroshi Takaoka (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 2005 - 1:09:40
4. Kenji Yamamoto (3rd yr., Toyo Univ.), 2011 - 1:09:46
5. Masashi Kitaura (3rd yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2003 - 1:09:54
6. Kenji Nakashima (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2011 - 1:10:03
7. Yoshito Nagaiwa (2nd yr., Josai Univ.), 2008 - 1:10:14
8. Yuki Sakurai (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2002 - 1:10:18
9. Kei Manako (4th yr., Daito Bunka Univ.), 2001 - 1:10:19
9. Ko Tamura (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.), 2005 - 1:10:19

(c) 2011 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

Comments

TokyoRacer said…
Thanks - those individual top ten records are really interesting. Especially that so many have been set in the past few years.
For those who don't know it, Yasuyuki Watanabe (1st and 2nd stages) is the present Waseda coach....not nearly as thin as he used to be.
Brett Larner said…
Thanks, Bob. I found yesterday that if you take New Year Ekiden ace stage winner Yuki Sato's time there over 22 km and extrapolate it out to 23.2 km it is 1:06:53, one second slower than Murasawa ran. Sato had a more favorable tailwind most of the way and ran on a net downhill course, while Murasawa ran on a net uphill course. Like Murasawa, Sato also went to Saku Chosei H.S. and Tokai Univ.

Most-Read This Week

Morii Surprises With Second-Ever Japanese Sub-2:10 at Boston

With three sub-2:09 Japanese men in the race and good weather conditions by Boston standards the chances were decent that somebody was going to follow 1981 winner Toshihiko Seko 's 2:09:26 and score a sub-2:10 at the Boston Marathon . But nobody thought it was going to be by a 2:14 amateur. Paris Olympic team member Suguru Osako had taken 3rd in Boston in 2:10:28 in his debut seven years ago, and both he and 2:08 runners Kento Otsu and Ryoma Takeuchi were aiming for spots in the top 10, Otsu after having run a 1:01:43 half marathon PB in February and Takeuchi of a 2:08:40 marathon PB at Hofu last December. A high-level amateur with a 2:14:15 PB who scored a trip to Boston after winning a local race in Japan, Yuma Morii told JRN minutes before the start of the race, "I'm not thinking about time at all. I'm going to make top 10, whatever time it takes." Running Boston for the first time Morii took off with a 4:32 on the downhill opening mile, but after that  Sis

Saturday at Kanaguri and Nittai

Two big meets happened Saturday, one in Kumamoto and the other in Yokohama. At Kumamoto's Kanaguri Memorial Meet , Benard Koech (Kyudenko) turned in the performance of the day with a 13:13.52 meet record to win the men's 5000 m A-heat by just 0.11 seconds over Emmanuel Kipchirchir (SGH). The top four were all under 13:20, with 10000 m national record holder Kazuya Shiojiri (Fujitsu) bouncing back from a DNF at last month's The TEN to take the top Japanese spot at 7th overall in 13:24.57. The B-heat was also decently quick, Shadrack Rono (Subaru) winning in 13:21.55 and Shoya Yonei (JR Higashi Nihon) running a 10-second PB to get under 13:30 for the first time in 13:29.29 for 6th. Paris Olympics marathoner Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko) was 9th in 13:30.62. South Sudan's Abraham Guem (Ami AC) also set a meet record in the men's 1500 m A-heat in 3:38.94. 3000 mSC national record holder Ryuji Miura made his debut with the Subaru corporate team, running 3:39.78 for 2n

93-Year-Old Masters Track and Field WR Holder Hiroo Tanaka: "Everyone has Unexplored Intrinsic Abilities"

  In the midst of a lot of talk about how to keep the aging population young, there are people with long lives who are showing extraordinary physical abilities. One of them is Hiroo Tanaka , 93, a multiple world champion in masters track and field. Tanaka began running when he was 60, before which he'd never competed in his adult life. "He's so fast he's world-class." "His running form is so beautiful. It's like he's flying." Tanaka trains at an indoor track in Aomori five days a week. Asked about him, that's the kind of thing the people there say. Tanaka holds multiple masters track and field world records, where age is divided into five-year groups. Last year at the World Masters Track and Field Championships in Poland he set a new world record of 38.79 for 200 m in the M90 class (men's 90-94 age group). People around the world were amazed at the time, which was almost unbelievable for a 92-year-old. After retiring from his job as an el