On Sunday, March 5, the spring marathon season begins with the 2023 Tokyo Marathon. Headlining the race is none apart from Canada’s marathon document holder, Cam Levins, who not too long ago ran a half-marathon greatest (and nationwide document) within the build-up to Sunday’s marathon. Since Levins has already certified for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, he could have his eyes on the 2024 Olympic customary of two:08:10, and his Canadian document time of two:07:09–however he has mentioned he thinks he can go a lot quicker. Look ahead to Levins to run 2:06 or higher on Sunday.
“I’m excited to move again to Japan for an additional alternative to compete in a significant marathon,” Levins mentioned on Canadian Operating’s The Shakeout Podcast. “I’m prepared for one thing particular.”
The final time Levins was in Japan, it was for the 2020 Olympic marathon in Sapporo, the place he ended up ending a disappointing 72nd in a career-worst 2:28:43. However he realized some essential classes there, and went residence fired as much as revamp his coaching in virtually each method. Levins bounced again in a record-setting 2:07 efficiency on the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore., the place he completed fourth.
Levins got here out of the Olympics with a brand new perspective. “He was extra targeted on coaching, restoration and fuelling,” says his coach, Jim Finlayson. “Cam has proven everybody that he has lots of potential, and now we have to determine how one can get it out of him.”
All through his profession, the 33-year-old marathoner has been recognized for his ridiculously excessive mileage; he’s now working greater than ever, averaging 170 miles per week throughout this Tokyo Marathon construct. “One factor we did after the Olympics was scale back coaching depth to proactively construct a bit extra restoration between greater exercises,” says Finlayson.
It will solely be Levins’s second time competing at an Abbott World Marathon Main (he DNF’d on the London Marathon in 2020).
His current half-marathon document of 60:18 at a windy, wet Vancouver First Half signifies that he has the pace to battle and deal with the perfect on the planet.
The competitors
This yr’s Tokyo Marathon doesn’t have the identical firepower it had in 2022, when Eliud Kipchoge cruised to a course document of two:02:40; Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma is the one runner with a significant marathon victory on his resume (London 2021). Lemma had a lacklustre season in 2022, posting a DNF at Boston and ending seventh in London. If Lemma can return to sub-2:05 kind, he would be the favorite, however this race is broad open, which may work in an skilled runner like Levins’s favour.
Lemma’s compatriot Tsegaye Getachew has received three of his final 4 marathons, which embody a private greatest of two:04:49 on the 2022 Amsterdam Marathon. At 26, Getachew has proven promise, and is certain to shine in his world marathon main debut. One other Ethiopian to look at in Tokyo is rising star Deso Gelmisa, who got here onto the scene in 2021, when he completed second on the Valencia Marathon in 2:05:16. 5 months later, he backed up that point on the 2022 Paris Marathon, taking the win in 2:05:07. Though Gelmisa has had some powerful luck in his solely main marathon begin (he ran a disappointing 2:24 at Chicago in 2021), he has the wheels to contend for the rostrum.
There can even be some residence illustration within the lead pack from two of Japan’s quickest marathoners, former nationwide document holder Suguru Osako and Yuta Shitara. Osako used to coach with Levins underneath Alberto Salazar on the Nike Oregon Undertaking from 2012-2017.
The highest Canadian on the 2020 Olympics, Ben Preisner, was speculated to compete in Tokyo, however turned ailing not too long ago and returned to his residence in Vancouver after just a few weeks of altitude coaching in Flagstaff, Ariz.
How one can watch
Excellent news Canada–the 2023 Tokyo Marathon can be on throughout sports activities prime time on Saturday, starting at 7 p.m. E.T. FloTrack will present dwell protection of the race, which you’ll stream or live-cast out of your desktop, cellular or TV with a FloTrack subscription. It’s also possible to comply with dwell updates of the race on @CanadianRunning Twitter, which can function dwell updates and information from the marathon.
