Nagano Q & A:
Registration, RC chips and Rules
Marathon info desk: in the Hotel Sunroute, across from Nagano train station.
In 2003, '04, '05, ’06, ’07, ’08 & 2009 this desk was staffed on Friday & Saturday before the race.
Registration
Can I register on race day?
When can I pick up my registration?
A: Registration pickup is from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Most people picked up their registration in the morning. On registration day, shuttle busses run from Nagano station (East Exit, not the busier and more pleasant West Exit) to the registration at Big Hat stadium. Alternatively, walk about 30 minutes from the station to the stadium. NOTE: this option is confusing, and you’ll likely get lost. Japanese streets have a lot of turns and dead ends. GPS is recommended, and even that might not work!
My recommendation: pick up your registration in the morning and spend the rest of the day sightseeing. There are many sights to see around Nagano city; the impressive castle in Matsumoto city is about one hour south of Nagano city. Get sightseeing information from the Tourist Information Center in the train station.
-----------Why is registration so far away from Nagano train station?
A: There really isn't any place big enough in downtown to handle all the people, especially considering most of the 5,000+ runners will pick up their registration packets within the first 4 hours of registration. Yes, it is a little inconvenient and annoying to have to pay for a bus to get your registration, but it isn't that bad. The race course goes right by the registration area, so follow your course map & walk part of the course. Try to navigate your way backwards 3k along the course back to Nagano station & avoid the bus back! Do this only if you don't mind getting lost a little.
Registration is held inside Big Hat stadium (site of the gold / silver medal hockey game during the Olympics; no ice there during registration though!) Vendors & sponsors are set up in the stadium also. Check out the stadium because you won't be able to slow down & see it while running by it during the race!
Can I pick up my registration on Sunday?
A: Sorry, but you cannot. In all years I’ve worked with registration, to the best of my knowledge not a single person (foreign or Japanese) picked up their registration on Sunday morning before the marathon.
What if I can’t pick up my registration on Saturday?
A: Contact the Nagano Marathon Registration desk if you absolutely cannot for some reason pick up your registration during registration hours on Saturday. You can find up-to-date contact information on the official Nagano Olympic Marathon website.
How long does registration take?
A: Less than 5 minutes, longer for Japanese people or if you register in Japanese. Why the time difference? Everything is in one stop for foreigners (registration number, RC chip, souvenir shirt and event brochure); Japanese people have to make 2 or 3 stops to get everything. A special registration desk has been set up for foreigners, conveniently located close to the entry, with signs in English and English-speaking staff. Staff at this desk may be able to speak other languages also.
I can’t run, but my friend wants to run for me. Will this be okay?
A: NO. Substitute runners are totally banned. If substitute runners are found, their running will be cancelled. Also, substitute runners will not be insured.
RC chips / ChampionChip timing
Can I use my own RC chip?
A: Policy keeps changing. Some years people could use their own chip, but in 2009 people couldn’t because it was causing problems. Don’t know what the exact problems were, sorry. Every year I don’t get an answer to this question until registration day; frustrating.
SUGGESTION: Bring your own chip to the registration desk. We’ll check with the troubleshooting desk to see if it can / can’t be used. Be prepared to use the chip provided for you, though. Chips are provided to all runners who do not have their own.
Do I have to register my own RC chip?
A: See the notes above. Do include your chip number when you register. In the years I have worked with the marathon, this has consistently been one of the toughest questions; we haven't been able to get a clear answer. Part of the problem is that very few Japanese runners have their own chip, while a much higher percentage of foreign athletes bring their own chips. In '05 I know some athletes had provided their chip information in advance. The troubleshooting desk at registration confirmed that their chip numbers were indeed in the Nagano Marathon computer system. If you haven't preregistered your chip with the Nagano Marathon, the troubleshooting desk may or may not be able to enter it into their system. Bring your own chip with you in any case, if you have one. Buying your own chip just for this race would be unnecessary, unless you plan to run several more marathons.
If anyone has more experience using these chips or ran the race with their own chip, please contact me so I can post more information on this topic. Thanks!
Huh? What chips are you talking about?
A: If this is your first race, you might not know; if you've run several races, I assume you know. An RC chip (running chip, ChampionChip, whatever ya want to call it) is a small computer chip that gets tied in to your shoe laces. Mats with sensors are laid out along the course. When you run over the mat, a signal is sent from your chip to the computer system & your time up to that point is recorded. For more info, click here. Not as tasty as fish & chips or Pringles, but far less fattening.
Insurance
Do I have to carry my insurance card or some other proof of health insurance while I run?
A: Runners are asked to carry some kind of health insurance information, especially if you have health conditions that may require special attention (heart problems, diabetes, etc.). This is for your own benefit in the rare event that an accident should take place during the race. Health problems such as dehydration and heat stroke are potential concerns, also. It is your responsibility to carry this information; race officials will not be checking each runner to make sure they are carrying health insurance information. The organizers insure all runners with sports accident insurance, which is not applicable to hospitalization due to internal disorder and similar ailments.
Make sure your health insurance covers you while in Japan. Find this out BEFORE leaving home.
Earphones
Can I wear earphones and listen to music while running the race?
A: No. Listening to a personal audio system while running the race is not allowed. This is stated in the official rules, which are written in Japanese. This rule may not be written in English on all information where it should be included. The reason personal audio systems are not allowed is most likely a liability concern. Officials do not want a runner listening to music to interfere with the running of others, possibly leading to an accident.
Costumes & Clothing
Can I wear a costume during the race?
A: No. Runners are not allowed to run in apparent disguise. However, some runners have worn small which do not completely disguise their identity. Examples include Santa hats, decorated shirts and other items which do not hide the runner’s face or registration number. Running in a deep sea diver’s outfit or complete Mickey Mouse costume with a monstrously large head would not be allowed. In addition to this rule against costumes, another rule states all runners must finish within 5 hours.
Can I wear clothing with advertising?
A: No. Runners are not allowed to put on or show a design or trademark that may signify the name of an enterprise or product.
NOTE: Most running apparel is perfectly fine. After all, it's hard to buy clothing without a company’s logo on it somewhere. This rule is in effect to protect the advertising rights of the marathon’s sponsors. Clothing with your running club’s logo is fine. Nobody will check your clothing. The fashion police would frown on tacky leisure suits, though. :-)
Wheelchairs
Course
Weather
Are wheelchairs allowed on the course?
A: YES - In 2005 a shorter wheelchair race was added. The organizers decided the start of the course is too hilly for wheelchairs, thus the shorter distance. Please inquire about the wheelchair course when registering for the marathon.
Didn’t the course go downhill at the start?
A: Yes. For the first 5 years, the course went downhilll for the first few kilometers, and the starting point was far from central Nagano station in Yamanouchi town. Bus transportation took about 30 minutes, and the race started around 9:00. Running downhill for several kilometers at the start of a race isn’t easy. Busses to the start could be slowed by traffic, but they always made it in time. The course had a lot of long, straight sections with only a few turns.
When was the course changed, and how?
A: In 2004 the course was changed dramatically, with many improvements. The current course starts much closer to central Nagano, at the Aqua Wing stadium. This is only one train stop from Nagano station, and 6 trains left from Nagano station to Kita-Nagano station (about a 15-minute walk from the starting point). The train times were: 5:58, 6:31, 6:37, 7:01, 7:05 and 7:21. Trains in Japan are very reliable, so the chance of a train being late is extremely low.
The new course is much flatter. It’s also more scenic because you run down a beautiful street in the city close to a large temple and see four of the stadiums used during the Olympics. Like previous years, the finish line is in the stadium used for opening and closing ceremonies (a nice, dramatic finish). One minor drawback of the course is the increased number of turns. The old course basically went in a straight line; now it includes several long loops and a few U-turns. This may have slowed some people down, but not by much. Everyone I worked with and talked to said the new course was much better, and overall the event went much smoother because of the changes.
How has the weather been in previous years?
Go to 'Past Competitions' then click on each race at the bottom, then 'Race results.'
Recommendation: bring sunscreen in case it’s sunny, and a large disposable garbage bag to use as a raincoat if it’s cold and rainy at the start. In 2003 both things would have been useful.
In 2003 the weather started a bit cold and rainy, then went to sunshine. Clouds came in later, and it started to rain after the race had finished. In 2004 the weather was sunny throughout the event, a bit cool in the morning and a bit hot by the finish; overall the weather was quite ideal. I heard a top runner from Africa said the weather was perfect, while a top Japanese runner said it was a little too hot. In 2005 the weather was sunny & cool but maybe a little warm for the start of a race. You weren't too cold at the starting line wearing shorts & a sleeveless shirt. Sunshine throughout the race, & by the end it was getting a little hot.
In 2009 the weather was unusually hot, slowing runners down. Race officials extended cutoff times so that more people could finish. The last runner crossed the finish line in about 5 hours 20 minutes. DO NOT count on cutoff times being extended like this again; it was an exception.
Volunteer
Can I volunteer for the race?
A: YES! VOLUNTEERS ARE WELCOME! This marathon relies on thousands of volunteers to make it a success, including high school students handing out water, senior citizens cheering on runners along the way and interpreters helping the invited athletes. If you live in Nagano, joining one of the many volunteer groups would be a lot of fun! Bilingual volunteers would be especially welcome. To volunteer, contact JTB, the Nagano Marathon headquarters or use any contact information on the official Nagano Marathon website. If you can read Japanese, there might be more information on the Japanese website. Or contact me for more assistance, and I’ll do my best to help you.
If you do not live in Nagano but would like to volunteer, finding a good job for you to do might be a bit challenging, but I still encourage you to ask JTB about volunteering when you register for the race. Volunteers might be needed on registration day to sit at booths for the ING Amsterdam Marathon & Athens Classic Marathon.
The organizers would like to have more than 200 foreign athletes participating in the race. In the last few years about 120 foreign athletes have participated.
Doctors, massage therapists and other medical personnel would be very valuable volunteers for the race. Interpreters who speak German, Russian, Chinese and other languages are encouraged to volunteer, also.
Can I volunteer AND run the race?
A: PLEASE! It’s a great idea, and you’ll get to go behind the scenes of the marathon and have a lot more fun. In 2003 I was planning to run but had to drop out at the last minute, so I offered to volunteer. I was bummed out about not being able to run, but the experience as a volunteer more than made up for my disappointment. I had a lot of fun and went back in 2004 & 2005. Hopefully I'll be able to return in 2006, this time to volunteer AND run. See you then!
More races
I want to run more races in Japan. Do any other races in Japan have English websites?
A: Few races in Japan have registration in English; Nagano is a nice exception. I suggest you search the Internet for more marathons. I have made this web page to address some issues not covered on the official Nagano Marathon web page.
Hundreds of races are held in Japan every year, including ones in the 5k, 10k, 20k, half marathon, full marathon and ultra marathon distances. I heard one race even goes up to the summit of Mount Fuji, at 3,776 meters (12,389 feet) above sea level.
An excellent runner's website is RUNNET but for now at least it's only in Japanese.
Where can I get more information about running and marathons?
A: Search the Internet and you’ll find an overwhelming amount of information. If you’ve found this website, you’ve probably found a lot of running information already.
If this is your first marathon, CONGRATULATIONS! You picked a great one to run.