Tokyo, Japan · March
Pacing the Tokyo Marathon
Flat with out and back sections
A flat, superbly organised course through central Tokyo with several out and back sections. Cool March conditions and famously precise crowd management.
Official site: dates and entry
Dates, ballots and entry rules change every year and are not listed here. Check the official site.
How to pace it
The course is flat enough that pace discipline is the only real variable. There are a few underpasses and gentle gradients but nothing that should change your plan.
The out and back sections are a mixed blessing. You can see faster runners coming the other way, which is motivating and also a reliable way to accidentally lift your pace. They also involve turnarounds, which break rhythm and cost a few seconds each.
Field management is strict and the start is organised by wave. The early kilometres are less congested than at comparably large races, so you can reach target pace sooner.
The field holds its line and its pace unusually well, so there is less weaving and surging than at other races this size. That makes running your own race easier, and it also makes it easy to settle in behind a group moving slightly quicker than you planned without registering that you have done it. Check your watch rather than trusting the group.
Worth knowing
- March in Tokyo is usually cool, which is good for pacing, but it can be wet.
- Turnarounds cost more rhythm than the seconds suggest. Do not try to make them up.
- Entry is typically heavily oversubscribed through a ballot. Check the official site.
What the common targets ask for
| Finish | Per km | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 4:16 | 6:52 |
| 3:30:00 | 4:59 | 8:01 |
| 4:00:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 |
| 4:30:00 | 6:24 | 10:18 |