10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Running the Tokyo Marathon 2019! Not Today Blog 41

At kilometre 30 I wanted to quit. My left midfoot felt like it was broken and my right ankle, which I had been having problems with for the last few weeks before the race, was killing me. Who would have thought that I would learn more about myself through the Tokyo Marathon than through a backpacking trip?

Tokyo Marathon 2019 – A Learning Curve

The thought of that stupid medal helped me battle through from KM 30 to KM 42,195. 12 kilometres of excruciating pain. From KM 35, thigh cramps every 500 metres. Then every 200 metres. But then came the beer.

Why should you take advice from me?

I’ve run four half marathons (eleven if you count the long runs for my marathon prep) and one marathon. I am not a fast runner and probably never will be. My fastest half marathon time is 1:54:00, and at the 2019 Tokyo Marathon, I aimed to run a sub-4 hour marathon and finished with a time of 4:53:51.

I made every mistake so you don’t have to! My advice could be helpful for first-timers after all.

Here are 10 tips for first-timers running the Toyko Marathon.

1. Find the right accommodation.

Yep, I found a great Airbnb in Tokyo for a great price, right next to Shin-Ōkubo Station. That’s two stops from Shinjuku Station. From there it’s a 500-metre walk to the race start venue.

But…

The place where I stayed had steep steps up to my room. I’m not even complaining that there was no lift. But the stairs were so steep that you might as well fix ropes for ascending and descending.

And my bed was elevated. You don’t understand. I had to climb a ladder to lie down!

Both are not great considering you’ve just forced your body through the pain of your life. Trust me the last thing you want to do is climb.

2. Think about the commute AFTER the race.

Yeah, it’s great to have sorted a hotel close to the start venue, but the race ends in a completely different part of Tokyo. The nearest station isn’t far from the finisher area and Tokyo’s metro system is cheap and fast.

But don’t underestimate the stairways down and up the underground tunnels. For me every curb was torture. I found it entertaining that people were watching me pull myself up on the railings. For others, a taxi might save a lot of pain.

3. Don’t go too crazy on the liquids before the race.

While doing your race day preparation, you may come across articles advising you to drink as much as you can up to one hour before the race. I agree that you should drink enough fluids before the race.

However, remember that you know your body best. You have done long runs before. I consumed one and a half litres of water and one litre of sports drink before the race. I was well hydrated, but my body could have done with less. I even had to go to the toilet twice to lose some of the water. Once before the race, and once…

4. Go to the toilet as late as possible before the race.

I didn’t know I had drunk too much water until I was standing in the starting block waiting for the start. I fucked up and it cost me 14 minutes!

The moment I arrived at the race venue I figured it would be best to go to the toilet first to get it over with. By the time the race started, I already had to pee again. Stupid Danny had to stop at kilometre 3 for a wee break because he couldn’t keep in anymore. Until KM 6 or KM 7 toilet cues are insanely long because you’re not the only dumbass that had too much drink and too less pee before the race haha. Don’t be a dumbass.

What I should have done: Get to the venue, sort out baggage drop and logistics, check where my start block is located, get a little warm-up in, go to the toilet, and then head to the starting block.

5. Ice spray doesn’t do shit.

Pretty self-explanatory. I was lucky enough to get quad cramps from KM 35 onwards.

You’ll come across spectators offering you ice spray. It doesn’t help. Tokyo Marathon is so cold that you already feel like a block of ice. Adjust your pace, pause for a few seconds if it gets bad, give your quads a good rub and get on with it.

6. No sightseeing the day before the race.

I had the brilliant idea to go for a light walk the day before the run. Not a bad idea, but I ended up visiting the wrong shrine and taking 22,000 steps according to the pedometer.

It’s an odd feeling when your lungs have enough capacity, but your legs just won’t follow. I felt that especially from KM 10 to KM 25 during the.

You feel every step you took too much the day prior to the race. If you go for an easy walk, make sure it’s easy.

7. No need to go with too many layers.

Tokyo Marathon was cold as. It was rainy, windy and +7 °C during my race in 2019.

I brought a woolly hat, a t-shirt, arm sleeves, shorts with compression tights (3/4 length) underneath, socks, shoes and a light jacket. Also, a pair of gloves and warm clothes for after the race. The idea was that I could get rid of the jacket, hat and arm sleeves in case I got too warm during the race.

I decided last minute that I was not going to wear my jacket because I saw others doing the same. It worked out great and I was glad that I didn’t bring it. During the race, I only ever got cold when a gust of wind hit me, and then only for a few seconds. I’d rather be a little colder than too warm. I didn’t get rid of my woolly hat and arm warmers though.

In a race in the same conditions, I would wear the same, maybe some long tights.

8. Fix your bib number in a good place.

My bib number came with safety pins. Another reason why I was glad to get rid of the jacket before the race. What a hassle to pin the bib number from the jacket to the T-shirt underneath. (If your bib number is not visible race photographers will not be able to allocate the photos to your start number.)

As for the position of your bib number, I tried to put it on my pants, but it felt restrictive. Also, the side of my t-shirt wasn’t great. I’d go with the stomach.

A bib number belt might solve all these problems but I haven’t tried so I can’t tell.

9. Don’t ever stop running. Go slow but never stop.

Picking up the pace again after having stopped at a water station gets exponentially harder throughout the race. Try to never come to a full halt, keep going.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop.

Confucius

10. If there’s beer, take beer.

I loved the spectators at the Tokyo Marathon. From people handing out chocolates to whole orchestras playing songs. Everyone standing on the sidelines cheering you on, and all that in constant rain and terribly cold temperatures. What legends.

At KM 38 I met a man who wanted to hand me a cup. I had already passed him when my brain started working. I immediately turned around and ran back to him. “Is that beer?!”. The guy replied “YES” with the brightest smile.

With a loud “YEEEEEESSS thank you!!” I took the beer and kept walking. I enjoyed the half-pint more than I have ever enjoyed a drink in my life. That burst of energy was unmatched. Not because of the alcohol (I’m not even sure it wasn’t a non-alcoholic beer), but because of the gesture.

Absolute boss.

Why Not Today?

If you’re looking for a sign, this is it. Why not today sign up for your own marathon experience!

Make sure you have got 16 to 20 weeks and I am sure you will experience the greatest challenge. You will go through the highest highs and the lowest lows. You will have a goal.

Signing up for a challenge changes my life every time. Do it.

D