Katsutoshi Tanaka（Track and field coach） | To become a new “textbook”. The one and only path to carve out with his daughter

It’s amazing to maintain the same goals and dreams.

―Please tell us what made you decide to take on the role of coach for your daughter, Nozomi Tanaka.

Tanaka　When my daughter went to university, she wanted to be active on a club team. Her high school advisor continued to teach her, but about six months after she became a university student, it became too much of a burden to continue teaching at the same time. So, in December of her first year at university, my daughter approached me and told me that I would be the right person to take on the role of coach. I have been watching over my daughter since she was a child, so my daughter and I were close in our way of thinking and feeling. So, for the start of the new year, I decided to prepare the environment between January and March until her second year of university, and I decided to make a training menu on a trial basis. It all started by discussing with the advisor in order to take over the role well.

―How did you feel when you were asked to be Nozomi Tanaka’s coach?

Tanaka　At first, I thought, “I hope I will become the in-between until we find the next coach.” I didn’t want my daughter to get lost in the middle during her club team, so I decided to help her by providing a temporary escape route. So I never imagined that I would be doing it for so long.

―How do you feel about the fact that you are still the coach ?

Tanaka　I am amazed that I can continue to have the same goals and dreams as my daughter. Sometimes, I suggest that “there may be another way”. However, while making such suggestions, I always thought about what would be best for my daughter. Since taking over as a coach, I have been able to continue to pursue her goals without losing focus, and I feel that I will continue to do so in the future.

 

Boost self-confidence by accumulating what you can do

―What exactly are you aiming for?

Tanaka　Our goal is “to run fast” all the time. Our main goal is to run faster, and we think about how to achieve it and take action. In this context, I am reverse thinking about what kind of results we can achieve at the Olympics and the World Athletics Championships.

―Is it something that you have been thinking about from the beginning to “aim to run faster”?

Tanaka　That’s right. As a result of stepping up one by one to get faster, we will get closer to our goals for the year and years ahead. I think a lot of athletes are aiming for the Olympics and working backwards to build a plan to get there, but every time we go up the stage, we set goals accordingly. “I think I can do this now,” he says, emphasizing that it is in line with the current strength and that it is possible to achieve. For example, the fact that she was able to break the 3-minute mark in the 1500m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was the result of what I was meant to do. She didn’t suddenly aim for the 3-minute mark. Looking at the build-up of each year and the races of the year, I thought that she might be able to reach the three-minute mark at the Olympics. People around us may have thought that it was “impossible”, but that was what we were aiming for.

―How do you think the foundation for such guidance was laid?

Tanaka　Even if the athletes themselves set goals that are not easy to imagine or unrealistic, their minds and bodies will not be able to keep up. That’s why I think it’s important to start with goals that the athletes can achieve, because it’s easier for them to feel their growth. Rather than being overwhelmed by what you can’t do, it’s important to build up your confidence by accumulating what you can do. I set goals by discussing with the athlete, and I try to work on themes that reflect the requests of the athlete. When I was an athlete, I had the experience of losing sight of what I should be aiming for, so I have been independently formulating training plans and race goals while belonging to a team. There is also a part of me that incorporates the methods that have produced results from my own experience into my teaching.

We have conflicts all the time (bitter laugh)

―When you were an athlete, how did you think about your relationship with your coaches?

Tanaka　I don’t think coaches should force their own way of doing things. I think it’s important for coaches to guide and lead their players, but that’s not what the coach wants them to do. When I was an athlete, I strongly felt that the most important thing was not to lead the athlete by being in front, but to run side by side with the same line of sight and in the same position. That’s what I wanted to be if I was to become in a position to coach.

―What kind of approach do you take when you are not in the same line of sight?

Tanaka　After all, there are times when there is a difference in intentions and ways of thinking between each other, and at that time, there are parts that are said because we have a parent-child relationship. We put our thoughts into words directly, so we sometimes end up hurting each other, but it doesn’t end there, and we think about the next thing beyond the words. While conveying one’s thoughts, and listening to the other person’s words, prepare an answer for the next time we have a discussion even if we can’t answer on the spot. Maybe we’re getting along well with each other by doing that. In the end, it’s important not to hold back, but to honestly express what you feel right now. Of course, there are times when it can be a disadvantage, but there is a relationship that goes beyond that. Recently, it has come to be regarded as an advantage as a result, including disadvantages.

―What was the biggest conflict you’ve ever had?

Tanaka　We have conflicts all the time.（bitter laugh）The bigger the wall we are facing, the more we will collide. Negative words come out of her, so I say, “That’s not right.” The most recent major collisions were before the 1500m semi-finals at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest and the day before the 5000m at the Diamond League final last year. She was anxious and had emotions that she couldn’t control, but I told her strictly, “That’s not good.” I think she just wanted me to listen, but I’m not good at being kind (bitter laugh). There’s a lot of complexity with this. I tell her that I am both a parent and a coach, so she needs to accept that.

I’ve come to a world where there are no textbooks

―How do you feel about Nozomi’s growth ?

Tanaka　If I were a parent, I would be able to say “thank you” or “good job” just by participating in the Olympics. However, I feel more remorse for not being able to show the athlete the view they want to see. I am still not good enough as a coach, and I often think that “there could have been a better way”. Especially lately, I often see my daughter struggling. She herself feels a lot of pressure because she is asked to get results. As a Japanese person, I am on the verge of seeing further ahead. I feel like I’ve come to a world without textbooks. When I think about it in the Japanese framework, I strongly believe that I need to have more ideas and ways of thinking and study in a difficult situation where there are no role models.

―In the absence of a role model, where do you get inspirations from?

Tanaka　I go abroad including Kenya and the U.S. to get hints for ideas. There are a lot of things to learn, including Western training methods, ways to maintain motivation, attitude and humanity. Of course, just because you went to Kenya doesn’t mean you can do the same things as Kenyans and become stronger. Africans have unique strengths, and that is why they are able to do some things. While looking at such things, we add our own arrangements. In that sense, I feel that there are a lot of tips lying around.

―Is there anything you feel when you travel abroad ?

Tanaka　I feel you need to think outside of the framework and common sense of Japan. Japanese women tend to think that a 3000m race in less than 9 minutes is fast, but in the indoor race I participated in the United States, it is normal for the lead to be under 8 minutes and 30 seconds. The number of athletes who run the 5000m in less than 15 minutes and the 1500m in 3 minutes is increasing. I feel that Japanese women, including marathons, has been stagnant for about 10~20 years. The other day, I was watching the Osaka International Women’s Marathon, and before they had run 10 kilometers, the race for the championship was narrowed down. It is precisely because of this situation that I feel that it is necessary to approach the situation with new ideas without being bound by stereotypes. For example, I don’t think we should dismiss it as “Nozomi Tanaka is a professional athlete and can achieve results because she can do it freely.” Recently, there has been an atmosphere of competition among men, saying, “If he can do it, I can do it,” and the number of athletes who run marathons and track events are increasing, even if they are running the ekiden. However, I have the impression that ekiden, track, and marathon are different things for women. We don’t belong to a corporate group, but if we have the environment, we would like to do track and marathon while doing ekiden. I feel that it would be ideal to combine it with other disciplines to achieve a synergistic effect.

What we are looking for is a “living race”

―Which was the most ideal race for Nozomi Tanaka ? 

Tanaka　We haven’t found our true ideals yet. The closest races were the semi-finals and finals of the 1500m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. However, in the end, that is also a passing point, and we still have a long way to go. She also won a prize at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but dropped out of the race at the end. She also won a prize at the 5000m at the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships and broke the Japanese record in the qualifying round but was left behind in the last lap. That was fine at the time. However, there is a common understanding that we have not yet found the ideal race that we both want.

―What kind of race do you want to have ?

Tanaka　Ideally, I would like to stay on the straight line of the last home straight and cross the finish line. Even if my feet stop and I’m at the very back, I feel happy if I can run side by side with the athletes who are battling for the lead until the last moment. Rather than the result, the experience itself is something to be proud of. Regardless of whether she can or can’t, I would like to imagine something like that.

―What areas do you need to improve in order to achieve that ideal race?

Tanaka　Currently, I am often working on my own, and I feel that what I am doing is close to the limit. I try various patterns in races in Japan by imagining the world, but I am just controlling the pace, so it is not a living race. Lately, I’ve become unaccustomed to running with other people, and even on the world stage, I feel stiff when I get tangled up until the end. It’s a run that makes me uncomfortable, so I want to improve on that.

 

The Trailhead is Rivals Who Have Gone Ahead

―Do you think you need more people who can compete?

Tanaka　 I feel that the existence of rivals is important. Ririka Hironaka had been out of the competition due to injury, but she has been a big part since the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and I think she was able to do her best because of her. At the moment, I feel like she is struggling alone, and the lack of rivals seems to be causing her to lose her running. With Ririka Hironaka, she can compete, and there is a possibility that other athletes will join. It’s hard to have rivals, but if you don’t overcome them, you won’t be able to compete in the world. I feel that the reason why there is such a big difference between when we get results in world competitions and when we don’t is because there is a lack of competition in Japan.

―You mentioned Ririka Hironaka’s name, but from your point of view, are there any other athletes you are interested both in Japan and overseas?

Tanaka　Italy’s Nadia Batcretti is one step ahead of what we want to do. She won a bronze medal in the 10,000m at last year’s Paris 2024 Olympics and finished fourth in the 5,000m (and then moved up to third due to the disqualification of another athlete). However, at the Diamond League in Monaco held just before the Olympics last year, Nozomi Tanaka beated Nadia Batcretty. And then there are the results at the Olympics. Batcretty’s strength is that she has also competed in cross-country and has won well there. That’s what we want to do, and I have been telling Nozomi Tanaka that “she needs to have the ability to run 10,000 meters”. What Batcretti has embodied is what we are aiming for.

Also, Australia’s Jessica Hull. She also won a silver medal in the 1500m at the Paris 2024 Olympics but failed to win a prize at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Both of them are like us to have a father as a coach. At first, we were ahead of them, but they overtook us all. I’m in a position to follow them, but it’s also a valuable guidepost.

World Athletics Championships which “showed Nozomi Tanaka’s personality”

―Nozomi Tanaka has competed in the World Athletics Championships three times. Is there anything that left a lasting impression on you?

Tanaka　All of the races are unforgettable. At Doha 2019, she represented Japan at the World Championships for the first time as a senior and broke her personal record twice in the 5000m preliminaries and finals. At the Oregon 2022 Games, she was able to enter three individual events for the first time as a Japanese athlete, so it was very emotional. At the Budapest 2023 Games, I felt that it was a lot of fun for her to be able to run with Dutch middle- and long-distance runner Sifan Hassan, in the 5000m preliminaries. I think all of the World Athletics Championships she has participated in so far have been meaningful experiences and assets.

―What are your goals for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25?

Tanaka　Regardless of the result at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, I want Nozomi Tanaka to “leave an impression”. It may be difficult because there is Haruka Kitaguchi, but I would like to show her way of life as a person and make people look back and say, “Speaking of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, it was a tournament that showed Nozomi Tanaka’s personality.” It was a long time ago, but I want it to be unforgettable, like Mr. Shizo Kanaguri, for example. That’s what I want to leave behind.

―What would you like to do to develop track and field in Japan ?

Tanaka　I think it’s important to “visualize” what we’ve been working on so far, rather than confining it to Nozomi Tanaka. With the increase in overseas activities and the fact that there are many things that cannot be seen from Japan, I want to show that “this is what we can do.” Last year, we competed in many Diamond Leagues and were able to see the world. I want to pass on what I felt through Nozomi Tanaka to the next generation so that they can want to “do the same thing”. As a bridge to the next generation, I think it is all about preserving our current efforts. For example, we would like to increase the number of options, including structures such as club teams and professionals. I think the corporate group is a good structure in terms of supporting athletics and sports, but there are some athletes who don’t fit into that framework. We need to leave a place where athletes with the personality and ideas like Nozomi Tanaka can play an active role. We are currently working to provide diverse possibilities and provide a guidepost for them, and we would like to continue to do so.

―Finally, do you have a message for the fans who are looking forward to the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25?

Tanaka　With the return of the World Athletics Championships to Japan, I would like to see Japanese people go out into the world without building walls in real time. As a result, I hope that this tournament will give everyone the energy and confidence to live, and I will do my best together with Nozomi Tanaka to make it such a tournament. Thank you for your support.

Katsutoshi Tanaka／Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1970
Track & Field Coach (Nozomi Tanaka’s personal coach)

He graduated from Miki Higashi High School in Hyogo Prefecture and belonged to Kawasaki Heavy Industries during his active career. He was active as a middle- and long-distance runner and retired in 1996. After working as a coach and training partner for his wife, Chihiro (winner of the Hokkaido Marathon in 1997 and 2003), at Tokusen Industry until 2001, he worked for a running company and was involved in event management and record measurement using IC chips, while continuing to coach his wife. In 2006, he launched Athle-C, the predecessor of ATHTRACK Co., Ltd., and became independent. He plans and manages athletics-related events, conducts running classes, and continues to deliver the” joy of running”.
As the exclusive coach of Nozomi, who turned professional in April 2023, he is teaching with his own style of coaching to her daughter who is performing on the world’s highest stage such as the Olympics, the World Athletics Championships, and the Diamond League.

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text by Moritaka Ohashi
photographs by Kiyoshi Sakamoto

Co-produced with the Local Organising Committee of World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.