▁mar athon . ▁I to ▁was ▁runner - up ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Os aka ▁Lad ies ▁Mar athon , ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁S app oro ▁Half ▁Mar athon , ▁and ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ten ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁London ▁Mar athon . ▁ ▁Career ▁Born ▁in ▁N ara , ▁N ara , ▁she ▁attended ▁Ky oto ▁T ach ib ana ▁High ▁School ▁then ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁Ky oto ▁Sang yo ▁University . ▁Initial ly ▁she ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁vol ley ball ▁but ▁she ▁gradually ▁focused ▁on ▁long - distance ▁running ▁instead . ▁In j uries ▁bl ight ed ▁her ▁early ▁career ▁but ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁metres ▁win ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Japanese ▁Colleg iate ▁Championships ▁( in ▁her ▁final ▁year ▁of ▁study ) ▁she ▁her ▁begin ▁to ▁establish ▁herself . ▁That ▁same ▁year ▁she ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁Ky oto ▁Half ▁Mar athon ▁in ▁a ▁personal ▁best ▁of ▁ 7 1 : 1 1 ▁minutes . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁she ▁joined ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁O ts uka ▁Ph arma ce ut ical ▁corpor ate ▁running ▁team ▁and ▁began ▁training ▁under ▁their ▁director ▁K ono ▁T ad ashi . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁season ▁brought ▁results ▁as ▁she ▁ran ▁a ▁string ▁of ▁personal ▁best s , ▁impro ving ▁to ▁ 9 : 1 8 . 6 9 ▁minutes ▁for ▁the ▁ 3 0 0 0 ▁metres ,