2008 Tokyo Marathon (Read 951 times)

Hi Larry! I am running Tokyo Marathon on Feb 17th. We were both at the Frostbite marathon at the same time! It's too bad that I didn't do a Tokyo Marathon search earlier on RA to find out about you. Just think about it! Out of 150,000 Tokyo Marathon applicants only 35,000 were selected for the 42k run on a lottery basis, you and me! Who knows when we will get to run this race again? The most important thing to me is to go to the race and enjoy it, not worry about my time. We will get to run from Shinjuku through the main intersection at Ginza! This is one of the few times they ever shutdown the city to traffic. I am sure this race will be one of the most awesome experiences in my lifetime. Best wishes and good luck to you!

Thanks! Mschanz for your nice comments about Tokyo! Your accomplishments are quite impressive! How about applying for the lottery to enter next year's Tokyo Marathon. Last year, it was horribly cold and rainy, and I sat home and watched the race on TV. For the past few weekends, it has been snowing or sleeting, so I am praying for no rain and warmer weather for this year's race. There are a whole bunch of different marathons that take place around the Imperial Palace. Last year, I participated in a 30k run. One lap around the palace is exactly 5k. It's a very popular place to run. I read that marathon running and swimming are the most popular sports among Japanese. Tokyo Marathon which started last year particularly helped to make marathon running an even bigger sport here.

I'm glad that you noticed my post re:tokyo marathon. I sort of figured it out looking at your calendar that you were at the Frostbite. I was surprised to see that the race was mostly Japanese and so few Americans. It was a horrible race for me due to health issues, but I will go again next year for sure! I just love the Frostbite sweatshirt design! I think that I will be stuck in the group for the 4:00 or 4:30 goal time at starting line for Tokyo Marathon in Shinjuku. This is my 4th marathon. To run the whole 42k is my goal, not to pr. My bib no. is 51526. I will be wearing black 4DM tights, red Nike running jacket, 5 ft. 3, 103lbs. Looking at your half marathon time, I think that you will finish by 4:30, so I will look for you! I don't think there will be many gaijin so we will stand out. I recommend bringing at least 3 or 4 power gels, running gloves, a hat, also a garbage bag to wear as a poncho while we wait for the race start to keep you warm. I heard that the race is so large that it may take us 20 minutes to reach the start line! If it rains, it is a good idea to wear disposable plastic gloves (like used for hair dying) on top or regular running gloves w/rubber bands at your wrists to keep your hands dry, also a gortex parka. I usually eat a power bar before the race and then take power gels thereafter. I think that there's going to be a ton of food and drinks all along the race course. Also no worries about toilets, the store owners along the course will welcome us! Let's have a great time!

I ran Tokyo last year (the inaugural race) was POURING rain, but still lots of fun. They ran out of all the food they said they'd be handing out, though, so bring your own stuff. Gels and the like are hard to find in Japan, but Kibi Dango work well as race snacks. (Small Mochi with no anko). Japanese crowds were out, but they don't scream and yell (they are Japanese, after all). Lots of silent watching. Gaijin can still cause a stir, so put your name on your shirt in Katakana, slap high fives with the kids and try to wake the spectators up a bit. If you're lucky you might get a "gaijin-san, gambatte!" Soba or udon is a good prerace mealI don't live in Japan anymore, so I am going to miss out this year. Have fun!

Hi, Brioche I will be wearing black tights and either a blue jacket or a black t-shirt over an under armor shirt. I will probably have on a gray beanie too. I'm sure that I will be in the 4 to 4:30 block area. I am going to Odaiba on Saturday afternoon to pick up my number, etc. And, we have a hotel room in Shinjujku for Sat and Sun night. I'm excited to run Sunday, and it looks like the weather will be favorable with a high of 6 C and partly cloudy skies. I haven't been able to snowboard this year without being scared of getting hurt and throwing off my training. But, on the 26th I am having an after marathon treat and heading to Mt. Naeba in Niigata. Hope to see you there!

Brioche, I had a great time as well... I can't wait to hear your story. Also, next week my wife will be working at NAF Atsugi and I am going to go with her. Isn't that near where you live?

Hi Jeremys & Turbo-mech! Turbo pls. write up your race report. I have no doubt in my mind that Tokyo Marathon has to be one of the best races in the world. Tons of exposure and national tv coverage since it was a qualifying race for the Japanese men at the Beijing Olympics this year. No rain this year and pure sunshine all the way. From the start line, they had us ordered up in blocks A to H? according to our past/projected finish times. Fans and spectators were packed all along the race course from start to finish. The race started at 9:10 am and it must have taken my section, E, about 5 minutes to reach the start line. When I got up there, I saw tons of heart shaped pink confetti on the road which they obviously dropped at the gun start. The runners never thinned out along the course. The first place my husband was waiting for me was at Ichigaya, but the crowd of runners was so thick, so was the amount of spectators, that it was impossible to see each other. Then at Hibiya park he tried looking for me but then again no luck. That's how crowded the race was. My husband was worried sick if I would be able to run the entire race. I wasn't so sure about it either since I got anemia and 3 weeks ago couldn't run more than 10km. I had no pressure to PR. For me, the goal was just to go to the race and enjoy it. I saw a Japanese guy running in a business suit holding a briefcase. Also saw a sub4 girl running in a thin light pink tutu ballet leotard and all sorts of other great costumes. There was a tv crew running with cameras and filming an announcer who was running as well. If I hadn't made that damn potty stop and lost 10 minutes at 7km, I would have been in front of Mayor Higashi from Kyushu, who is a big personality on tv here lately. I think he finished at 4:42. A friend of mine was up at Asakusa waiting for me around 28k, so the whole time I ran on the edge of the road closest to the spectators up and down the course, but we never saw each other. The crowds were offering us candy, chocolate, and other snacks. There were aid stations with sports drink at every 5km, then 2km after that water. After that, they had precut and peeled bananas. No worries about food or drink shortages. There were doctors along the course to help runners with sore knees or other minor injuries. It wasn't until right before the Kabuki Theater near Higashi Ginza at about 35k that my husband finally got a glimpse of me and was relieved to see that I was in good condition running at a steady even pace. He yelled out my name but I couldn't even hear him. I was looking for him as well, but couldn't find him. I think I need to come up with a good costume for my next marathon. Any ideas? I saw two gaijin who must of have been from Texas as they were running in Lone Star shorts. They had live runner updates on the marathon website which you could access by either pc or cell phone which was great. A friend of my husband's had a cell phone so they could see my lap times and at what time I was passing each 5km mark along the course. Not a single minute of boredom, not a single minute to even think about an ache or pain during the entire marathon. The race went by so fast. Usually past 30km a marathon starts getting boring and I look for someone to start up a converstation with so that I distract myself from my knee or foot pain, but this time the scenery and crowds kept me so entertained. The course started at Tokyo City Hall and was a steady long downhill run that flatten out, towards the end of the course there were several slightly uphill runs on bridges between manmade islands going towards the goal finish at Tokyo Big Site. It was a good course. On the course, we got to see the Imperial Palace, run through Ginza, Shinagawa, Akasaka, and past Tokyo Tower. It wasn't a course that was straight down the road oneway and then back, but there were lots of turns which was fun. If there was one thing that bothered me about the race, it was runners talking on cell phones while running, talking about where to meet friends/family along the course, or asking whoever to bring this and that to me at such and such place. This was the easiest and most enjoyable marathon for me. I just ran it as a lsd. I didn't even know if I could run the thing because of my health. Is it okay for me to enjoy life this much, is what I thought after I ran the race. I have to run, I have to train, I have to reach an ironman --- because I have a dear friend that got her life cut short and didn't make it. It is my duty to celebrate life and enjoy it. When my number comes up and God chooses my time to go, that's fine with me. I am at peace with that. I had 2 other near misses with death, but happened to be at the right place at the right time. Enjoying the moment now is what life is about. Don't ever forget it. Sorry to get so sentimental here. Prior and after the marathon, we got tons of loot, great non-cotton white T-shirt with gold and black printing, medal, saron pas spray for sore muscles after the race, free running gloves w/tokyo marathon trademark, blister bandages, bath salt, more food, neat poncho to keep us warm after crossing the goal line, you name it. They even had a foot bath set up in the changing area to soothe our tired out feet. I just have so much admiration for Japanese people is all that I can say. The organization, the timeliness, the whole event was absolutely perfect. My salute goes to the Mayor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara and all the volunteers that made this race possible. Ishihara's real intention through initiating the Tokyo Marathon from 2007, is to show how great of a candidate city Tokyo is is for holding the 2016 summer olypmics. I agree. I had the one of the greatest times in my life without a doubt at this marathon event. They plan to hold the marathon race in March next year, instead of February, which will be a better idea. PS Atsugi is just 30 minutes from Chigasaki if you take the Sagami line. Channel 4 will show a summary of the marathon this Saturday, Feb. 23rd from 15:00 to 15:55. Then on March 9th from 0:30 to 8:00, they will televise the goal finish of every runner at the race. I didn't carry a cell phone during the marathon run obviously, so I don't have any race photos. But, I did get a photo taken after crossing the finish line by a photographer as a momento. Turbo - if you have any photos, pls put them up, thanks! I suppose I could search the web for some photos and put them up so that everyone can get an idea about the race atmosphere. PS. worried about Trishierunner. How are you doing? Let us know.