Japanese Athlete Prepares for 2013 Virgin London Marathon at St Mary’s

Japanese Athlete Mai Ito has been busy using the training facilities at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, ahead of the 2013 Virgin London Marathon, which is taking place on Sunday 21^st April. After using the facilities at St Mary’s as part of the London 2012 pre-Games training camp, Mai returned to the University College’s Strawberry Hill campus to use the athletics track and strength and conditioning facilities ahead of the marathon. Head Coach of Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceutical Elite Running Team and Coach to Mai Ito, Tasasu Kawano said, “The environment at St Mary’s and Teddington, particularly the facilities at St Mary’s, Bushy Park and Richmond Park before last summer’s Olympic Games were so wonderful, that we decided to come here again to prepare for this year’s Virgin London Marathon. “With this support and that from the London Marathon staff, we’ve been able to prepare very well and Mai is looking forward to her best race.” Results from the 2013 Virgin London Marathon will be the final race used to select the members of Japan’s marathon team for this summer’s International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Moscow. The team will be announced in Japan on 25^th April.