Okinawa Marathon - RunMarathon

Should have decided a few months earlier to do this race, most planners start 18 weeks out... I had 9 weeks to prepare. The longest pre marathon training run I completed was 3hrs long - a simple hour-and-a-half run down to Naha, turn around and return home (3 hours total - 18.1 miles). For the actual run I felt great for the first 18 miles, then hit the wall. But before the wall I was feeling great! I amused myself by asking the English speaking runners around me "Are we there yet!", adding my applause to that of the spectator for the Tyco Drumming Troups, and generally enjoying the run. After the wall, just as I entered the Air Force Base, I had to begin the walk a little, run a bit. Later I found the joy of the icy-hot spray cans available every couple of steps along the course! I later found out that the winner crossed the line before I crossed the halfway point! Good for him! He got his award, photo ops, etc and was gone from the event long before I could have met him.

Other racer have commented on the salt tables - I used a fair amount of salt on this race - seemed just fine and I needed it! Need to be careful though when grabbing candy...hard candies I thought I grabbed were actually chocolate - didn't sit well on the run. Okinawa brown sugar was an interesting find as was peanut brittle! I enjoy wheat ice tea, having found cups of it every once in a while - it was a nice divertion from water. You could get fat from all the food available on this course!

I memorized the gates for the course to ensure that I didn't fall behind the clock (didn't want to be put off the course - I heard that they close the course and put you on a bus to the finish), but I memorized the distances in miles. Nowhere on this course is it marked in miles so my memory didn't help. Additionally, near the end of the course, with less than 10km to the finish the race organizer put out signs showing the distance to the finish. I was thinking to myself, "I'm passing 4km to the finish! that's less than a 5k, that is less than 3 miles, I can do this!" but the next sign said "7km" - they got the signs backwards...and the mental games started.

I have decided that if I participate in another, I will train more for it. I.e. start running longer distances well before the event, ensuring that I complete a couple of runs at lengths close to that of the marathon. My goal will not change though...simply to complete the course within the time alloted. I may try to better my time, but that is secondary to finishing!

Walked a little, turned in my chip, received my printed certificate and medal and layed down on the grass (despite every post-marathon advice column I found). I drank a little water, checked out my blisters, and tried to eat something before allowing myself sufficient time to cool down. Oops! I nearly hurled, but I managed to keep it down. My ankle swelled, so I was helped to the first aid station to find that they closed it an hour earlier, so I hobbled back to the grass and it started to feel better.


Cramps - both calves, right thigh. Left knee pain (right knee had ACL reconstruction a decade ago but felt fine!)


This was a well produced race. The Okinawans really do a great job on this. I loved the whole thing (looking back)! If you are on the island of Okinawa, don't wait until your last year on island to complete this race - you'll want to do it again. Alas, I will not be here for next year's Naha Marathon or Okinawa Marathon. I'll have to settle for the Honolulu Marathon!