The True Reason Why Kawauchi, Who Has Won 50 Full Marathons, Keeps Running

I want to beat Osako!

Kawauchi continues to believe in his own potential because he feels that he is still growing.

He says, “The year I turned pro, I moved to Wako (Saitama Prefecture) and was practicing on a running course in a nearby park when I happened to see some athletes who belonged to the Commodore Ida team running there. After meeting and greeting them a few times, they asked me, ‘Would you like to join the team’s practice? Until then, I often ran alone, but when I decided to run with other athletes, my …… record improved. Speed slows down after the age of 30, but I set a personal best in the 3000m at the age of 34.

When asked about her goals for the future of her athletic career, she replied with a wry smile, “There are so many.

I would like to improve on my personal best of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 27 seconds, and win as many competitions as possible. If I keep winning, I can get invitations from other races. And I want to run races on all seven continents. If I run in South America and Antarctica, I can achieve that. In fact, I have been invited to run a half marathon on all seven continents over 14 days this fall. It will be hard to convince my family, but it is a unique opportunity, and I would love to participate.
I also want to beat Suguru Osako (32), whom I have never beaten before!　At the MGC, I was 7 seconds behind him at the end, and I thought I might be able to beat him, but I was not so naive. If I am able to compete again, I would like to win in a gung-ho competition without losing in spirit. I am now 40 years old, and it would be great if I could win the next MGC in three years. I still have many goals that I want to achieve, so I can’t stop now.

Kawauchi’s positive attitude will surely continue to inspire those who watch him.

From the February 16, 2024 issue of FRIDAY