Skip to main content

Tokyo Marathon Increases Supplies of Sports Drink, Bananas and Food

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/tm2008/news/20080208-OYT1T00503.htm?from=navr
http://journal.mycom.co.jp/news/2008/02/07/056/

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Tokyo Marathon 2008 sponsor Otsuka Seiyaku announced that it will be increasing the amount of its sports drink Amino Value which will be available to support the 30,000 runners at this week's race. Otsuka Seiyaku supplied 230,000 cups of Amino Value at last year's race, but in response to requests from runners it will be supplying 280,000 cups at this year's event. The drink will be offered in its double-strength format, containing 4000 mg of amino acids rather than the standard 2000 mg format.

Sports drink, water and other assistance for runners will be available at 10 stations, including the start, goal, and 8 locations along the course. A map showing the locations of the aid stations is available here.

The Tokyo Marathon also announced that it is increasing the number of bananas available along the course to 60,000, an increase of 18,000 from last year's 1st running. In last year's event, 42,000 bananas were available for the 26,000 runners in the full marathon event. According to the organizers, "Last year, many runners were out of energy due to the cold weather, and the faster people who usually don't eat during a marathon took food. As a consequence, the slower runners who needed food more couldn't get any, especially in the later stages of the course."

In response to criticism following last year's race, the number of raisins available along the course has also been significantly increased from 10,000 to 400,000, and the number of pastries such as anpan and cream buns have been increased from 12,000 to 20,000. 6000 ningyoyaki, a local baked specialty in Asakusa, will also be available along the Asakusa section of the course.

This year 27,500 runners are entered in the full marathon event, which runs from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government offices to Tokyo Big Sight.

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...

Mashiko Breaks U20 5000 m NR - Weekend Track Roundup

Saturday's Kanakuri Memorial Meet in Kumamoto was the weekend's main event in Japanese track, but there were good results at the Nittai University Time Trials meet in Yokohama too. Emmanuel Maru (Toyota Boshoku) led the men's 5000 m A-heat at Kanakuri in 13:14.06, with Tomonori Yamaguchi (SGH) clocking the fastest Japanese time in 13:16.38 in his first race as a corporate leaguer. Waseda University duo Rui Suzuki and Yota Mashiko went 6-7 in 13:20.64 and 13:22.87, the 18-year-old Mashiko shaving 0.04 off the U20 NR. In 8th, Yamato Yoshii (Toyota) ran a PB of 13:23.92. 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura (Subaru) continued to struggle after a weak indoor season, finishing 18th of 20 finishers in 13:45.10. 19-year-old Festus Kimorwo (Kurosaki Harima) was under 13:20 in the B-heat too, winning in a 13:19.59 PB. 2 more collegiate men broke 13:30, Daichi Fujita (Chuo Univ.) 8th in 13:28.93 and Riki Koike (Soka Univ.) 9th in 13:29.09. The top 6 in the men's 800 m A-hea...