The wave of global interest over the new thick-soled running shoe that swept over the athletics world made its way into the spring training camp of Japan pro baseball's Chiba Lotte Marines.
On the opening day of camp earlier this week in Ishigakijima, Okinawa Prefecture, the players went to a nearby athletics stadium for their traditional 12-minute run.
As they switched into their running shoes, one by one they could be seen putting on the Nike Vaporfly. Clad in their sparkling new shoes, they all set off around the track on the start signal from a coach.
The run is part of the general conditioning program inserted into their schedule, as it was at the fall camp following last season. The players had been told they would be doing the run in the spring camp as well.
A minimum standard of 2,700 meters has been set for position players, and 2,800 meters for pitchers. For those that clear the criteria, a different training menu awaits the next morning, which accounts for how seriously the players take the run.
Many of the runners posted personal bests. "They all firmly cleared [the standard]," manager Tadahito Iguchi said.
Pitcher Chihaya Sasaki, who ran 2,800 meters in the fall, extended that mark to 3,100 meters this time.
"I did a lot of running in the offseason," Sasaki said with a laugh, then laughed again as he glanced down at the pink shoes on his feet.
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