Skip to main content

Noguchi Talks Confidently in One-on-One Interview Ahead of National Ekiden

http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/general/track/news/20101218k0000m050008000c.html

translated by Brett Larner

The 30th anniversary National Jitsugyodan Women's Ekiden takes place Dec. 19 in Gifu. In its first-ever appearance in the national championships, Team Sysmex features one prominent member on its entry list: 2004 Athens Olympics marathon gold medalist and marathon national record holder Mizuki Noguchi (32). It has been more than 2 years since Noguchi "fell from grace," an injury causing her to withdraw just before the Beijing Olympics. Not even appearing at the press conference to announce her withdrawal, it has been a long and dark road back, but on the eve of her return to the national stage Noguchi spoke to the Mainichi Newspaper about her joy at overcoming her setbacks and her still-burning drive for the 2012 London Olympics.

After the West Japan Jitsugyodan Ekiden you said, "I want to keep running until my legs break down for good."

Those were the same words I used when I had my first interview to join a jitsugyodan team. I hated saying the same crap everybody else says about wanting to be an Olympian or winning an Olympic medal, so I said something that would have more impact. It's true though, because I'm the kind of person who follows through all the way when I'm going after something I want.

What's the status of your left leg that was injured for so long?

I don't know how many times I went through rehabilitation, got to the point where I could run a little again, and then got re-injured. It was really hard to deal with. It never got to the point, though, were the doctors said I wouldn't be able to run again, so I was always hopeful of being completely resurrected. So, when I was able to face racing again at West Japan so much joy welled up in me that I don't even know what I could say about it. I had a lot of different, complex feelings happening inside me. Tears and joy.

What's going to be different now that you're coming back?

I think my stride might be shorter, but I'm fine with just running the way I do naturally. I haven't really gotten to the point of thinking about it too carefully yet, but I feel like I'll probably spend some time making small adjustments one at a time to my form and balance.

What was the hardest part of the Beijing Olympics for you?

It was pretty hard to take, but I watched the race on TV. At that time I felt a lot of guilt about letting down the unbelievable number of people who had supported me. As a result, I want to focus on what's coming next. I'm the kind of person who doesn't run in a way that's going to leave me with any regrets. Even more than before, that's the most important thing now. To be honest I'd say I like racing a lot more than training, so I'm training now in a way that helps me cultivate that feeling.

What lies ahead on the road to London?

It's not crystal-clear like it used to be. It's more like a path through thorny bushes, but I'm excited about it. When I ran my first marathon I said I didn't really plan on becoming a marathoner, but I fought with it internally and followed through. A disadvantage can be turned into something good. I think the next step in my comeback being a marathon or a half would be good, but it's really important that I let my body come back the way it wants to. The ekiden this weekend will be a great start towards London.

It has been a long and twisted path over the 9 years since you ran the National Jitsugyodan Women's Ekiden with Team Globally in 2001.

I ran the Third Stage (10 km) that time. The strong headwind was really tough, and (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo's Yoko) Shibui passed me. That's still a bitter memory. This time I'd like to move us up in the field or at least run a defensive race. Thanks to my teammates at West Japan I feel like I'm part of the team again. I want to borrow some of their strength when I run.

Mizuki Noguchi -- Born in Ise, Mie prefecture. Attended Uji Yamada H.S. before joining the Wacoal jitsugyodan team. Afterwards transferred to Team Globally and made her marathon debut at the 2002 Nagoya International Women's Marathon, where she won. Won the silver medal at the 2003 World Championships marathon and the next year the gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics marathon. At the 2005 Berlin Marathon she set the current Japanese national record of 2:19:12 to become the all-time third-fastest woman in the world. In 2005 she changed teams again, moving to Sysmex. She appeared to be on track for a defense of her Olympic gold medal in Beijing but withdrew shortly before the race with an injury to her left leg. Her run at October's West Japan nationals qualifier was her first race in 2 years, 5 months and helped Sysmex to make the national championships for the first time.

Translator's note: Hell yeah. Watch TBS' broadcast of the National Jitsugyodan Women's Ekiden Championships live online beginning at 11:50 a.m. Japan time on Dec. 19 by clicking here.

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Japan's Olympic Marathon Team Meets the Press

With renewed confidence, Japan's Olympic marathon team will face the total 438 m elevation difference hills of Paris this summer. The members of the women's and men's marathon teams for August's Paris Olympics appeared at a press conference in Tokyo on Mar. 25 in conjunction with the Japan Marathon Championship Series III (JMC) awards gala. Women's Olympic trials winner Yuka Suzuki (Daiichi Seimei) said she was riding a wave of motivation in the wake of the new women's national record. When she watched Honami Maeda (Tenmaya) set the record at January's Osaka International Women's Marathon on TV, Suzuki said she was, "absolutely stunned." Her coach Sachiko Yamashita told her afterward, "When someone breaks the NR, things change," and Suzuki found herself saying, "I want to take my shot." After training for a great run in Paris, she said, "I definitely want to break the NR in one of my marathons after that." Mao

Weekend Racing Roundup

  China saw a new men's national record of 2:06:57 from  Jie He  at the Wuxi Marathon Sunday, but in Japan it was a relatively quiet weekend with mostly cold and rainy amateur-level marathons across the country. At the Tokushima Marathon , club runner Yuhi Yamashita  won the men's race by almost 4 1/2 minutes in 2:17:02, the fastest Japanese men's time of the weekend, but oddly took 22 seconds to get across the starting line. The women's race saw a close finish between the top two, with Shiho Iwane  winning in 2:49:33 over Ayaka Furukawa , 2nd in 2:49:46.  At the 41st edition of the Sakura Marathon in Chiba, Yukie Matsumura  (Comodi Iida) ran the fastest Japanese women's time of the weekend, 2:42:45, to take the win. Club runner Yuki Kuroda  won the men's race in 2:20:08.  Chika Yokota  won the Saga Sakura Marathon women's race in 2:49:33.  Yuki Yamada  won the men's race in 2:21:47 after taking the lead in the final 2 km.  Naoki Inoue  won the 16th r

Takeuchi Wins Niigata Half in Boston Tune-Up

Running in cold, windy and rainy conditions, Ryoma Takeuchi (ND Software) warmed up for April's Boston Marathon with a win at Wednesday's Niigata Half Marathon . Takeuchi sat behind Nittai University duo Susumu Yamazaki and Ryuga Ishikawa in the early stages, then made a series of pushes to pick up the pace. Each time he tucked in behind whoever went to the front, while behind them others dropped off. Before 15 km only Yamazaki and Riki Koike of Soka University were left, and when Takeuchi went to the front the last time after 15 km only Koike followed. By 16 he was gone too, leaving Takeuchi to solo it in to the win in 1:03:13 with a 17-second negative split. "This was my last fitness check before the Boston Marathon next month, and my time was right on-target," he said post-race. "Everything went as planned. I'm looking forward to racing some of the world's best in Boston, and my goal there is to place in the single digits." Just back from tr