Tokyo Marathon 2014

I run the Tokyo Marathon last Sunday in around 2:57:30.

With over 300,000 entrants vying for 30,000 coveted spots I felt compelled to go ahead and enter the event after winning a place in the registration lottery. 

And it was a festive experience - here is group at starting line 

During most of my endurance events, particularly long trail races and triathlons, I have experienced pronounced ups and downs in energy over the course of the event. So on Sunday it was striking to encounter a simple, steady, linear decline in perceived strength almost the entire way from around 5k to the finish line.  Here is picture of me toward the finish line trying to look like I am not fading…

Sunday's marathon experience largely reinforces my general dislike of the 42k distance.  The toll on my body, the long recovery cycle and nature of training did not seem justified by the performance and the challenge/enjoyment level relative to other events.  My added mileage volume,  precise training taper,  improved nutrition, and caffeine taper did not seem to have much impact.  If any.    Granted, the caffeine taper is good for its own sake.  And I do certainly acknowledge the charm and mystique of trying to achieve the right pace to make it all the way through the marathon. 

Immediately after the race, right at the moment I was feeling the very worst, I told teammate Don that yeah, I would still do marathons again in the future - I mean I really should do Boston Marathon at some point - (I have been talking about it for decades and I did meet the 3:05 qualifying time for Boston in 2015), and it would be fun to do a big Europe marathon like London or Berlin.  But even then I and am inclined to revert back to run/walk style.