Okinawa Marathon is tomorrow
February 21st, 2009I found an article that gives a good intro to the marathon. No need for me to write any more. Here it is:
Weather fine for Sunday Okinawa Marathon
By: Bill Charles
Date Posted: 2009-02-21
The daddy of all marathons winds its way across Okinawa Sunday, with an estimated 11,000 runners expected to test themselves on the 42.195 kilometer marathon course or on the 10 kilometer course.
Mother Nature’s promising to cooperate both Saturday, when runners complete registration procedures at Okinawa Prefecture Comprehensive Park, and on Sunday when the 17th annual Okinawa marathon kicks off at 9 a.m. Temperatures of 73F are expected by midday, but forecasters predict overcast and cloudy skies which will make things a little easier on runners.
Noboru Kubooka, who claimed the men’s title in last year’s Okinawa Marathon, is expected to be back to defend his title, while Okinawa’s Mariko Asato, who won the women’s crown, is expected to do the same. Asato won with a time of 2 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds, while Hiroshima-based Kubooka ran the 26-mile course in 2 hours 25 minutes 12 seconds. Of the 7,678 who ran the 2008 race, 81% finished the grueling course.
click here for the rest of the article…
