Tokyo Marathon 2011

Might seem like a silly question but...has anyone thought about running the 10K in Tokyo? I started running 5 months ago and am training to run the half marathon in the HK Marathon. Since they don't have a half marathon option...I thought it might be cool to at least experience it via the 10K. Plane tickets aren't super pricey and I can potentially stay with a friend in Tokyo. Basically just make a 2-3 day trip out of it. Silly? Not silly?

I ran the 10k this year. Best race in terms of organisation and spectator support. The weather was tough - wet and cold. Use the Search Contents on this site to find other views on this race.

Run for your life

So you flew all the way to Tokyo for the 10K or did you make a trip out of it (by going there for 3-4 days)? I'm running the half marathon the weekend before (my first!) and a little hesitant about running another race so soon. Although with that said I know I am mentally quite strong so I can will myself to run this.

At work right now but will search the site when I get home. Thanks!

Tokyo is a must do event in my books. A simply brilliant experience!
I have heard a rumour that the HK and Tokyo won't be clashing next year. Is this true?

Go hard to go home!

Based on my basic calculations I think it less likely it will clash this year mainly because:

- Someone said HK Marathon is usually 1-2 weeks after Chinese New Year
- CNY is about 1 1/2 weeks early in 2011 versus 2010
- Tokyo Marathon will remain around the same date (Feb 28th in 2010 and Feb 27th in 2011)

Based on these basic assumptions I think there is a decent chance they will not clash. I will be signing up for both (half marathon for HK Marathon and the 10K for Tokyo Marathon). Can't wait until 2011/2012 when I'm properly trained to run a full marathon!

Will there be a group of people from HKrunners going to Tokyo to run in the marathon?

Yes, I deliberately took vacation time to go run the 10k because you submit your name for a lottery to run either the 10k or full marathon. I submit my name for the 10k and my name was drawn.

I was there on a Friday and return on Monday.

For this year, because of the weather condition, even the elite runners gave up on doing on PB and focus on winning instead. So, for you to decide whether you want to submit your name for lottery for the full marathon, 10k or both.

Run for your life

Looking forward to Feb 27 - registered, hotel booked and flight booked. Now just need to run 300k per month for the next half year!

marathon entered......but not yet booked flights and hotel :-)

now watching european championship marathon ....

I signed up as well today! For the 10K this time since this is my first year running and I'm running a half marathon the week before. Will sign up for the marathon length in 2012.

Why did you guys book flight and hotel already? I thought you get in via the lottery system. What happens if your application doesn't get picked? Won't you lose money with the hotel and flight?

Edit: I just read on Runner's World forum they said all International runners are pretty much guaranteed entry? Is this true?

In past two years the international entries have not needed a lucky draw but i guess as this event becomes more known and popular maybe in the future will be different .

As to hotels and flights its better to book early as they can fill up quite quick . No need to pay usually until the deadline which is much later .

In the past the lottery has only applied to Japanese applications, international applications have always been accepted (as you say). Hope it doesn't change!

That is great news. Just to be sure...this applies to the 10K as well right? If so I'm booking my flight and hotel this week. I'm thinking of staying with a friend in Tokyo but since her place is kind of small I'm thinking about getting a hotel near the race instead. Any good tips in regards to which area I should look for hotels in? I gather you'll want to stay nearby the start of the race.

looks like lottery is for all registrants (non-pro):

Or for people who were late and didn't register at July 31st, 11:00PM HKT:

The number of applicants for marathon and 10km race in Tokyo Marathon 2011 has exceeded the quota just two days after the registration had started. Therefore, entrants will be decided by lottery.

(Schedule)
Registration deadline: No later than August 31st
Announcement of successful entrants: Mid-October

I'm sorry...why did you say people who were late and didn't register July 31st? I thought the day they opened registration was August 1st no?

So does it mean everyone now has to go through the lottery system or can:

1) International applicants
2) People who registered early (say August 1st)

get in without lottery? I want to book my flight/hotel if International applicants are still guaranteed entry. So confused...

It is all lottery, no late, no early; international or local, it does not matter. So, after you submit your application, you pay something like US$10. Then you wait. If you win the lottery, you will get an email to ask you to make full payment for the race. At that point, there will be official hotels offered that you can reserve through them or do your own. When you have a confirmed slot, then you can book your air ticket as well.

Interesting...earlier it was said International applicants get guaranteed entry. A few posters on Runner's World forum also said the same thing. No truth to this?

Ken,

In the past years evidence suggests it has definitely been automatic entry for international runners.

There was an article on Japanese running in Running Times saying as much 1 or 2 months ago written by a respected author, and you only need to search this website to see a lot of people running this race and no-one being rejected (statistically over 75% of applicants from HK would be rejected in a lottery).

If anyone knows of a HK runner rejected, I'll change my mind.

For this year, who knows, it may be different and may be not, but as hotels will cancel bookings with no charge if you give notice there is no downside to booking sooner rather than later.

Interesting. Ok, I'll go ahead and look for a hotel to book first then. Since the starting point is at the Tokyo Metropolitan Govt Building it makes sense to book a hotel in Shinjuku right? I'm debating between the Hyatt (right across street from Tokyo Metropolitan Govt Building) and Southern Century Tower (next to Shinjuku JR station). Stayed at Southern Century about 1/2 year ago and it's a great hotel. My main concern is if they close roads + large crowds for the marathon will a take a lot longer than normal to walk from the JR station to the starting point? If that is the case I rather stay across the street.

If you plan to stay near the start line, then you must book now. Those hotels fill up quickly.

This year I stayed near the 10km finish line - around Hibuya area - as the race starts late enough and the subway operates early.

Run for your life

Registered.

From the perspective of someone who has already ran the Tokyo Marathon 10K would you say it is more beneficial to stay near the start or finish? I'm assuming you mean "Hibiya" instead of "Hibuya". Is it more of a pain getting from Hibiya to Shinjuku after the race than before the race?

I stayed at Keio Plaza last time and will try to book again . I like to wake up , eat some breakfast and stroll across the road to the start of the race ...... at the end I can always spend hours crawling back from the finish to the hotel stopping along the way for some food and drink :-)

its personal preference whether you want to stay near the start or finish. the subway / JR is very convenient and efficient. from hibiya to shinjuku you either take JR yamanote from yurakucho to shinjuku. or subway - a short walk to ginza - take the marunouchi line to shinjuku. i'm one of those who prefer to sleep in and be close to the start but there may be others who want to be 5mins awat from a nice warm shower straight after the race!

After some debate I think I am staying near the starting point. I'd much rather get there on time with a slow walk from my hotel in the morning. I had a look at Keio Plaza but that's a little pricey for me at $2500/night. I'm most likely staying back at Southern Century Tower (I stayed there in Feb) which is $1700-1900/night and I think the rooms are comparable. Pretty awesome it is right next to Shinjuku JR and about 10 mins walk to the starting point.

Trying hard to convince my friends to go but it seems like no one is crazy enough to fly to Japan to run (I suggested we could take a 3-4 day trip and running would only be a small part of it plus if they wanted...they could just not run and do something else that Sunday morning). Are the hkrunners up for a meetup or is everyone is going to keep to themselves?

Do anyone know whether any running clubs will organise marathon tour for Tokyo marathon 2011?

It is no trouble getting from Hibiya to Shinjuku in the morning.
Staying at Shinjuku means you have more time to get ready and less time standing in the cold.
I stayed in Shinjuku Washington and Nishi Shinjuku before. Both are ok.

Run for your life

From my experience pretty much all that has been said here is true. I lived in Japan over past couple of years and all those using a foreign address are automatically accepted during the 'lottery' which only really restricts locals. Number of foreigners doing the race is small %, I think less than 1,000 out of 35,000+. Note - most people do the full Marathon, only a couple of thousand do the 10k.

If you're doing 10k hotels in the Shinjuku/Hibiya area are plentiful, though not necessarily cheap in Hibiya which is prime Imperial Palace area. For the Marathon, the end is in Odaiba which is a light railway trek back to the main downtown area. (10-15 mins).

The course is flat, even downhill for much of the 10k. So the potential for fast 10k or marathon times is good. Support is unbelievable, close to London levels. Even last years particularly cold and rainy start rates up there as one of my favourite races. So if you get the chance to go - definitely go.

This is so encouraging to know. I really appreciate all the good info here. I was looking at the 2010 Tokyo Marathon photos last night. The finish for the 10K is a little lame (relative to the marathon finish) but I'm super excited about the possibility of running a race with good support on both sides. I imagine it will be one of the high points of my first year of running. Not too sure I'll PR since I'm running a half marathon in Hong Kong the week before but I'm going to try hard. Goal is to finish in under 55 minutes.

Once that is out of the way...I can't wait to sign up for actual marathons in 2011/2012!

Hi, I registered for the race, but I didnt have to pay any entry fee at this time. Did I miss something? I am assuming I'd need to pay the entry fee in mid-October when the lottery results will be communicated. Isn't that not true?

You are right Entolution, that isn't not true.

@entolution: I'm a first timer for the Tokyo Marathon but yes you are right. It looks like you don't need to pay until they annouce the lottery results.

if i remember from last time . Payment deadline is not until december so plenty of time to save up and for training before you finally commit !