For the tenth consecutive year, on Mar. 16 Rikuren announced the list of athletes who will receive official financial support from the federation. Previously ranked as a top-level S-Class athlete with 3 million yen of support per year, 2004 Athens Olympics women's marathon gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi (Team Sysmex) was downgraded to an A-Class athlete and will receive only 2 million yen this year.

Japan's imperial crown prince met on Mar. 11 with the man who for 30 years has been the bridge between Kenya's distance runners and Japan, sports promoter Shuichi Kobayashi, 67. The meeting came during the prince's visit to Kenya as he spoke to a group of 30 Japanese citizens living in Kenya.

On Feb. 23 the management of Team JAL Ground Service announced that due to economic difficulties at parent sponsor Japan Airlines the team will disband at the end of March.

Two-time World Championships marathoner Yumiko Hara, 28, announced on Feb. 15 that in April she will be joining Team Universal Entertainment where she will be coached by Yoshio Koide (Sakura AC). Hara won the 2005 Nagoya International Women's Marathon in her debut, going on to finish 6th in the Helsinki World Championships marathon.

Tasmanian athlete Ryan Foster is the talk of the US college track and field circuit this week following his blistering run at the Northeast Challenge meet in Pennsylvania (USA) on Saturday, where he set a new Australian indoor record over 1000m.

1999 World Championships marathoner Tadayuki Ojima (33, Team Asahi Kasei) announced on Jan 8 that he will retire from competition following his run at February's Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon. After retirement Ojima plans to concentrate on his work obligations with Asahi Kasei.

While for many the recent New Year holiday was the ideal excuse to kick back after a hard year at work there was no rest for Australia’s top distance runners, who used the break to get some rare air at Falls Creek ahead of the 2010 Australian Athletics Tour.

The London Marathon and parkrun are delighted that The London Marathon are to support parkrun events around the country in the coming year.

BOULDER, Colo. - (December 17, 2009) - Runner's World magazine, recognized as the world-wide authority on running information, recently named DICK'S Sporting Goods BolderBOULDER America's Best 10K in its "Best of Running" December issue. Runner's World editors picked their all-time favorite distance events, from 5Ks to ultras along with input from more than 3,400 readers to crown winners in each event and running category.

Once again it was a French steeplechaser who claimed the lone European medal in the men's hurdles and steeple events at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin.