- & course details (at the bottom of the page)

Topics of greatest concern to athletes

In my 4 years of volunteering, these have been some of the biggest issues & "I gotta know" questions.

Can I register or pick up my race packets on race day?

NO. Go to Registration for details.

Can I use my own running chip?

A: Policy changes every year on this. Go to Registration for details.

Are bags taken from the start to the finish?

YES. The bag dropoff area at the start is easy to find. Bag pickup at the finish is easy to find as you exit the stadium.

Is the 5 hour time limit enforced?

A: YES, and very strictly. More information on this is on the official Nagano Marathon website in F.Y.I. Runners who do not cross the gateways in time must stop running and get on a bus (which will continue to the finishing area). NOTE: cutoff times were extended a little in 2009 because of unusually hot weather, but runners who missed those extended times by even a few seconds were not allowed to continue on the course.

PowerBars, Gu, Honey Zinger & other energy gels - Bring your own if you really need them.

                                        Powerbar has been a race sponsor for the last few years, & most likely you will be able to buy these at the race expo. Bring a small supply of your own if these are essential to you.

How do runners line up at the start? Are there pace setters running the course?

A: Invited athletes are at the very front. All other runners line up behind them by race number. Large signs make it easy to find your place at the start, and announcements are made in English & Japanese. Announcements about the weather, bag dropoff deadlines & starting time were made.

           In 2005 the 3-hour pacesetter was Ms. Katrin Dorre of Germany (Bronze medal, 1988 Seoul Olympics). Runners with similar credentials are often selected as pace runners.

Are beverages provided on the course?

A: Of (42.6k) course - bad joke, sorry :-) Water and sports drinks are provided at all 14 refreshment stations & at the start.  Wet sponges are provided at 3 stops, and bananas at 5 stops. The sports drinks are usually Japanese brands, which lack fruity flavors & sweet tastes. The drink 'Pokari Sweat' tastes like, well, sweat (without the body odor). The start area has lots of bathrooms.

Where can I meet my friends & family at the start & end of the race? Any suggestions?        A suggested meeting point at the finish is on the printable stadium map. A larger image of the same map is here. Friends & family can wait with runners until the starting gun goes off. After that, friends & family can walk back to Kita-Nagano train station & take a bus from Nagano train station to the finish area. Lots of people will be taking these busses, so just follow the crowds. Going by car from the start to the finish is not recommended because traffic will be bad & roads will be closed off.     Meeting runners along the marathon route is possible, but complicated due to the traffic, winding roads, bridges & road closures. You could bring a bicycle to Nagano & ride from the finish & bike to points along the route. Rent a bike in Tokyo (search the Internet for 'Bike rental Tokyo') & bring it to Nagano, or bring your own bicycle with you to Nagano. Outdoor Japan has more information on cycling in Japan. The book  'Cycling Japan : A Personal Guide to Exploring Japan by Bicycle,' by Bryan Harrell; / Paperback / Published 1993'' teaches you how to bring your bike on trains & planes and is an excellent reference for cycling Japan.http://www.johnyuehan.com/NagaFinishMapPRINTABLE.JPGStadium_map.htmlhttp://www.johnyuehan.com/NagaFinishStadiumMap2.JPGhttp://www.outdoorjapan.com/index.htmshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3

Are there showers at the finish?

A: Sorry, but they are not. You'll have to go back to your hotel or to a hot spring after the race. Details are at the end of the Lodging page.

How do I get from the finish are back to Nagano city?

A: Shuttle busses provide free transportation back to Nagano city from the finish. Busses headed back to Nagano train station are easy to find: look for the longest line, because that is the bus most people will be on. The line can get VERY long sometimes, but it moves rather fast considering the length. Emptly busses come frequently and fill up fast, which keeps the line moving. Still, standing in line for 15 minutes right after you've run a marathon isn't very fun. Athletes, friends & family and lots of people participating in the festivities outside the stadium are in line for the busses, which adds up to big crowds. The long lines are one negative part of the race that needs to be improved.

     If the weather is good, all festivities & the race will be closing down about 5 to 6 hours after the start of the race & the majority of people will be heading for the busses. TIP: Right after you get done running, go through the festival outside the stadium quick & get on the bus to beat the crowds, especially if you really hate standing in line..

    In 2003 it started to rain at the end, so people hurried to the busses.

Taking a taxi back to Nagano is an option, also. The wait for a cab might be long, & the fare at least Y2,000, maybe Y4,000. The bus is free. If you divide the cost between 4 people, you might feel it is worth it.

Will someone take my picture as I cross the finish line & send me a copy?

A: No, according to one past participant. If you want your picture taken at the end, have a friend or family member do it for you. I haven't actually run the race, so I'm asking athletes who have finished in the past to send me answers to this question. I was at the finish line in 2005 & 2006 and took a few pictures. There were photographers waiting at the finish line, but not for taking photos to give to athletes. The marathon is televised live in Nagano by TV broadcaster NHK.

Will I get a medal for finishing?

A: No. In the past, a finisher's towel was given to all athletes who successfully ran the race. Expect the same in 2010. Some people would prefer the medals; some like having this big towel they can hang on the wall or use every day. I’ve heard from both sides.

What is the finish line like? See for yourself - view from the stands in the stadium   walking out of the stadium after crossing the finish   exiting the stadium Bag pickup will be easy to find after exiting the stadium. More photos are on the 2005 finish line page & general Nagano Marathon photos page.InStadiumView.htmlInStadiumView.htmlPhotos.htmlInStadiumView.htmlhttp://www.johnyuehan.com/naganopics.htmlPhotos.htmlhttp://www.johnyuehan.com/naganopics.htmlshapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2shapeimage_3_link_3shapeimage_3_link_4shapeimage_3_link_5shapeimage_3_link_6

Do any doctors working with the race speak English?

A: Probably. Many doctors in Japan speak at least a little English. At least one doctor at the finish line in 2005 spoke English. It can be difficult to find an English-speaking doctor, though.

Course details

The following was written in 2006 by Mr. Bill Rettie, who has participated in all 8 runnings of the Nagano Marathon (WOW!) and has kept getting faster every year. You can count on him running the race in 2010.

Nagano Olympic Commemorative Nagano Marathon Course - English Version

Composed by:  Bill Rettie (Canadian living in Ueda, Nagano, Japan)

               Ueda City Ekiden Team member.

               Nippon Runners marathon member.

Overview:

I have participated in all 8 of the Nagano marathons and will participate this year and forever after!  It is a “not miss” race for marathoners in Japan.  This year they cut off registration at 6,200 people.  It was filled in less than 2 months and 4 months before the start of the race!  I believe this is unheard of elsewhere.  Thousands of people are turned down each year so you are encouraged to enter in October of the previous year although some exceptions are made for foreign entrants if applied for early in the New Year.


The reason for the interest is a certified and fast course (see course description below).  An international world class field is assembled as the organizers invite Olympic marathon medal winners to create the “Olympic Electricity” that you can honestly feel at the starting line and throughout the race- very international, competitive with supporting crowds along the route.  You must run under 2:45 to be in the top 100!  The winning time for men is 2:10 and for women the low 2:20s.  To further heighten the popularity of the event it is televised LIVE nationwide from 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon on NHK channel 2 and the local edition of the Shinano Mainichi newspaper prints pages of colored photos along with the entire finisher’s list in the days after the race.  The TV broadcast does not just focus on the lead pack- anyone has a chance to be featured and possibly interviewed while running by elite Japanese marathoners Mari Tanigawa and/or Tetsuhiko Kin. Dress appropriately!?  Sports clinics are held the day before the race along with international food kiosks and performances on race day.  There is something for everyone so don’t hesitate to bring the whole family.


It is NOT just a marathon but an international event of Olympic caliber displaying all that beautiful and wonderful Nagano can offer!

Course Description:

For anyone who participated in this race prior to 2004, (1999-2003, the first 5 times) the race course has been changed.  There is no longer the initial 5 kilometer downhill at the start.  The new course takes place entirely within Nagano city, and is very flat with long straight stretches after the 25 km mark making for lots of drama near the finish!

Start:

The first 10 Kilometres:

The start is located in front of “Aqua Wing” the site of the preliminary hockey rounds for the 1998 Winter Olympics, an appropriate place to start for this Olympic Commemorative marathon.  There is a 400m track as well as a warm-up area for the track but it is unlikely that these areas will be available for pre-race warm-ups.  Best be prepared to warm-up on the road. The temperature really rises between 7:30 and 8:30.  While it might be chilly at 7:00 when you leave your hotel, by 8:30 it is likely to be quite warm, at least 10 degrees Celsius if not 15.  The finish is a good 15 kilometers away therefore anything you don’t want to run in must be placed in a bag and put in a transport truck 20 minutes before the race. 

The first kilometer is totally straight and flat, followed by 2- 90 degree turns which result in you running in the opposite direction on a neighboring road.  At the 2.6 kilometer point you’ll make a sharp turn-around which will then set you on your way to the main part of the course.  As there are 6,200 runners entered this year you are likely to be surrounded by other runners up until this point.


Most of the way, you will run on soft asphalt, however there are patches of hard cement between the 3-8 kilometer points.  As well you will run under a train line just after the 4 kilometer point which is a steep downhill followed by uphill where the road is kind of rough.  Be sure to watch your step here.


The course opens up even more at the 5 Km point as you enter the heart of the city.  The roads are wider and the pack should thin out a great deal as there is a 300 m long incline leading up to the 6 Km mark.  Just in front of the infamous Zenkoji temple (you may be tempted to turn right to take a look) you turn left where the pace really picks up due to a 500m downhill stretch. Best not to panic as you haven’t even reached the 7km point yet!  You’ll run past Central Square (site of the medal ceremonies for the Olympics) and run through central Nagano.  Then it’s another 2 kilometers to Big Hat (site of the Olympic hockey finals) and the 10 Km point.

10 Km to 25 Km:

The stretch from Big Hat to the next Olympic Venue, M-Wave is one of my favorite parts of the course.  If sunny, it is kind of a tranquil atmosphere, nice new and flat roads.  Between 10 Km and 15 Km, there will not be the crowds of the first 10, and it is at this point that you can reevaluate your pace.  The temperature will be comfortable and you almost want to stop and take a break to glance at the different views.  Any wind also seems to fade during this stretch.  Many runners try to take advantage of this stretch and put in a spurt here.


However, the heart of the race is yet to come, and as you pass the 15 Km mark, you again enter a prime “cheering zone” and M- Wave comes into view.  This stretch is also tempting to up the pace as at the 17 Km point, is a turn-around point and you will be able to see any of your rivals that are ahead of you coming back on the opposite side of the road.  Likewise they will be able to spot you too!  This is also an attractive feature of this course I think.


From M-Wave to the 19 Km point is a flat stretch.  Very easy to run however there tends to be a head wind here that only gets worse as you run over the 2 km long Gorin Bridge!  I have always had trouble getting over this section of the race- it is the only long incline portion of the race but a swirling wind makes it difficult to maintain your pace here.  Once over it, you’ll pass the half-way point and it is literally “all down-hill” from here!  Depending on what state you reach this point, this has either a good or bad meaning!!


You will reach the final of the 3 turn-around points in the course at the 23.5 km point. This is your last chance to size yourself up with those in front and behind you.  The 25 Km point brings you to the next point of interest on the course, White Ring (the venue for the figure skating at the Olympics). 

25 Km to Finish:

It’s not going too far to say that from this point on, makes or breaks your race.  It comes down to whether you decide to take advantage of the “fast” potential of this section or not.  There is simply no reason to hold back any longer.  The stretch to Km 33 is straight on nice winding bicycle path asphalt trails, and the only difference after that is that from Km 33 to 39 you are going in the opposite direction on the other side of the river!  The wind may play a factor but it is more likely to be the heat as temperatures can rise to 20 degrees Celsius by 11:00..  Either way, the finish point, the Olympic stadium comes into view from kilometer 33 on your left, and reaching it is all you will want to think of from that point on! This part of the course runs alongside the Chikuma river, the longest running river in Japan.  As well there are fruit orchards (apple, pear and peach) whose flowers are in full bloom at this time of year making for attractive scenery.   


At km 39 you must go over the last of 3 (the second one is at Km 33 but is not on the “worth mentioning “scale) bridges but the Matsushiro bridge is only a few 100 meters long and then you head into the final 3 km home stretch. Finishing in an Olympic stadium is not only exhilarating but an honor.  One you can only achieve by finishing the Nagano Marathon in less than 5 hours! 


So go for it!  Everyone in Nagano will be cheering you on, they will be waiting for you in the stadium ready to congratulate you on such an outstanding accomplishment. For a moment it will be like you are finishing an Olympic marathon!


Thanks for coming to Nagano!

Starting blocks

All foreigners, both men and women, are placed towards the front; the first 2 blocks are reserved for elite and invited athletes. Fast runners: please note previous race times and BRING PROOF; more info on this is coming soon.