February 14, 2025 • 33 mins
Ever wondered how it feels to run through the heart of Tokyo, where bustling city life meets ancient tradition on one of the world's fastest marathon courses? Join us as Coach Christine and Ashley from Mystical Dream Travel guide you through the exhilarating Tokyo Marathon experience. Together, we unravel the storied evolution of the marathon from its 2007 beginnings to its status as a must-run race on the global marathon calendar as it joined the Abbott World Marathon Majors. With 38,000 runners vying for a spot, it's a race that blends fierce competition with the serene beauty of Tokyo.
Embark on a journey as we explore the intricacies of the Tokyo Marathon course, from the imposing skyscrapers of Shinjuku to the historic allure of Sensoji Temple, all set to the rhythmic accompaniment of taiko drummers. Discover strategies for tackling the unpredictable early March weather and learn the secrets to maintaining energy with local on-course staples like Pocari Sweat. We'll also equip you with insights into Tokyo's unique sweep policy and offer essential race day tips to ensure you're primed for success in this challenging yet rewarding environment.
Prepare for your Tokyo runcation with our expert packing guide, where we share essential travel tips and cultural etiquette to help you navigate this vibrant city with ease. Whether it's packing the right gear, securing accommodations in Shinjuku, or understanding the local customs at Tokyo Disneyland, we've got you covered.
Join the conversation with fellow marathon enthusiasts on platforms like the Women of World Marathon Majors and the Stride Collective, and get ready to set your sights on the next marathon in this special WMM series, Boston!
Have questions or want to chat? Send me a text!
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Join fellow pod and running enthusiasts at The Stride Collective community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey friends, welcome to Extraordinary Strides, where
we lace up, lean in and stridetoward extraordinary feats.
I'm Coach Christine, andjoining me today is Ashley from
Mystical Dream Travel.
She is no stranger to thispodcast, she's quite the friend
here.
So in this special series,ashley and I are very excited to
be teaming up to take you on aglobal adventure through the
(00:23):
Abbott World Marathon Majors.
And today we're going to headto the land of neon lights, rich
tradition and one of thefastest courses on the planet
the Tokyo Marathon.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
That's right.
Tokyo kicks off the majormarathon calendar in the spring.
It's a blend of speed,tradition and modern wonder.
Whether you're aiming toqualify for it or just dreaming
of running the streets someday,we'll be covering everything you
need to know the race's history, how to get in the course
highlights, some must-see sitesand even some pop culture fun to
(00:58):
get you hyped up for this race.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Plus, don't forget friends, if you're looking for
more information and to stayconnected with us, we have the
Women of World Marathon MajorsFacebook group and also the
Stride Collective.
You have more race tips,motivation and, of course, lots
of community discussions.
You'll find those links in theepisode's notes.
Ready to dive into Tokyo,ashley, let's take that first
stride.
Okay, I know I said we're goingto take a first stride, but I
(01:27):
have to ask you where in therankings of excitement do you
have Tokyo?
Like what of the world marathonmajors that?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
you're working on tackling.
Where on the list is Tokyo foryou?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
well, probably more towards the end that's kind of
how I felt about it too.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I wasn't as like called to it as I was with some
of the others, yeah because Ifeel like obviously, like
Chicago is the easiest to kindof get into and obviously the
most close for myself at least,to get to Right.
But Tokyo, I mean, is veryinteresting, very unique.
(01:55):
But you do have to take sometime to kind of get up to that.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah, I feel like you have to be more of an advanced
traveler because, I mean, it issuch a whole different world.
But also, we're going to getinto this conversation today.
This course is very unique asopposed to some of the other
courses and we're going to diginto why you should really take
into consideration a fewdifferent things.
But before we get into that,we're going to talk about how
the Tokyo Marathon officiallybecame part of the Abbott World
(02:20):
Marathon Majors in 2013.
And prior to Sydney, itactually was the newest of the
world marathon majors, but itsstory and history begins long
before that.
Originally, there were twoseparate events the Tokyo
International Marathon and theTokyo New York Friendship
Marathon.
They combined in 2007 to createwhat we now know as the Tokyo
Marathon.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
The Tokyo Marathon quickly became a must-run race
for so many marathoners outthere.
It's known for its fast course,incredible crowd support and
the fact that it's a culturalexperience as much as a race in
itself.
You get to see and do so manywonderful things on this course.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
It really is completely different, but let's
talk about that speed, becauseif you are looking for one of
the faster or flatter, I shouldsay of the courses, it's up
there.
It's not quite as pancake flatas Chicago, but it's also no
stranger to world classperformances.
So here are some of the updatedcourse records as of right now,
when we're recording this, in2025.
This could potentially be blownaway in just a month or so, but
(03:19):
as of right now, men is thecourse record is two hours two
minutes and 16 seconds whichblows my mind by Benson Kiprudo.
That was set in 2024.
Women's was set at 215.55 bySatumi Assefa-Kibedi at 2024 as
well, so that was a standoutyear.
Men's wheelchair is 120.57 byMarcel Hug in 2023.
(03:42):
And also in 2023, we have thewomen's wheelchair record at
136.43 by Manuela Scharr.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Those are just mind-blowing times.
I can't even imagine the courseis so flat and fast and these
runners really just show thatand the chair athletes.
But don't let that fool you,because it is a very challenging
course because it have a longout and back sections that can
be very mentally tough whenyou're running.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
I'm curious what do you feel about out and back?
How do you feel about them?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Oh, you have some mixed feelings when you're on
that out.
It's very, very difficult whenyou're on the back.
You have a lot of motivation inyou.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Yeah, I mean, I do get motivated by seeing the
faster runners and superexciting, especially when you
get to see the front runners,because I think that's one of
the special times where you getto be like, wow, we are actually
doing the same thing as theelites, because sometimes on
these courses the elites are solike they're in their hotel
rooms by the time I get started.
So the out and backs do havethat, but it can be mentally a
(04:40):
little bit challenging, sodefinitely have to train for it.
But one of the best parts ofthis course is that it takes you
through Tokyo's most iconicdistricts, so from the
skyscrapers of Shinjuku to thehistoric Akasaki I'm pretty sure
that I'm going to mispronouncequite a few words today, so you
guys bear with me, don't come atme for it and of course, the
luxury shopping in Ginza, whichis pretty amazing when you run
(05:00):
past it.
So there's something to keepyou motivated and interested at
every mile, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And let's not forget to talk about the amazing course
.
So there are 38,000 spots, butthere's more than 300,000 people
that apply for this race everyyear.
That is incredible.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
I don't know how to math that, but I think that if I
was to math, we're looking atwhat like maybe 14%, probably a
little bit higher, like a 16%possibility of getting in, and
that was just at the last timethat we pulled these numbers,
who knows?
Every year I feel like themajors are becoming so much more
well-known and moreapplications are coming in, so
it's super competitive.
But this particular course andrace have quite a few different
(05:43):
ways to get into.
So there's the general lottery,which I think we all kind of
throw our hat into the ring.
With that you can enter thelottery.
It generally opens up in August, the year before the race.
What are some of the other runsor ways that you know of Ashley
of getting into this?
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So if you've hit a qualifying time, there is a run
as one category.
You can apply for this category, just for better chances.
There is also the charity entry, so there's a bid of at least
10 or 100 000 yen, I'm sorry,that's approximately 680 us
(06:19):
dollars as of today.
Obviously the conversion rateschange all the time, which makes
this race a little bitdifferent than some of the other
majors.
But you can bid on that spotthrough one of at least 39
approved charities.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I think when they first introduced the bidding it
was really very complex.
I don't know if I 100% got it.
I get it now.
Basically, they really want tosee that you're very serious
about this.
They also want to see that youhave the skills to be able to
bring in that fundraising.
But the fact that you have tocommit to that fundraising
minimum or actually that bidbefore the lottery opens, before
(06:54):
the fact that you even you knowyou have to kind of pay that
first and then maybe fundraiseto get the money back if you so
choose, but it is it is a littledifferent.
For sure, one of the ways that Ifeel like people are starting
to use more and more frequentlyis tour operators, because it
does kind of take a little bitof headache out of the securing
your bib.
So there's approved touroperators that offer guaranteed
(07:14):
entries as part of their travelpackage.
And, of course, if you arepursuing the World Marathon
Majors I know that you have allalready made your profile on the
Abbott World Marathon Majorssite because if you have and
you're registered with them, youcan gain entry through their
lottery.
Specifically for this race youhave to have at least five stars
, but some of the other raceshave some different star
(07:34):
requirements, so we'll talk alittle bit about those and those
specific runs too.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And don't forget, there's always the Road to the
Majors Challenge series.
If you participate in a virtualhalf marathon through the
Abbott World Marathon MajorGlobal Run Club, you can get
extra entries into the draw forthese races.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
I think that's such a fun way to stay motivated with
your training anyway, and it'sjust $50.
And if it gives you an extrachance to get in, people do get
in through these methods.
So don't discount them, friends, because truly you have to get
more creative when it comes tothe majors.
But we're going to talk about,let's just say, you won your
golden ticket, you're lucky, yougot into the lottery or one of
the other methods and you'regoing to make your way to Tokyo.
(08:14):
You've secured your entry.
We're going to give you, allthe down low, a little bit of
information as to what to expectonce you get there.
Now we're going to talk alittle bit about where to stay
and all of that jazz.
But right here and now I wantto talk about the expo, because
it is also one of thoseopportunities that I can say
that it's going to be a littledifferent.
So of course, the expo dateschange from year to year
(08:34):
depending on when the actualrace is, but generally it's a
Thursday and Friday and Saturdaybefore the actual marathon.
All hours that they have listedare based on their Japan
standard time and the registeredrunner must actually do the
packet pickup.
I think you're going to seethat is actually common for the
world marathon majors.
You can't send somebody elsewith you.
(08:55):
You have to, of course, haveidentifying information.
The packet pickup is notavailable on race day, so you
must plan to get there early,and the location or at least
where it's been the past coupleof years is the Tokyo Big Sight
South Exhibition Halls.
I will say this particularlocation is not as close to the
race course, so do know thatyou're going to have to do a
little bit of traveling to getto this location, and the packet
(09:17):
pickup is actually in the samelocation as the expo, so the
expo has similar hours.
What I found interesting aboutthe expo is it was a little
smaller than what I expected itto be and a lot of the vendors
only took cash, which I thinkit's important to know if you're
going to want to pick up somethings there.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Yeah, I think that's a really big thing, for
obviously, if you're travelingto this area I think most of our
runners are not native to Japan, so many people are traveling
into this area, so make sureyou're factoring that into your
consideration for running theTokyo Marathon is that
conversion rate and figuring outhow and when to get some money
(10:00):
converted?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
I'm ready to talk about the course, because I
think that's what we're allabout.
Right Is getting into the nittygritty, so let's break it down.
It is a point to point.
Even though we talked aboutthose out and backs, I don't
think that it's just a typicalpoint to point.
I mean it starts in the TokyoMetropolitan Government Building
area in Shinjuku.
It finishes near the TokyoStation, close to the Imperial
Palace.
You really do get thisincredible wide variety.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
With this course.
Like we said, there's many outand backs.
They are manageable because ofthe scenery.
You'll pass by many majorlandmarks.
Some of them are the Godzillahead and Shin.
I'm going to fumble over this.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Shinjuku.
It's okay, hey friends, if youguys can pronounce this better
than we can, we probably can,but if you can, we're here for
it.
Give us a little bit of a downlow as to how we should
pronounce in the future.
I think this is Shinjuku.
I think Shinjuku.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
District.
Yes, there we go.
Oh, there's so many lovelythings and I feel so bad when I
don't know how to pronounce them.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
My friends, I feel that way every single time.
I have to like do names and theelites, because I'm like I know
I'm not going to get this right.
I know I'm not going to getthis right, but the Godzilla
head is super cool.
It was actually probably one ofmy favorite parts.
It's early on in the race, butthere's also the Sensoji Temple.
Of course, there's taikodrummers.
There's like a militaryperformance of their I think
it's the Japanese Navy, sothere's tons of entertainment
(11:24):
along the course.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
And that's how they keep you motivated and keep you
running through.
And there's still manywonderful things to see and do.
And then we get into the raceconditions.
What can we expect when we gointo that race day?
That is what everybody wants toknow many, many months
beforehand.
But Tokyo in early Marchtypically has full weather
(11:45):
temperatures.
They range anywhere from like40 degrees Fahrenheit to 55
degrees Fahrenheit, which isideal for running, obviously,
but those mornings can be verychilly, especially at the start,
and something runners don'tlike to hear all the time.
There is definitely a chance ofrain, so be prepared.
It's not a guarantee, but itcould still happen.
(12:09):
And then the rain can bring insome wind, and in some years
there have been some very gustywinds, particularly near those
waterfront areas, making for avery chilly, chilly run.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
So you can't really sign up for a spring race and
not expect there to be some rain.
So I think that's thecommonality of all of our spring
races.
For everything, but especiallythe majors as well, I will say,
of course we know that if you dohave those chilly mornings to
have that throwaway layer, whichwe'll talk a little bit about,
because that's how I lost myfuel that I was prepared to
consume on the course, sofueling on the course, do you
(12:44):
know that they do have aidstations?
Of course they have water.
They have Pocari Sweat as theirgo-to.
It's their version of Gatorade.
I trained with it.
I love it.
It's actually a little bit lesssugar.
They do have some food optionsand things that you would
recognize or know a bit more,but I will say their energy gels
are not typically somethingthat you would have as much
exposure to for us here in theWestern world.
(13:06):
So that's why you should bringyour gels and your chews but put
them on your actual like baselayer versus like I did in my
throwaway layer, because thatwas pretty sad for me.
And then there are someincredible spectators who have,
as you guys know, my favoritestranger danger aid stations.
So that may be some of thetimes that you get to partake in
some of the really fun Japanesedishes or candies.
(13:27):
So I don't know that I'mallowed to say that you should
partake in them, but I do.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
I can definitely account to that.
Stranger danger stations canalways come in right.
When you need that little extra, pick me up that you weren't
thinking you needed.
They do, but always use caution.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Like if the person's there I feel more, I feel safe.
Isn't it?
Every woman's marathon that weran together there was somebody
who had left stranger danger aidstation and they weren't there.
Yes, yeah, I see that thatdoesn't feel right to me,
because I want you to look at mein the eyes if you're going to
poison me, like you can't justleave me, poison and then walk
away.
I want us to have that like I'mgoing to be able to pinpoint
you in a lineup later on.
(14:09):
But let's talk about commonmistakes to avoid, beside the
original one that I justspecifically told you Again
having your fuel on your person,training with Pocari, if you're
going to be utilizing Pocari,or training with the fuel that
they have on the course, if youdon't want to worry about
packing your own.
These are all things to kind oftake into account or packing
them.
But we would be remiss if weweren't to get into a nitty
(14:30):
gritty discussion about thecutoff points and the sweep
policy, because this is reallythe differentiator between Tokyo
and all other races.
So, ashley, let's talk about it.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
So this course is very much known for these
checkpoints.
There is an overall finish timeof the seven hours does not
mean that you can take it easily, so the course is divided into
several different checkpoints.
These are every year, somethingyou need to take into
consideration.
You do need to maintain a paceof around 14 minutes per mile,
(15:04):
or faster, to avoid being swept.
But there's a catch to this.
Their cutoffs are always basedoff of the original gun time,
which is different than many,many races that we are used to.
So it gives kind of that runnerthat little more anxiety right
out of the gate.
But that's why we're here, soyou can be all prepared and know
(15:25):
what to expect.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Yeah, another aspect that needs to be taken into
consideration is that they haveeight checkpoints throughout the
course and unlike other races,where sometimes I mean Marine
Corps also has this.
So there are definitely otherraces to take this into account,
but I think with Japan thething is is that they are almost
like a Swiss clock or they'reextremely like time focused.
(15:47):
The minute that clock changesthey will close off that part of
the course and you will beescorted to the sweeper bus,
which we know can be absolutelydevastating.
So we want you to be prepared,take into account and really
create a race strategy that youtrain with, so you feel
confident and comfortable thatyou will not have to worry about
those pace cutoffs.
(16:08):
Generally you start to be ableto breathe a sigh of relief,
unfortunately, around mile 20,because the course cutoff
becomes much more lenient atthat point.
But prior to that you kind ofhave to move and hustle a little
bit.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Absolutely.
But just because you don't makeone of those sweeper points and
make that dreaded walk to thesweeper bus doesn't mean that
your race is over.
You can still have a wonderfultime exploring the area, seeing
all that Tokyo has to offer andcheering on some of your best
friends that you just made onthat course.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Oh, I love that.
Actually, that's such a greatway of saying it.
I'm going to be honest, I'mgoing to be salty if I don't
make it through the course gotoff.
But I now know who I'm going tocall and have you like on like
speed dial so you could give mea pep talk, because that was a
beautiful speak, a little peptalk there.
So, friends, we're going tocall Ashley if we ever need that
(17:06):
kind of a pep talk.
Me personally, I would think I'dbe so salty about it, but
that's neither here nor there.
Well, let's talk about othermistakes to avoid, because one
of the things that can be a bitoverwhelming is packing for this
big of a trip, especially ifyou're gonna spend some time
there.
And for me, one of my thingsthat I help to reassure myself
with whatever I'm packing isChristine, don't worry, there's
(17:27):
gonna be stores there that I canpurchase things, but because of
the size, conversion,no-transcript, and avoid
overpacking, of course.
What are some other things thatyou think we need to avoid on
(17:48):
that Tokyo Marathon course orfor that trip?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
So, obviously going out too fast because it's a flat
course we all want to do thatbig.
That gun goes off and you'relike, okay, I'm ready to go, but
you need to make sure you'reconservative so when you hit
that mile 20, you can still beon that course.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
You want to be able to finish, and I would say for
back of the pack, you may haveto do a little bit more of a
positive split strategy whereyou do start a little bit faster
, but you really need to beworking that with your training
because it will definitely takea toll on your energy levels in
those later miles.
I think a really importantthing that people don't really
(18:29):
take into consideration isignoring that jet lag factor,
because for a lot of us here inthe United States we are going
to be traveling a full, prettymuch day away.
So if you can arrive early toacclimate that's great.
If not, I also am a big fan ofthe time shifter app.
It's what I used for Tokyo.
But I want to talk with youbecause you are our travel pro
specialist.
What are some gear and packingessentials that you recommend
(18:50):
for Tokyo or for races ingeneral?
Speaker 2 (18:53):
When I go on any trip , especially a runcation, though
I make sure I'm prepared priorto so, being that it's Tokyo and
there's a big size conversionand everything, I would suggest
packing extra, extra early,making sure you're laying
everything out.
What I love to do is, before Igo on a run, making like a
(19:17):
little mental list of okay, Ipull my KT tape out, okay, I
pull my race fuel out, and asI'm packing, I make sure I have
this day laid out and I havethat day laid out, so I know I
have everything for at least thedays that I'm there.
But for flying specifically,always love compression gear,
leg sleeves, anything to kind ofkeep that circulation going.
(19:41):
I love traveling with a massagegun or something like that to
kind of make sure you can getany of these little tweaks that
might come up.
And I love carrying a waterbottle.
Yes, you cannot take waterthrough airport security, but
you can take a reusable waterbottle that's empty and fill it
(20:03):
up once you're through.
And that is imperative whenyou're flying, because you do
actually get dehydrated eventhough you're not doing very
much and a lot of people forgetthat.
So making sure you have thatkind of portable water bottle.
Another big thing is a portablecharger.
You need to make sure that youcan use your devices while
(20:23):
you're there, because you'll beout exploring the area.
You'll be trying to make yournext flight Any of that
information.
You want to make sure that yourdevices are fully charged.
Another thing that you alwayswant to make sure is, again,
your snacks and your familiarfuel.
I always like to travel withsome of my snacks.
Again, can't take liquidsthrough TSA, but you can take
(20:46):
goldfish, you can take pretzels,you know all of those little
home comfort creatures.
You can take those through TSA.
So never be scared to take yoursnacks with you.
If there's something that youabsolutely love and can't live
without, take it with you.
Another thing that I have Iwill tell myself I have
(21:06):
forgotten is my shoes, youractual running shoes.
Yes, I had forgotten before andI'm like I can't believe I did
that.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
I mean, I think that's a great thing to do here
in the States because we can useit as an excuse to buy a new
pair, but generally from Japanit might be a bit more
challenging.
Well, at least it is for me.
I have really really, really,really big old feet, but yes, I
think that's definitely top ofthe list.
Am I the only person who'sanxious and like I'll pre-pack,
but then I'll have to go doublecheck that I pre-packed what I
thought that I pre-packed?
Is that just me?
(21:37):
I feel like you're such a coolcucumber.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Absolutely not.
So I actually will pack andlike and like those last minute
things.
I make a checklist on my phoneto make sure that I have those
last minute things and I don'tcheck them off until they are
physically in my bag.
So, like the phone charger thatI might not throw in until the
day before, I will make surethat's on my checklist and I do
not check it off until it's inthat bag.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Well, I can attest that, the couple of times that
I've been able to see you afteryour travel, that you do look
glowing and really happy, and Ido think that I'm going to say,
I'm going to call out your waterbottle as the reason for it.
So, friends, especially for raceweekends gosh, please do listen
to Ashley here, because it doesmake a big difference to how
you feel during that raceweekend.
I mentioned it before for theexpo, but I'm going to stress
(22:23):
this again, and this will likelychange as we continue to see a
lot of cultures change overall,but Japan is still, at this
point, really more cash focusedsociety, so, please do be
prepared with yen or gettingyour dollars or currency
exchanged when you get there.
I personally just had them.
I had them exchanged before.
I had some yen on me that I hadmy bank send my way, so it was
(22:45):
just easier for me to beprepared with that ahead of time
.
I think, though, ashley, since,again, you're our travel pro,
tell me something about what youwould suggest for different
locations and maybe some prosand cons for different districts
for people to stay at.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Absolutely.
Tokyo is a huge city with somany different options, but the
public transportation systemthere does make it very, very
efficient to get around.
So for proximity to start lineI know some people are very
anxious about getting to thestart area.
The Shinjuku is the best area,so, again walkable to the start
(23:23):
line, you don't have to kind ofworry about where I'm going.
There is a vibrant nightlifeand amazing food in this area.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
I loved it.
I'm going to ask you are youteam start line or team finish
line when it comes to an out andback, like a point to point, I
feel like I'm more start line.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I am not anxious Like I need to know I'm going to get
there on time.
I'm not a finish line girl.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yeah, and plus I feel like for me, who cares about
the finish line?
I can meander, take eight hoursto get back to my hotel.
Who cares at that point?
It's like getting to the startline is the most important part.
Plus, I want my extra fiveminutes of sleep.
So there are some really greataccommodations and hotels there.
I will say that if you can bookyour hotel as early as possible
maybe even before you secureyour actual lottery, because you
(24:09):
could always potentially cancelit closer too, because Park
Hyatt Tokyo sells out veryquickly.
Kiyo Plaza Hotel Tokyo sellsout very quickly.
So if it's in Shinjuku, they dogo really, really quickly.
If you did miss the mark there,or maybe you don't want to stay
there because the cost is a bitmore expensive, you could stay
in Ginza, which is best forthose post-race celebrations,
since it's close to the finishline.
(24:29):
Recommended hotels there mightbe the Peninsula Tokyo, mitsui
Garden Hotel, ginza.
There's also the Four Seasons.
If you got tons of cash,friends, and if you do have tons
of cash, give us a call,because I want to high roll
through the Four Seasons downthere myself one day.
And then if you want moretraditional vibes when you're
staying there, you could alwaysstay at the Asakusa.
I hope I said that correctly.
(24:50):
I am being very respectful,honestly, please.
If I did not say that correctly, feel free to correct me on
this, and I know I have a coupleof you guys out there in Japan
that can help me with it.
But this is near some of thehistoric landmarks and, of
course, it's a little bitquieter than the city center.
Now, one thing that I thinkthat comes to mind is you
already touched on it, ashley isthat there is a great public
transportation area in JapanJapan in total, but especially
(25:13):
in Tokyo.
One of the things that peopletalk a lot about is this JR Pass
.
So let's talk a little bitabout that, if you don't mind,
because I think it'd be reallygreat for folks to kind of hear
a little bit of the differencesbetween JR Pass mode and the
Suisa card, between JR Pasmo andthe Suisa card.
I know that for me, I use the JRRail Pass because it covered
(25:34):
travel within Japan and I wasgoing to be there.
I stayed there for over twoweeks.
But if you're not going totravel to Kyoto or go to
different locations and you'renot going to be there for a long
time you may not need it at all.
You could just get away withjust a Metro Pass, which is the
Pasmo or Suisa card.
Again, they may not carry orthey may not allow you to pay
for it with a credit card.
(25:54):
So take into account having thecash with you or having the yen
with you.
What do you generally do, likewhen you go on these types of
trips?
Do you try like when you'rethinking about Tokyo?
Are you thinking you're goingto want to stay for as long as
possible?
Or do you think that, becausethey are so expensive, you're
going to kind of like maximizegetting in there, focus on the
race and then head outAbsolutely?
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I mean I love obviously exploring that culture
, kind of diving into that area.
But you're going so far andquite honestly I don't know when
I would get back to thatspecific area because there's so
much world to see.
So I would definitely if it wasmy trip.
I like to bounce around todifferent areas so I totally
(26:36):
would be going outside of justTokyo, spending some time there,
kind of getting that culture,getting adjusted to the time.
That probably would be towardsthe front of my trip If I had to
plan it that direction and thenhave some kind of like my fun
adventurous of other areastowards the latter half before
heading home.
Just because that's yourcelebration, you know you did it
(26:58):
absolutely.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
So I will say if you do decide that you're going to
visit some of the other areasand you're going to get the JR
rail pass JR rail pass you haveto pre-order it before you leave
the states.
So, friends, that is a little,a little bit of a difference.
They're not going to send youthe actual pass, they're going
to send you a voucher, and thenyou need to go to the voucher or
to the actual corporate officeto exchange it.
So that's something to keepinto mind.
Once you're there, you cannotactually purchase the JR Rail
(27:23):
Pass, so you have to do a littlebit more preparation beforehand
.
But you know what I love totalk about too, and what makes
Tokyo so different is like thepop culture and all the
different references that maybewe've seen or we want to know
more about.
So tell me some of yourfavorites.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
Absolutely.
There's so many movies anddifferent things that have
happened in Tokyo that kind ofgives us a little taste into
their culture already.
Some of those include Lost, inTranslation from 2003.
Crazy to think that was so longago.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
I know why did he even say that?
I didn't need to know that part.
I was just going to ignore thetext.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
I know, I know.
And then you have Jiro Dreamsof Sushi.
I mean, who doesn't want totalk about food?
I mean, come on.
And then your Name was fromthere as well, a beautifully
animated film that highlightsthe Tokyo magic, so you can kind
of get a little dive into there.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
A little bit of Japanimation, of course.
I mean that's a totally part ofthe culture there.
So I'm going to say, for music,you're going to want to add a
little bit of Tokyo drift to getthe Too Fast, Too Furious vibes
onto your playlist.
We are by 1OK Rock and knowthat they have a really big
J-pop scene.
So I know a lot of people arefans of K-pop but they have
Japanese pop as their go-to.
(28:37):
But I'm always down with thosetraditional taiko drum playlists
.
I like, absolutely love them.
To get me some extra bit of pepin my step, let's talk about
getting that medal.
What is the first thing thatyou think you're going to do
when you get your Tokyo Marathonmedal?
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Dare at it.
I mean, who doesn't love it?
I know you're like the queen ofI got my medal.
I'm good, let's go, come on.
But the medal is all of yourhard work.
You've worked months and monthsto get there.
Yes, yes, in months to getthere, yes, yes, because I mean,
let's not discredit, gettinginto the race is always half the
(29:12):
battle.
Yeah, the training is great,but that, literally, that medal
is your celebration of thatvictory lap that you just took.
Do you cry Sometimes?
Speaker 1 (29:23):
yes, okay, I definitely did cry at the end of
this particular race.
I actually was so stoked to getmy medal and the six star medal
, but I was also super excitedto go to the Imperial Palace
Starbucks, which is probably theprettiest one of the prettiest
Starbucks I've ever seen.
I know anybody who knows medoes is not surprised by that.
But a few other ways tocelebrate.
(29:44):
I would absolutely suggestvisiting an onsen to relax your
muscles.
There is a couple that areactually in Tokyo.
Most of them are outside ofTokyo.
The one thing that I want tocaveat, though, is that it's
still a society that doesn'tlove body artwork, so you have
to take into account to maybebook a private onsen if you are
more colorfully decorated or youhave some tattoos that are
(30:06):
visible.
Oh, grabbing some sushi orramen.
I also think I went to theShinjuku Alley drinking pub
crawl kind of a thing.
So there's so many differentfun ways.
What are some of the ways thatyou think that you might want to
celebrate?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Well, something that they're very well known for is
their bullet train, so who wouldnot want to take a ride?
Go see Mount Fuji Again.
You're across the world seeingsomebody else's culture and just
trying to like take it all inand then use, but it doesn't
stop there, Like their railsystem is incredible.
(30:40):
So there's so much to see anddo.
Now, if you're traveling withmaybe some family and friends,
there are some activities aroundthat are not for runners.
Specifically, there is the youknow zoo that is obviously for
kids.
You can go see differentanimals that you might not see
(31:00):
in the States.
There is also a Dobby, I thinkis how you say it.
I think so.
It's a futuristic vibe andwaterfront attractions.
So, you know, go have some fun.
You know you finished it.
Everybody loves kind of somedifferent vibes of that area.
You see different things, dodifferent things.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Why not Tell me what you're really excited about?
Speaker 2 (31:26):
You know my heart is with Disney and I cannot go to
Tokyo without going to TokyoDisneyland or Disney because,
like, why, why it's so differentthan the US parks.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
So absolutely, and you have to go to both, like you
can't go to just Disneyland,you have to go to both DisneySea
and Disneyland, and that's alsosomething that you could buy
your tickets ahead of time, andyou should buy your tickets
ahead of time, as you know.
So, of course, it would helppoint folks in the right
direction of all of that if youhad questions, a couple of
things that we didn't touch onthat I mean, we could probably
spend hours just talking abouteach individual race, but this
(32:04):
is something where you shouldmake yourself really well aware,
no matter where you'retraveling, but specifically for
Tokyo, of the different culturaletiquette that should be taken
into consideration.
It is a bit more of a quietsociety.
They generally don't eat whilethey're walking.
So a few different things totake into account so that, of
(32:25):
course, we continue to bewelcomed back with open arms to
run Tokyo year after year.
We would love to hear, if you'rerunning Tokyo, if you have run
Tokyo, what your favorite partsare.
Love to hear, if you're runningTokyo, if you have run Tokyo,
what your favorite parts are.
We want to absolutely thank youso very much for joining us in
this adventure as we continue togo through all of the World
Marathon majors.
So hopefully you enjoyed thisdeep dive.
Of course I'm going to welcomeyou guys to come on into the
Women of World Marathon majorsor the Stride Collective on
Facebook to continue thisconversation.
(32:45):
And then my friend, where arewe heading next week?
Speaker 2 (32:47):
We are heading up north to Boston to chase that
unicorn.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Well, until then, friends keep striding toward the
extraordinary.
Hey friends, welcome to Extraordinary Strides, where
we lace up, lean in and stridetoward extraordinary feats.
I'm Coach Christine, andjoining me today is Ashley from
Mystical Dream Travel.
She is no stranger to thispodcast, she's quite the friend
here.
So in this special series,ashley and I are very excited to
be teaming up to take you on aglobal adventure through the
(00:23):
Abbott World Marathon Majors.
And today we're going to headto the land of neon lights, rich
tradition and one of thefastest courses on the planet
the Tokyo Marathon.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
That's right.
Tokyo kicks off the majormarathon calendar in the spring.
It's a blend of speed,tradition and modern wonder.
Whether you're aiming toqualify for it or just dreaming
of running the streets someday,we'll be covering everything you
need to know the race's history, how to get in the course
highlights, some must-see sitesand even some pop culture fun to
(00:58):
get you hyped up for this race.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Plus, don't forget friends, if you're looking for
more information and to stayconnected with us, we have the
Women of World Marathon MajorsFacebook group and also the
Stride Collective.
You have more race tips,motivation and, of course, lots
of community discussions.
You'll find those links in theepisode's notes.
Ready to dive into Tokyo,ashley, let's take that first
stride.
Okay, I know I said we're goingto take a first stride, but I
(01:27):
have to ask you where in therankings of excitement do you
have Tokyo?
Like what of the world marathonmajors that?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
you're working on tackling.
Where on the list is Tokyo foryou?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
well, probably more towards the end that's kind of
how I felt about it too.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I wasn't as like called to it as I was with some
of the others, yeah because Ifeel like obviously, like
Chicago is the easiest to kindof get into and obviously the
most close for myself at least,to get to Right.
But Tokyo, I mean, is veryinteresting, very unique.
(01:55):
But you do have to take sometime to kind of get up to that.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah, I feel like you have to be more of an advanced
traveler because, I mean, it issuch a whole different world.
But also, we're going to getinto this conversation today.
This course is very unique asopposed to some of the other
courses and we're going to diginto why you should really take
into consideration a fewdifferent things.
But before we get into that,we're going to talk about how
the Tokyo Marathon officiallybecame part of the Abbott World
(02:20):
Marathon Majors in 2013.
And prior to Sydney, itactually was the newest of the
world marathon majors, but itsstory and history begins long
before that.
Originally, there were twoseparate events the Tokyo
International Marathon and theTokyo New York Friendship
Marathon.
They combined in 2007 to createwhat we now know as the Tokyo
Marathon.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
The Tokyo Marathon quickly became a must-run race
for so many marathoners outthere.
It's known for its fast course,incredible crowd support and
the fact that it's a culturalexperience as much as a race in
itself.
You get to see and do so manywonderful things on this course.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
It really is completely different, but let's
talk about that speed, becauseif you are looking for one of
the faster or flatter, I shouldsay of the courses, it's up
there.
It's not quite as pancake flatas Chicago, but it's also no
stranger to world classperformances.
So here are some of the updatedcourse records as of right now,
when we're recording this, in2025.
This could potentially be blownaway in just a month or so, but
(03:19):
as of right now, men is thecourse record is two hours two
minutes and 16 seconds whichblows my mind by Benson Kiprudo.
That was set in 2024.
Women's was set at 215.55 bySatumi Assefa-Kibedi at 2024 as
well, so that was a standoutyear.
Men's wheelchair is 120.57 byMarcel Hug in 2023.
(03:42):
And also in 2023, we have thewomen's wheelchair record at
136.43 by Manuela Scharr.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Those are just mind-blowing times.
I can't even imagine the courseis so flat and fast and these
runners really just show thatand the chair athletes.
But don't let that fool you,because it is a very challenging
course because it have a longout and back sections that can
be very mentally tough whenyou're running.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
I'm curious what do you feel about out and back?
How do you feel about them?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Oh, you have some mixed feelings when you're on
that out.
It's very, very difficult whenyou're on the back.
You have a lot of motivation inyou.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Yeah, I mean, I do get motivated by seeing the
faster runners and superexciting, especially when you
get to see the front runners,because I think that's one of
the special times where you getto be like, wow, we are actually
doing the same thing as theelites, because sometimes on
these courses the elites are solike they're in their hotel
rooms by the time I get started.
So the out and backs do havethat, but it can be mentally a
(04:40):
little bit challenging, sodefinitely have to train for it.
But one of the best parts ofthis course is that it takes you
through Tokyo's most iconicdistricts, so from the
skyscrapers of Shinjuku to thehistoric Akasaki I'm pretty sure
that I'm going to mispronouncequite a few words today, so you
guys bear with me, don't come atme for it and of course, the
luxury shopping in Ginza, whichis pretty amazing when you run
(05:00):
past it.
So there's something to keepyou motivated and interested at
every mile, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And let's not forget to talk about the amazing course
.
So there are 38,000 spots, butthere's more than 300,000 people
that apply for this race everyyear.
That is incredible.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
I don't know how to math that, but I think that if I
was to math, we're looking atwhat like maybe 14%, probably a
little bit higher, like a 16%possibility of getting in, and
that was just at the last timethat we pulled these numbers,
who knows?
Every year I feel like themajors are becoming so much more
well-known and moreapplications are coming in, so
it's super competitive.
But this particular course andrace have quite a few different
(05:43):
ways to get into.
So there's the general lottery,which I think we all kind of
throw our hat into the ring.
With that you can enter thelottery.
It generally opens up in August, the year before the race.
What are some of the other runsor ways that you know of Ashley
of getting into this?
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So if you've hit a qualifying time, there is a run
as one category.
You can apply for this category, just for better chances.
There is also the charity entry, so there's a bid of at least
10 or 100 000 yen, I'm sorry,that's approximately 680 us
(06:19):
dollars as of today.
Obviously the conversion rateschange all the time, which makes
this race a little bitdifferent than some of the other
majors.
But you can bid on that spotthrough one of at least 39
approved charities.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I think when they first introduced the bidding it
was really very complex.
I don't know if I 100% got it.
I get it now.
Basically, they really want tosee that you're very serious
about this.
They also want to see that youhave the skills to be able to
bring in that fundraising.
But the fact that you have tocommit to that fundraising
minimum or actually that bidbefore the lottery opens, before
(06:54):
the fact that you even you knowyou have to kind of pay that
first and then maybe fundraiseto get the money back if you so
choose, but it is it is a littledifferent.
For sure, one of the ways that Ifeel like people are starting
to use more and more frequentlyis tour operators, because it
does kind of take a little bitof headache out of the securing
your bib.
So there's approved touroperators that offer guaranteed
(07:14):
entries as part of their travelpackage.
And, of course, if you arepursuing the World Marathon
Majors I know that you have allalready made your profile on the
Abbott World Marathon Majorssite because if you have and
you're registered with them, youcan gain entry through their
lottery.
Specifically for this race youhave to have at least five stars
, but some of the other raceshave some different star
(07:34):
requirements, so we'll talk alittle bit about those and those
specific runs too.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And don't forget, there's always the Road to the
Majors Challenge series.
If you participate in a virtualhalf marathon through the
Abbott World Marathon MajorGlobal Run Club, you can get
extra entries into the draw forthese races.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
I think that's such a fun way to stay motivated with
your training anyway, and it'sjust $50.
And if it gives you an extrachance to get in, people do get
in through these methods.
So don't discount them, friends, because truly you have to get
more creative when it comes tothe majors.
But we're going to talk about,let's just say, you won your
golden ticket, you're lucky, yougot into the lottery or one of
the other methods and you'regoing to make your way to Tokyo.
(08:14):
You've secured your entry.
We're going to give you, allthe down low, a little bit of
information as to what to expectonce you get there.
Now we're going to talk alittle bit about where to stay
and all of that jazz.
But right here and now I wantto talk about the expo, because
it is also one of thoseopportunities that I can say
that it's going to be a littledifferent.
So of course, the expo dateschange from year to year
(08:34):
depending on when the actualrace is, but generally it's a
Thursday and Friday and Saturdaybefore the actual marathon.
All hours that they have listedare based on their Japan
standard time and the registeredrunner must actually do the
packet pickup.
I think you're going to seethat is actually common for the
world marathon majors.
You can't send somebody elsewith you.
(08:55):
You have to, of course, haveidentifying information.
The packet pickup is notavailable on race day, so you
must plan to get there early,and the location or at least
where it's been the past coupleof years is the Tokyo Big Sight
South Exhibition Halls.
I will say this particularlocation is not as close to the
race course, so do know thatyou're going to have to do a
little bit of traveling to getto this location, and the packet
(09:17):
pickup is actually in the samelocation as the expo, so the
expo has similar hours.
What I found interesting aboutthe expo is it was a little
smaller than what I expected itto be and a lot of the vendors
only took cash, which I thinkit's important to know if you're
going to want to pick up somethings there.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Yeah, I think that's a really big thing, for
obviously, if you're travelingto this area I think most of our
runners are not native to Japan, so many people are traveling
into this area, so make sureyou're factoring that into your
consideration for running theTokyo Marathon is that
conversion rate and figuring outhow and when to get some money
(10:00):
converted?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
I'm ready to talk about the course, because I
think that's what we're allabout.
Right Is getting into the nittygritty, so let's break it down.
It is a point to point.
Even though we talked aboutthose out and backs, I don't
think that it's just a typicalpoint to point.
I mean it starts in the TokyoMetropolitan Government Building
area in Shinjuku.
It finishes near the TokyoStation, close to the Imperial
Palace.
You really do get thisincredible wide variety.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
With this course.
Like we said, there's many outand backs.
They are manageable because ofthe scenery.
You'll pass by many majorlandmarks.
Some of them are the Godzillahead and Shin.
I'm going to fumble over this.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Shinjuku.
It's okay, hey friends, if youguys can pronounce this better
than we can, we probably can,but if you can, we're here for
it.
Give us a little bit of a downlow as to how we should
pronounce in the future.
I think this is Shinjuku.
I think Shinjuku.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
District.
Yes, there we go.
Oh, there's so many lovelythings and I feel so bad when I
don't know how to pronounce them.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
My friends, I feel that way every single time.
I have to like do names and theelites, because I'm like I know
I'm not going to get this right.
I know I'm not going to getthis right, but the Godzilla
head is super cool.
It was actually probably one ofmy favorite parts.
It's early on in the race, butthere's also the Sensoji Temple.
Of course, there's taikodrummers.
There's like a militaryperformance of their I think
it's the Japanese Navy, sothere's tons of entertainment
(11:24):
along the course.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
And that's how they keep you motivated and keep you
running through.
And there's still manywonderful things to see and do.
And then we get into the raceconditions.
What can we expect when we gointo that race day?
That is what everybody wants toknow many, many months
beforehand.
But Tokyo in early Marchtypically has full weather
(11:45):
temperatures.
They range anywhere from like40 degrees Fahrenheit to 55
degrees Fahrenheit, which isideal for running, obviously,
but those mornings can be verychilly, especially at the start,
and something runners don'tlike to hear all the time.
There is definitely a chance ofrain, so be prepared.
It's not a guarantee, but itcould still happen.
(12:09):
And then the rain can bring insome wind, and in some years
there have been some very gustywinds, particularly near those
waterfront areas, making for avery chilly, chilly run.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
So you can't really sign up for a spring race and
not expect there to be some rain.
So I think that's thecommonality of all of our spring
races.
For everything, but especiallythe majors as well, I will say,
of course we know that if you dohave those chilly mornings to
have that throwaway layer, whichwe'll talk a little bit about,
because that's how I lost myfuel that I was prepared to
consume on the course, sofueling on the course, do you
(12:44):
know that they do have aidstations?
Of course they have water.
They have Pocari Sweat as theirgo-to.
It's their version of Gatorade.
I trained with it.
I love it.
It's actually a little bit lesssugar.
They do have some food optionsand things that you would
recognize or know a bit more,but I will say their energy gels
are not typically somethingthat you would have as much
exposure to for us here in theWestern world.
(13:06):
So that's why you should bringyour gels and your chews but put
them on your actual like baselayer versus like I did in my
throwaway layer, because thatwas pretty sad for me.
And then there are someincredible spectators who have,
as you guys know, my favoritestranger danger aid stations.
So that may be some of thetimes that you get to partake in
some of the really fun Japanesedishes or candies.
(13:27):
So I don't know that I'mallowed to say that you should
partake in them, but I do.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
I can definitely account to that.
Stranger danger stations canalways come in right.
When you need that little extra, pick me up that you weren't
thinking you needed.
They do, but always use caution.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Like if the person's there I feel more, I feel safe.
Isn't it?
Every woman's marathon that weran together there was somebody
who had left stranger danger aidstation and they weren't there.
Yes, yeah, I see that thatdoesn't feel right to me,
because I want you to look at mein the eyes if you're going to
poison me, like you can't justleave me, poison and then walk
away.
I want us to have that like I'mgoing to be able to pinpoint
you in a lineup later on.
(14:09):
But let's talk about commonmistakes to avoid, beside the
original one that I justspecifically told you Again
having your fuel on your person,training with Pocari, if you're
going to be utilizing Pocari,or training with the fuel that
they have on the course, if youdon't want to worry about
packing your own.
These are all things to kind oftake into account or packing
them.
But we would be remiss if weweren't to get into a nitty
(14:30):
gritty discussion about thecutoff points and the sweep
policy, because this is reallythe differentiator between Tokyo
and all other races.
So, ashley, let's talk about it.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
So this course is very much known for these
checkpoints.
There is an overall finish timeof the seven hours does not
mean that you can take it easily, so the course is divided into
several different checkpoints.
These are every year, somethingyou need to take into
consideration.
You do need to maintain a paceof around 14 minutes per mile,
(15:04):
or faster, to avoid being swept.
But there's a catch to this.
Their cutoffs are always basedoff of the original gun time,
which is different than many,many races that we are used to.
So it gives kind of that runnerthat little more anxiety right
out of the gate.
But that's why we're here, soyou can be all prepared and know
(15:25):
what to expect.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Yeah, another aspect that needs to be taken into
consideration is that they haveeight checkpoints throughout the
course and unlike other races,where sometimes I mean Marine
Corps also has this.
So there are definitely otherraces to take this into account,
but I think with Japan thething is is that they are almost
like a Swiss clock or they'reextremely like time focused.
(15:47):
The minute that clock changesthey will close off that part of
the course and you will beescorted to the sweeper bus,
which we know can be absolutelydevastating.
So we want you to be prepared,take into account and really
create a race strategy that youtrain with, so you feel
confident and comfortable thatyou will not have to worry about
those pace cutoffs.
(16:08):
Generally you start to be ableto breathe a sigh of relief,
unfortunately, around mile 20,because the course cutoff
becomes much more lenient atthat point.
But prior to that you kind ofhave to move and hustle a little
bit.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Absolutely.
But just because you don't makeone of those sweeper points and
make that dreaded walk to thesweeper bus doesn't mean that
your race is over.
You can still have a wonderfultime exploring the area, seeing
all that Tokyo has to offer andcheering on some of your best
friends that you just made onthat course.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Oh, I love that.
Actually, that's such a greatway of saying it.
I'm going to be honest, I'mgoing to be salty if I don't
make it through the course gotoff.
But I now know who I'm going tocall and have you like on like
speed dial so you could give mea pep talk, because that was a
beautiful speak, a little peptalk there.
So, friends, we're going tocall Ashley if we ever need that
(17:06):
kind of a pep talk.
Me personally, I would think I'dbe so salty about it, but
that's neither here nor there.
Well, let's talk about othermistakes to avoid, because one
of the things that can be a bitoverwhelming is packing for this
big of a trip, especially ifyou're gonna spend some time
there.
And for me, one of my thingsthat I help to reassure myself
with whatever I'm packing isChristine, don't worry, there's
(17:27):
gonna be stores there that I canpurchase things, but because of
the size, conversion,no-transcript, and avoid
overpacking, of course.
What are some other things thatyou think we need to avoid on
(17:48):
that Tokyo Marathon course orfor that trip?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
So, obviously going out too fast because it's a flat
course we all want to do thatbig.
That gun goes off and you'relike, okay, I'm ready to go, but
you need to make sure you'reconservative so when you hit
that mile 20, you can still beon that course.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
You want to be able to finish, and I would say for
back of the pack, you may haveto do a little bit more of a
positive split strategy whereyou do start a little bit faster
, but you really need to beworking that with your training
because it will definitely takea toll on your energy levels in
those later miles.
I think a really importantthing that people don't really
(18:29):
take into consideration isignoring that jet lag factor,
because for a lot of us here inthe United States we are going
to be traveling a full, prettymuch day away.
So if you can arrive early toacclimate that's great.
If not, I also am a big fan ofthe time shifter app.
It's what I used for Tokyo.
But I want to talk with youbecause you are our travel pro
specialist.
What are some gear and packingessentials that you recommend
(18:50):
for Tokyo or for races ingeneral?
Speaker 2 (18:53):
When I go on any trip , especially a runcation, though
I make sure I'm prepared priorto so, being that it's Tokyo and
there's a big size conversionand everything, I would suggest
packing extra, extra early,making sure you're laying
everything out.
What I love to do is, before Igo on a run, making like a
(19:17):
little mental list of okay, Ipull my KT tape out, okay, I
pull my race fuel out, and asI'm packing, I make sure I have
this day laid out and I havethat day laid out, so I know I
have everything for at least thedays that I'm there.
But for flying specifically,always love compression gear,
leg sleeves, anything to kind ofkeep that circulation going.
(19:41):
I love traveling with a massagegun or something like that to
kind of make sure you can getany of these little tweaks that
might come up.
And I love carrying a waterbottle.
Yes, you cannot take waterthrough airport security, but
you can take a reusable waterbottle that's empty and fill it
(20:03):
up once you're through.
And that is imperative whenyou're flying, because you do
actually get dehydrated eventhough you're not doing very
much and a lot of people forgetthat.
So making sure you have thatkind of portable water bottle.
Another big thing is a portablecharger.
You need to make sure that youcan use your devices while
(20:23):
you're there, because you'll beout exploring the area.
You'll be trying to make yournext flight Any of that
information.
You want to make sure that yourdevices are fully charged.
Another thing that you alwayswant to make sure is, again,
your snacks and your familiarfuel.
I always like to travel withsome of my snacks.
Again, can't take liquidsthrough TSA, but you can take
(20:46):
goldfish, you can take pretzels,you know all of those little
home comfort creatures.
You can take those through TSA.
So never be scared to take yoursnacks with you.
If there's something that youabsolutely love and can't live
without, take it with you.
Another thing that I have Iwill tell myself I have
(21:06):
forgotten is my shoes, youractual running shoes.
Yes, I had forgotten before andI'm like I can't believe I did
that.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
I mean, I think that's a great thing to do here
in the States because we can useit as an excuse to buy a new
pair, but generally from Japanit might be a bit more
challenging.
Well, at least it is for me.
I have really really, really,really big old feet, but yes, I
think that's definitely top ofthe list.
Am I the only person who'sanxious and like I'll pre-pack,
but then I'll have to go doublecheck that I pre-packed what I
thought that I pre-packed?
Is that just me?
(21:37):
I feel like you're such a coolcucumber.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Absolutely not.
So I actually will pack andlike and like those last minute
things.
I make a checklist on my phoneto make sure that I have those
last minute things and I don'tcheck them off until they are
physically in my bag.
So, like the phone charger thatI might not throw in until the
day before, I will make surethat's on my checklist and I do
not check it off until it's inthat bag.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Well, I can attest that, the couple of times that
I've been able to see you afteryour travel, that you do look
glowing and really happy, and Ido think that I'm going to say,
I'm going to call out your waterbottle as the reason for it.
So, friends, especially for raceweekends gosh, please do listen
to Ashley here, because it doesmake a big difference to how
you feel during that raceweekend.
I mentioned it before for theexpo, but I'm going to stress
(22:23):
this again, and this will likelychange as we continue to see a
lot of cultures change overall,but Japan is still, at this
point, really more cash focusedsociety, so, please do be
prepared with yen or gettingyour dollars or currency
exchanged when you get there.
I personally just had them.
I had them exchanged before.
I had some yen on me that I hadmy bank send my way, so it was
(22:45):
just easier for me to beprepared with that ahead of time
.
I think, though, ashley, since,again, you're our travel pro,
tell me something about what youwould suggest for different
locations and maybe some prosand cons for different districts
for people to stay at.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Absolutely.
Tokyo is a huge city with somany different options, but the
public transportation systemthere does make it very, very
efficient to get around.
So for proximity to start lineI know some people are very
anxious about getting to thestart area.
The Shinjuku is the best area,so, again walkable to the start
(23:23):
line, you don't have to kind ofworry about where I'm going.
There is a vibrant nightlifeand amazing food in this area.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
I loved it.
I'm going to ask you are youteam start line or team finish
line when it comes to an out andback, like a point to point, I
feel like I'm more start line.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I am not anxious Like I need to know I'm going to get
there on time.
I'm not a finish line girl.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yeah, and plus I feel like for me, who cares about
the finish line?
I can meander, take eight hoursto get back to my hotel.
Who cares at that point?
It's like getting to the startline is the most important part.
Plus, I want my extra fiveminutes of sleep.
So there are some really greataccommodations and hotels there.
I will say that if you can bookyour hotel as early as possible
maybe even before you secureyour actual lottery, because you
(24:09):
could always potentially cancelit closer too, because Park
Hyatt Tokyo sells out veryquickly.
Kiyo Plaza Hotel Tokyo sellsout very quickly.
So if it's in Shinjuku, they dogo really, really quickly.
If you did miss the mark there,or maybe you don't want to stay
there because the cost is a bitmore expensive, you could stay
in Ginza, which is best forthose post-race celebrations,
since it's close to the finishline.
(24:29):
Recommended hotels there mightbe the Peninsula Tokyo, mitsui
Garden Hotel, ginza.
There's also the Four Seasons.
If you got tons of cash,friends, and if you do have tons
of cash, give us a call,because I want to high roll
through the Four Seasons downthere myself one day.
And then if you want moretraditional vibes when you're
staying there, you could alwaysstay at the Asakusa.
I hope I said that correctly.
(24:50):
I am being very respectful,honestly, please.
If I did not say that correctly, feel free to correct me on
this, and I know I have a coupleof you guys out there in Japan
that can help me with it.
But this is near some of thehistoric landmarks and, of
course, it's a little bitquieter than the city center.
Now, one thing that I thinkthat comes to mind is you
already touched on it, ashley isthat there is a great public
transportation area in JapanJapan in total, but especially
(25:13):
in Tokyo.
One of the things that peopletalk a lot about is this JR Pass
.
So let's talk a little bitabout that, if you don't mind,
because I think it'd be reallygreat for folks to kind of hear
a little bit of the differencesbetween JR Pass mode and the
Suisa card, between JR Pasmo andthe Suisa card.
I know that for me, I use the JRRail Pass because it covered
(25:34):
travel within Japan and I wasgoing to be there.
I stayed there for over twoweeks.
But if you're not going totravel to Kyoto or go to
different locations and you'renot going to be there for a long
time you may not need it at all.
You could just get away withjust a Metro Pass, which is the
Pasmo or Suisa card.
Again, they may not carry orthey may not allow you to pay
for it with a credit card.
(25:54):
So take into account having thecash with you or having the yen
with you.
What do you generally do, likewhen you go on these types of
trips?
Do you try like when you'rethinking about Tokyo?
Are you thinking you're goingto want to stay for as long as
possible?
Or do you think that, becausethey are so expensive, you're
going to kind of like maximizegetting in there, focus on the
race and then head outAbsolutely?
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I mean I love obviously exploring that culture
, kind of diving into that area.
But you're going so far andquite honestly I don't know when
I would get back to thatspecific area because there's so
much world to see.
So I would definitely if it wasmy trip.
I like to bounce around todifferent areas so I totally
(26:36):
would be going outside of justTokyo, spending some time there,
kind of getting that culture,getting adjusted to the time.
That probably would be towardsthe front of my trip If I had to
plan it that direction and thenhave some kind of like my fun
adventurous of other areastowards the latter half before
heading home.
Just because that's yourcelebration, you know you did it
(26:58):
absolutely.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
So I will say if you do decide that you're going to
visit some of the other areasand you're going to get the JR
rail pass JR rail pass you haveto pre-order it before you leave
the states.
So, friends, that is a little,a little bit of a difference.
They're not going to send youthe actual pass, they're going
to send you a voucher, and thenyou need to go to the voucher or
to the actual corporate officeto exchange it.
So that's something to keepinto mind.
Once you're there, you cannotactually purchase the JR Rail
(27:23):
Pass, so you have to do a littlebit more preparation beforehand
.
But you know what I love totalk about too, and what makes
Tokyo so different is like thepop culture and all the
different references that maybewe've seen or we want to know
more about.
So tell me some of yourfavorites.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
Absolutely.
There's so many movies anddifferent things that have
happened in Tokyo that kind ofgives us a little taste into
their culture already.
Some of those include Lost, inTranslation from 2003.
Crazy to think that was so longago.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
I know why did he even say that?
I didn't need to know that part.
I was just going to ignore thetext.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
I know, I know.
And then you have Jiro Dreamsof Sushi.
I mean, who doesn't want totalk about food?
I mean, come on.
And then your Name was fromthere as well, a beautifully
animated film that highlightsthe Tokyo magic, so you can kind
of get a little dive into there.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
A little bit of Japanimation, of course.
I mean that's a totally part ofthe culture there.
So I'm going to say, for music,you're going to want to add a
little bit of Tokyo drift to getthe Too Fast, Too Furious vibes
onto your playlist.
We are by 1OK Rock and knowthat they have a really big
J-pop scene.
So I know a lot of people arefans of K-pop but they have
Japanese pop as their go-to.
(28:37):
But I'm always down with thosetraditional taiko drum playlists
.
I like, absolutely love them.
To get me some extra bit of pepin my step, let's talk about
getting that medal.
What is the first thing thatyou think you're going to do
when you get your Tokyo Marathonmedal?
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Dare at it.
I mean, who doesn't love it?
I know you're like the queen ofI got my medal.
I'm good, let's go, come on.
But the medal is all of yourhard work.
You've worked months and monthsto get there.
Yes, yes, in months to getthere, yes, yes, because I mean,
let's not discredit, gettinginto the race is always half the
(29:12):
battle.
Yeah, the training is great,but that, literally, that medal
is your celebration of thatvictory lap that you just took.
Do you cry Sometimes?
Speaker 1 (29:23):
yes, okay, I definitely did cry at the end of
this particular race.
I actually was so stoked to getmy medal and the six star medal
, but I was also super excitedto go to the Imperial Palace
Starbucks, which is probably theprettiest one of the prettiest
Starbucks I've ever seen.
I know anybody who knows medoes is not surprised by that.
But a few other ways tocelebrate.
(29:44):
I would absolutely suggestvisiting an onsen to relax your
muscles.
There is a couple that areactually in Tokyo.
Most of them are outside ofTokyo.
The one thing that I want tocaveat, though, is that it's
still a society that doesn'tlove body artwork, so you have
to take into account to maybebook a private onsen if you are
more colorfully decorated or youhave some tattoos that are
(30:06):
visible.
Oh, grabbing some sushi orramen.
I also think I went to theShinjuku Alley drinking pub
crawl kind of a thing.
So there's so many differentfun ways.
What are some of the ways thatyou think that you might want to
celebrate?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Well, something that they're very well known for is
their bullet train, so who wouldnot want to take a ride?
Go see Mount Fuji Again.
You're across the world seeingsomebody else's culture and just
trying to like take it all inand then use, but it doesn't
stop there, Like their railsystem is incredible.
(30:40):
So there's so much to see anddo.
Now, if you're traveling withmaybe some family and friends,
there are some activities aroundthat are not for runners.
Specifically, there is the youknow zoo that is obviously for
kids.
You can go see differentanimals that you might not see
(31:00):
in the States.
There is also a Dobby, I thinkis how you say it.
I think so.
It's a futuristic vibe andwaterfront attractions.
So, you know, go have some fun.
You know you finished it.
Everybody loves kind of somedifferent vibes of that area.
You see different things, dodifferent things.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Why not Tell me what you're really excited about?
Speaker 2 (31:26):
You know my heart is with Disney and I cannot go to
Tokyo without going to TokyoDisneyland or Disney because,
like, why, why it's so differentthan the US parks.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
So absolutely, and you have to go to both, like you
can't go to just Disneyland,you have to go to both DisneySea
and Disneyland, and that's alsosomething that you could buy
your tickets ahead of time, andyou should buy your tickets
ahead of time, as you know.
So, of course, it would helppoint folks in the right
direction of all of that if youhad questions, a couple of
things that we didn't touch onthat I mean, we could probably
spend hours just talking abouteach individual race, but this
(32:04):
is something where you shouldmake yourself really well aware,
no matter where you'retraveling, but specifically for
Tokyo, of the different culturaletiquette that should be taken
into consideration.
It is a bit more of a quietsociety.
They generally don't eat whilethey're walking.
So a few different things totake into account so that, of
(32:25):
course, we continue to bewelcomed back with open arms to
run Tokyo year after year.
We would love to hear, if you'rerunning Tokyo, if you have run
Tokyo, what your favorite partsare.
Love to hear, if you're runningTokyo, if you have run Tokyo,
what your favorite parts are.
We want to absolutely thank youso very much for joining us in
this adventure as we continue togo through all of the World
Marathon majors.
So hopefully you enjoyed thisdeep dive.
Of course I'm going to welcomeyou guys to come on into the
Women of World Marathon majorsor the Stride Collective on
Facebook to continue thisconversation.
(32:45):
And then my friend, where arewe heading next week?
Speaker 2 (32:47):
We are heading up north to Boston to chase that
unicorn.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Well, until then, friends keep striding toward the
extraordinary.
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