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Tokyo Olympic Marathon Tentatively Scheduled for 7:00 a.m. Start to Beat the Heat



An outline of  the schedule for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics calling for the men's and women's marathons to begin at 7:00 a.m. has been released. Taking into account the brutally hot conditions expected at the Games which are set to kick off July 24, 2020, many outdoor events will feature earlier start times than proposed during previous stages of the planning process. The men's 50 km racewalk will start at 6:00 a.m. and both the men's and women's 20 km racewalk at 7:00 a.m.

The Tokyo Olympics organizing committee will submit the schedule proposal to the IOC on July 18 for final approval. The marathon was originally planned to have a 7:30 a.m. start time. To ensure the health of athletes, officials and spectators alike the possibility of holding it before was 7:00 a.m. was examined, but the decision to move it only 30 minutes earlier was made.

Translator's note: As a longtime resident runner in central Tokyo, the difference between a 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. start will be trivial. If the wellbeing of the athletes, officials and spectators were a significant consideration the marathons would be held in the evening or night when there would be no direct sunlight.

source article:
http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/s/article/2018063001002007.html
translated by Brett Larner

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Andrew Armiger said…
And evening has significantly less humidity, yielding higher evaporation rate.
July 11, 2018 at 7:23 AM
Metts said…
I remember a few years ago, while staying in Yokohama for a week or so during the summer, I went out at 5 AM to try and beat the heat, but it was like a wall of heat hit me even at 5 AM. I also think the evening is best. Turn it into an evening festival.
July 11, 2018 at 2:30 PM
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