Weather: It will be cold so be prepared. In 2019 it also rained and coupled with the cold temp it was not a great day to be outside much less in a marathon. Be prepared. I bought on eBay the nice NYC Marathon ponchos that are lined and have a hood and then I just tossed it at the start. That poncho saved me as you stand in the corral for awhile.

Hotel: Worth mentioning, but I stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Shinjuku and literally you walk to the lobby down a few steps and you are entering the corrals. It was a great hotel for a starting location. (The Hilton is right across the street too and another great location.) To get back, you just hop on the subway which is free that day. Convenient and really easy day of the marathon. To note as no one told us, but to get into downtown from the airport its a good 2 hours. So after traveling for a LONG time from the US, you have another 2 hours ahead of you by hotel bus or taxi.

Starting waves: I was part of the One to One program so my corral was up front, but just know ahead of time how to get into your corral. Everything is super organized but you just need to know where to go. They have lots and lots of volunteers helping. English speaking volunteers have their hats labelled with "English" and just ask one of them if you are in a bind. So so organized. Seriously the most organized race I have ever been to.

Expo: I had to laugh as this expo was nuts! It reminded me of being in Vegas with all the lights, sounds, and noises! It was like an expo on crack! It was crazy! Just lots to take in and very stimulating. Easy to get to by train. I went on the Friday prior midday and I felt like the crowds were perfect and totally manageable.

Course: Flat, running through lots of parts of Tokyo, and you can preplan to see family members at various spots. Nothing really stood out to me until the end by the Imperial Palace. Crowds were ok not like NYC or Chicago or London.

Swag: Medal, heat wrap, and a towel that all match the same them. The towel is like a big workout sweat towel and actually is useful. The medal design was super sleek and a great design.

Bag check: I normally do not check in anything prior to the race but due to the weather I changed my mind morning of and was so so grateful. Everyone receives a clear bag and they have it so organized. I had brought some warm clothes and it was so helpful at the end of the race as I was literally freezing and soaked. They require you to change into specific changing tents after the race (versus on the street). Everything is labelled so you know where the tents are in the finish zone, but they are really crowded. Gender specific and most runners change into dry gear.

Bottom line: I think this is one of those races that was extremely neat and so grateful for the opportunity, however if it was not part of the World Marathon Majors I don't think I would seek out to do it. I think over time this race will become bigger and bigger and I could see it becoming the next London or NYC where its 45,000. Right now the crowds were totally manageable. Every spoke English so I didn't feel that there was a language barrier. And...speaking from experience, if you like a bagel, Google bakeries to score a bagel Saturday and save to eat Sunday. (There's a great bakery in the hotel The Knot with American style bakery goods including bagels.)

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