Yuki Kawauchi

Who is Yuki Kawauchi?

Yuki Kawauchi is a Japanese marathon runner. He came to prominence after running the 2011 Tokyo Marathon in 2:08:37, finishing as the first Japanese and third overall. He is known as the "citizen runner" given that he works full-time at a high school in Saitama Prefecture and trains in his time off.

Kawauchi is a frequent competitor, entering many races each year, ranging in distance from the half marathon to the 50 km ultramarathon. He follows the training style of Arthur Lydiard, focusing on distance rather than speed work. Among his performances, he has won at the Hokkaido Marathon and Beppu-Ōita Marathon and has reached the top three at the Tokyo Marathon and Fukuoka Marathon. His personal best for the distance is 2:08:14.

In spite of his being an amateur, he has represented Japan internationally at the World Championships in Athletics and the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. He has a younger brother, Koki Kawauchi, who is also a marathon runner.