Progressing through her marathon career, Kiyoko Shimahara steadily pulled through.

Shimahara won yesterday's Honolulu Marathon in 2 hours, 32 minutes, 36 seconds, steadily and bravely pulling away in the final stretch of the 26.2-mile race that tested her will and racing strategy as much as it did her upset stomach.

After running together for six miles, the 31-year-old from Tokyo gradually opened up a distance from Alice Timbilili of Kenya as they ran through the 21st mile near Kalani High School. The gap gradually grew and opened up as they ran through the back of Kahala, and Shimahara went on to win her first-ever U.S. marathon, and just her second overall. She was fifth at the Boston Marathon in 2006 and third at the Chicago Marathon two months ago. Her only other win was a small, regional marathon in Japan.

"This is (my) first time to win in a big, world-class marathon," Shimahara said through agent/interpreter Brendan Reilly after she became the first Japanese winner since Eri Hayakawa in 2003. "(I'm) extremely pleased."

Japan's Kaori Yoshida, fourth last year, finished second in 2:34:35 after leading for most of the race. Timbilili finished third in 2:37:31. Defending champion Alvetina Biktimirova of Russia was fifth in 2:45:06, but was not in the lead pack from the get go, and was out of sight the entire race.

Shimahara's win was as much about strategy and tactics as it was enduring other issues that she dealt with the entire race. She said the cold weather bothered her stomach from the beginning and the problem never really went away. After the race, the problem only seem exacerbated as it took Shimahara a while to go through drug testing and meet with the press.

"The long stretch running next to Alice, that was the toughest part of the race," Shimahara said of her ailment.

Steady rain, at times heavy, fell on runners for most of the race, adding to puddles that had formed from previous days of rain. It was Shimahara's first time doing a marathon in the rain and competing in the dark. Sunlight didn't break until the lead runners passed 17 miles in Hawai'i Kai.

"We had to run around it, that slowed times a bit," Shimahara said of the puddles.

For the first 15 miles, the race was tactical with Yoshida setting the pace, leading a pack of six women and several Japanese men. Yoshida handed water and sponges to Shimahara and did everything she could to ensure that her fellow countrywoman and teammate — both train with the Second Wind running group in downtown Tokyo — would win.

"My goal was to make her win and for myself, I was practicing for the upcoming Osaka International Women's Marathon," Yoshida said. "I'm happy to have second."

One Russian runner dropped from the lead pack going up Diamond Head on the eighth mile. Nearing the 11th mile at Kahala Mall, Timbilili moved to the front of the pack. By the 12th mile, the pack was thinned to Timbilili, Yoshida, Shimahara and four Japanese men.

At the midway point in 'Aina Haina, the pack clocked in at 1:16:29. Yoshida dropped back going into the 15th mile on Hawai'i Kai Drive.

Timbilili built a slight lead of 10 to 15 meters nearing the 17th mile, but Shimahara closed the gap on the Kealohe Street bridge.

From there, they ran side-by-side on the way back on Kalaniana'ole Highway, flanked by several Japanese male runners. At one point, the pack ran in a single file with Shimahara in front.

"The latter stages, it did help or else (I'd) be on my own after Yoshida finished pace making," Shimahara said of running with the Japanese men. "It helped. No way were they (men) interfering."

As they neared Kahala Mall, Shimahara knew it was now or never if she wanted to separate from Timbilili.

"She knew in the second half, we talked about it at dinner last night, if it was Russian girls, their kicks are not that strong, so try to shake them somewhere," Reilly said. "If it was Alice, she has very good 3,000- and 5,000-meter speed. You have to get rid of her before the top of Diamond Head. If you go one-on-one with 3,000-meter (speed) the last two miles, it's tough to take her on a downhill.

"That's what she (Shimahara) got on her mind, to try to take care of (Timbilili) after 30 (kilometers)."

Through 22 miles on Kealaolu Avenue, Shimahara built a lead of 20 to 30 meters. That continued to grow until Timbilili was out of sight. Yoshida caught up to Timbilili on the hill going into Diamond Head.

When Shimahara reached the top of Diamond Head at 25 miles, the rain had cleared and beside her were a crisp, clear blue sky and Japanese runners — still heading out on the course — offering words of encouragement.

"It's even better than we thought," said Reilly, who also represents Yoshida. "All we talked about this week was how to get Kiyoko to win."