There's a new major in town

Woddle

Wecome Tokyo

ultraman1

is it fast.flat....:P

Pisco Sour

You won't get any 8 hour marathoners there that's for sure. The only obese people I saw in 17 days were the sumo wrestlers!

Given Japan's great tradition in marathon running this news is much deserved.

RayCun

Actually, there's a 7 hour cut-off for completing the marathon, about the same as Dublin, and t-shirt sizes go up to X02

(but there doesn't seem to be a good-for-age or equivalent qualification, just a lottery for non-elites)

Pisco Sour

RayCun wrote: »

Actually, there's a 7 hour cut-off for completing the marathon, about the same as Dublin, and t-shirt sizes go up to X02

Probably for the 10% of foreigners who will come over for it. No word of a lie, you will struggle to find a fat person in Tokyo!

Krusty_Clown

Damnit. Just as I was closing in on completing all the major marathons.
Emer_911, no more milk for the babas, we've got to start saving!

Peckham

I feel a little relieved as it reduces the obligation I'd feel to do NYC.

I have two left to complete from the current set of majors (Chicago and NYC). Chicago is a potential for 2013, which would have left NYC for a full set. I don't look favourably on the NYC marathon which gives the impression of being more interested in revenue generation than providing a road race, so it wouldn't have sat comfortably with me to contribute to their enterprise.

As it's very unlikely I'll ever travel to Tokyo to race, then the full set is now unachievable so there's no point in me doing NYC!

EauRouge79

Good news, would love to visit Tokyo. Will pencil it in for 2020 or so, when ill next get a pass!

Pisco Sour

Peckham wrote: »

As it's very unlikely I'll ever travel to Tokyo to race, then the full set is now unachievable so there's no point in me doing NYC!

Would highly recommend a visit. One of the best countries in the world I've seen. Doing the marathon there would be a great excuse for a holiday in Japan. Lovely people also (albeit as mad as a bag of snakes!).

just-joe

Registered and paid for it. That article makes me feel kinda cool.

I just have to do the training now. It'll be a littttle bit difficult as Niigata where I live is also known as "Snow Country".

It'll be my first time to run the Tokyo marathon, so I can't say anything about it now, but I'll let ya all know how it goes!


For anyone thinking about it, Tokyo is an absolutely amazing city, really cool places to visit and it would be a really different and interesting experience. Japan in general is a great place, beautiful and interesting country, friendly and cool people. Fantastic food too!

myflipflops

Interesting.

Buster Mottram is in marathon training and looking for somewhere to debut. This could fit the bill for him now they will have some cash to pay the appearance fee I reckon he will be looking for.

From a normal runners point of view, there seems to be no guaranteed entry time? Just a matter of applying and hoping you draw a place?

EauRouge79

EauRouge79 wrote: »

Good news, would love to visit Tokyo. Will pencil it in for 2020 or so, when ill next get a pass!

I got me a pass! Probably going to apply here for the 2015 edition.
Entry looks like its a pure lottery though and massively oversubscribed.

Anybody fancy a jog and a few points in downtown Tokyo?

TRR

I'd obviously consider running this if I had the money but not because it is one of the "majors". Pure marketing and while the marathons that are classified as "majors" are great marathons in their own rights there are others like Rotterdam, Barcelona and Paris for example that I would definitely do before New York and Tokyo.

As an aside, your head would be wrecked if you were motivated to, and had completed the 5 majors and then you seen this news! Where will it end though, could be number of majors grow annually?

EauRouge79

I guess there could be more additions, the whole majors series only started 6/7 years ago as far as i know.
Geographically, an asian major was always on the cards. The japanese love their marathon running and Tokyo sounds like a great city.
I have a friend living/working not far from Tokyo, this might give me the incentive to make the trip over. Cost as you say is a big factor!

Pisco Sour

EauRouge79 wrote: »

I guess there could be more additions, the whole majors series only started 6/7 years ago as far as i know.
Geographically, an asian major was always on the cards. The japanese love their marathon running and Tokyo sounds like a great city.
I have a friend living/working not far from Tokyo, this might give me the incentive to make the trip over. Cost as you say is a big factor!

A few years ago I flew Dublin to Tokyo return for 820 euro. Is that really much more than you'd pay to fly to Chicago? I found Japan a cheap country so cost of living over there wouldn't be huge. People refer to it as being very expensive but only because they compare it to South East Asia and other countries in that locality. By Western Standards I found Japan to be very inexpensive. Of course this info is 4 years old so things could be different now.

Krusty_Clown

Pisco Sour wrote: »

A few years ago I flew Dublin to Tokyo return for 820 euro. Is that really much more than you'd pay to fly to Chicago? I found Japan a cheap country so cost of living over there wouldn't be huge. People refer to it as being very expensive but only because they compare it to South East Asia and other countries in that locality. By Western Standards I found Japan to be very inexpensive. Of course this info is 4 years old so things could be different now.

Chicago return is €450 - €500. Tokyo around the week of the marathon seems to be around €750-€800, which is less than I would have expected. Long trip to get there though. You'd want to leave a few days early, just so you're fully rested after the 18 hour journey (includes a stop-off).

theboyblunder

Ive always wanted to run a marathon where i look like a giant, with 'big in japan' repeating on the ipod.

Krusty_Clown

While on the subject of Japanese marathons, I'm fascinated by the Fukuoka Marathon (in which Haile Gebrselassie will be participating this December). In order to gain entry for this marathon, you have to meet the following qualifying standards:

[Group A]
1.Marathon: under 2 hours 27 minutes.
2.30km: under 1 hour 35 minutes.
3.Half Marathon: under 1 hour 5 minutes.

[Group B]
1.Marathon: under 2 hours 42 minutes.
2.30km: under 1 hour 50 minutes.
3.Half Marathon: under 1 hour 10 minutes.

Apart from the obvious disconnect between the Group B qualifying Half marathon time and marathon time, they also have a 2:46 cut-off during the race, and will actively remove runners from the race, if they drop below 2:46 pace. Can you imagine the pressure of running a race, and being just 30 seconds ahead of the cut-off point?

Interesting facts:

• Average marathon finish time is 2:37:43
• The DNF rate of the race is 21.1%
• Of these, they reckon less than 1% are voluntary retirements
• Cut-off points:
  1. 10 km: 39:00
  2. 15 km: 58:30
  3. 20 km: 1:18:00
  4. 25 km: 1:37:30
  5. 30 km: 1:57:00
  6. 35 km: 2:17:00
  7. 40 km: 2:37:30

Imagine spending all that money and travelling all that distance and badly needing a toilet within the first 10kms? I think on this occasion, I'd prefer to soil myself.

Pisco Sour

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

While on the subject of Japanese marathons, I'm fascinated by the Fukuoka Marathon (in which Haile Gebrselassie will be participating this December). In order to gain entry for this marathon, you have to meet the following qualifying standards:

[Group A]
1.Marathon: under 2 hours 27 minutes.
2.30km: under 1 hour 35 minutes.
3.Half Marathon: under 1 hour 5 minutes.

[Group B]
1.Marathon: under 2 hours 42 minutes.
2.30km: under 1 hour 50 minutes.
3.Half Marathon: under 1 hour 10 minutes.

Apart from the obvious disconnect between the Group B qualifying Half marathon time and marathon time, they also have a 2:46 cut-off during the race, and will actively remove runners from the race, if they drop below 2:46 pace. Can you imagine the pressure of running a race, and being just 30 seconds ahead of the cut-off point?

Interesting facts:

• Average marathon finish time is 2:37:43
• The DNF rate of the race is 21.1%
• Of these, they reckon less than 1% are voluntary retirements
• Cut-off points:
  1. 10 km: 39:00
  2. 15 km: 58:30
  3. 20 km: 1:18:00
  4. 25 km: 1:37:30
  5. 30 km: 1:57:00
  6. 35 km: 2:17:00
  7. 40 km: 2:37:30

Imagine spending all that money and travelling all that distance and badly needing a toilet within the first 10kms? I think on this occasion, I'd prefer to soil myself.

This is why obesity in Japan is only 3%.

RayCun

What's the difference between Groups A and B?

Krusty_Clown

RayCun wrote: »

What's the difference between Groups A and B?

Wave 1 and Wave 2?

nerraw1111

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Can you imagine the pressure of running a race, and being just 30 seconds ahead of the cut-off point?

I can't be the only one imagining a giant Takeshi Castle style sweeping machine bearing down on the runners at all time?

As soon as they drop off pace, a massive warning siren sounds, before a giant wrecking ball swoops across the course, clearing the runner off his feet and over the safety barriers. This is then followed by replays of a concussed runner on the ground.

rainbow kirby

nerraw1111 wrote: »

I can't be the only one imagining a giant Takeshi Castle style sweeping machine bearing down on the runners at all time?

As soon as they drop off pace, a massive warning siren sounds, before a giant wrecking ball swoops across the course, clearing the runner off his feet and over the safety barriers. This is then followed by replays of a concussed runner on the ground.

I can't be the only one who'd pay good money to see that :pac:

EauRouge79

Where do I sign up!:rolleyes:

Pisco Sour

nerraw1111 wrote: »

I can't be the only one imagining a giant Takeshi Castle style sweeping machine bearing down on the runners at all time?

As soon as they drop off pace, a massive warning siren sounds, before a giant wrecking ball swoops across the course, clearing the runner off his feet and over the safety barriers. This is then followed by replays of a concussed runner on the ground.

I've seen weirder things in Japan. The above scenario is not as unlikely as one may imagine.

nerraw1111

Yup, I spent a few weeks in Japan. Amazing place, full of the weird and wonderful and just bat **** crazy. One day, I stumbled across the drunken horse festival. It's exactly as described. Another time, I just missed a mini "festival of the Steel Phallus."

As a major, this would be top of my list.

Marthastew

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Damnit. Just as I was closing in on completing all the major marathons.
Emer_911, no more milk for the babas, we've got to start saving!

That's exactly what I'm thinking; we've already spent the boys' college funds on the other majors, damn you Tokyo marathon;) I think it's time to resort to lottery tickets....

ultraman1

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

While on the subject of Japanese marathons, I'm fascinated by the Fukuoka Marathon (in which Haile Gebrselassie will be participating this December). In order to gain entry for this marathon, you have to meet the following qualifying standards:

[Group A]
1.Marathon: under 2 hours 27 minutes.
2.30km: under 1 hour 35 minutes.
3.Half Marathon: under 1 hour 5 minutes.

[Group B]
1.Marathon: under 2 hours 42 minutes.
2.30km: under 1 hour 50 minutes.
3.Half Marathon: under 1 hour 10 minutes.

Apart from the obvious disconnect between the Group B qualifying Half marathon time and marathon time, they also have a 2:46 cut-off during the race, and will actively remove runners from the race, if they drop below 2:46 pace. Can you imagine the pressure of running a race, and being just 30 seconds ahead of the cut-off point?

Interesting facts:

• Average marathon finish time is 2:37:43
• The DNF rate of the race is 21.1%
• Of these, they reckon less than 1% are voluntary retirements
• Cut-off points:
  1. 10 km: 39:00
  2. 15 km: 58:30
  3. 20 km: 1:18:00
  4. 25 km: 1:37:30
  5. 30 km: 1:57:00
  6. 35 km: 2:17:00
  7. 40 km: 2:37:30
     .

ands ders a couple af dudes whining about the 5hr cut off in donadea...

Larry Brent

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

, they also have a 2:46 cut-off during the race

I know of a fellow who qualified for this with a 2:41:53 on a largely downhill course and he'd a 2:13 marathoner pacing him. See leblogdurob.com blog#73. Could be a nervy day for him!

Krusty_Clown

ultraman1 wrote: »

ands ders a couple af dudes whining about the 5hr cut off in donadea...

You should get a steam roller to follow the last runner around the course. If anyone drops below 5 hour pace.....

ultraman1

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You should get a steam roller to follow the last runner around the course. If anyone drops below 5 hour pace.....

last year we had oisin who was xtremely successful,but we are going for a softer approach dis year;)