Thomas R.H. Havens warns us early in "Marathon Japan" that "the emphasis is on sports history, not the anthropology of running communities or body culture." What this means is that, for the most part, in place of analysis and interpretation we get facts, and those who aren't absolutely besotted with Japanese running may feel their eyelids grow heavy as they move through the many pages detailing the performances of Japanese athletes at various international and domestic races. Eyes will snap open again, though, at some of the things that emerge from this pile of data.