Corey Aulbach's Staging Area

Okinawa is a Great to visit for vacation however when running the marathon prepare yourself for a lot of hills. There were plenty of aid stations on the course however the course has a cutoff time with many check points. The packet pickup was easy but not much of an expo. Getting to the race was easy if you parked in designated spots you are bused to the start. The finish was disappointing as you only received a bottled drink and no food unless you purchased from the food trucks. The finisher medal is small but very detailed. Not a race I would run again but Okinawa I would definitely visit again.

If you want a nature scenic race in Japan I highly recommend running this race. The constant views of Mt Fuji, red leaves from the trees in their autumn colors and the lake views are majestic. The aid station are well supported with plenty of items but crowd support will be sparse. There is a large amount of international runners doing the race. Ensure you do your race logistics getting to the race as it is hectic race morning and very crowded. There is no parking at the start/finish but organizers and the city go out of their way to assist with using public transportation or you can opt for purchasing a tour package. Also ensure yo prepare for the weather as it seems to constantly change from cold to hot to wind and back to cold. The course will be challenging with a big hill after the mid point however overall it was a Great Race with Great Support

The race routes started at Cape Soya and finishes in the city of Wakkanai. The runners were bussed from Wakkanai to the start which started at 0900 and the course appears flat but running the race felt mostly upward. The weather was windy and hot with a cutoff time of 6 hours. The finish area was in Wakkanai at Port Kita Bohatei Dome. Along the course the crowd support is small yet the aid stations were plentiful. This is a small race but comfortable without large crowds.

This race takes place in the Tsumagoi Highlands with beautiful views however the course has some tough hills especially 2K Near the end so be prepared. Registration and packet pick up were easy and you also receive a free cabbage 🥬 for signing up. The race didn’t start until 9 am so be prepared for a warm race. At the finish there are a lot of food booths so you can enjoy and relax . This was nice because there were not any locations near by to eat unless you were staying in a hotel.

This is a nice small race which is advertised as a marathon yet the full distance is 21k. They also claim it is the sister race to the Honolulu marathon. The race Is run on the edge of the Miura peninsula with many hills along the course but the down hills were also plenty. The start and finish were along the beach but when you finished there was no medal as finishers received a locally grown Daikon radish. Getting to the race I recommend going by train as the start and finish is a short walk as parking could be difficult.

The race is well organized however ensure you read all announcements that are released. COVID precautions were in place requiring use of a health app and temperature checks starting a week prior to the event. There wasn’t an expo as all race packets were mailed. Race day was well organized with participants placed in corrals. The course was crowded and attempting to PR will be difficult. Additionally if running the course be prepared for a lot of hills to include numerous ones from mile 17 to mile 26. There were plenty of aid stations on the route . The finish however only gave out a banana and water along with a finisher towel and medal. Overall it was a well organized and a good event

This race was well organized but it requires to be chosen by lottery and there is a lot of pre race preparatio not involving running.. If you are going to enter the race and don’t know Japanese prepare to use some sort translation such as Google translate. This race required a week prior temperature checks and health questions concerning COVID that had to be submitted on an App. There was a PCR test also conducted the day prior at the expo. Entering the expo and on race day required having the appropriate QR code’s on your smart phone. I have to say if you got through all the requirements the race was well organized and went real smooth. The runners start in corrals based on registration times which also the corrals were extremely well organized as needed because it is crowded at the start. The race starts and ends in the new National Stadium which was AWESOME and the course is basically out and back on a mostly flat course with a few inclines. Japan is still cautious with taking precautions concerning COVID but it was an enjoyable running through Tokyo.

I have very mixed reviews of this Race. The Expo for such a large city very disappointing. Very few vendors. To watch the Olympic Trials was AMAZING and well organized. The bag check is very crowded and had to wait about 15 minutes to drop my bag so do it early. This course had hill at every turn, not difficult but there was sure a lot so be prepared. The Full and Half Marathoners start and run together before the half breaks into Centenial Park. The course through the city had some nice sites. Finishing in Centenial park was nice but finishing at 4 hours for the marathon the organizers were packing up so not much but to grab your sandwich and chocolate milk. Again I thought a city the size of Atlanta would have more

This is a fast course point to point with only two slight hills early in the course. You ride the bus to the start where you have heaters and/or fires to keep you warm. The scenery during the first half is awesome and you finish in the same area in which you caught the bus. Plenty of sponsors providing food/drinks and massages..etc at the finish. The expo is a little small and the tech shirt is basic but if you want a fast course this is one and the weather is usually great.

Be prepared for a cool start and extreme downhill course however ensure your quads and hamstrings are well prepared for the extreme pounding as there will be some uphills towards towards the end.