Yuki Kawauchi Interview

Published by Athletics Weekly on January 26, 2014

Yuki Kawauchi is known as the “citizen runner,” for training and racing at a world-class level in the marathon and other long-distance events while holding down a full-time job and it is the way he finishes them. Often putting everything into a race, sometimes collapsing, even dropping out due to heat exhaustion at one event. Never to be deterred, he races the marathon often, competing in several races in a few short weeks. If he has a performance he is not happy with, he simply races again, sometimes he wins.

The running world first became aware of Kawauchi in 2011, when he finished third and was the first Japanese resident at the Tokyo Marathon. He finished in 2:08:37.

In early 2012 he ran a half-marathon personal best of 1:02:18. In February he ran just 2:12:51 at  the Tokyo Marathon. He referred to that performance as “disgraceful” and promptly shaved his head as an apology to his fans and supporters. Also, in response to his 2:12 performance, he entered nine marathons and won five of them, during the remainder of 2012. Although he maintains being very independent and an amateur, he has represented his country. He works full-time at a school.

Personal bests

1500 metres – 3:50.51
5000 metres – 13:58.62
10,000 metres – 29:02.33
Half marathon – 62:18
30 km – 1:29:31
Marathon – 2:08:15
50 km – 2:51:45