1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,800 You're listening to episode 170 of the Marathon Running Podcast. 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,200 In this episode, we're going to talk about hacks for the Tokyo 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:18,440 Marathon. This is the Marathon Running 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,000 podcast by Letty and Ryan from We Got The Runs. 5 00:00:21,410 --> 00:00:24,290 Join us in our running community for weekly content that is 6 00:00:24,290 --> 00:00:27,410 motivational, educational and inspirational. 7 00:00:27,570 --> 00:00:30,050 And let the Marathon running podcast take you from the 8 00:00:30,050 --> 00:00:32,610 starting line to the finish line and beyond. 9 00:00:39,330 --> 00:00:42,250 Hey runners and welcome to episode 170. 10 00:00:42,250 --> 00:00:45,740 My Name is Letty. My name is Ryan and we are your 11 00:00:45,740 --> 00:00:48,540 hosts of the weekly Marathon Running podcast where we talk 12 00:00:48,540 --> 00:00:52,860 about all things running. Do you forget for a minute? 13 00:00:52,980 --> 00:00:55,180 I did, I did. So we do talk about training, we 14 00:00:55,180 --> 00:00:58,100 talk about nutrition. We bring you experts on all 15 00:00:58,100 --> 00:01:00,220 those topics. So then that way we don't have 16 00:01:00,220 --> 00:01:03,100 to pretend to be experts and we can just connect you guys with 17 00:01:03,100 --> 00:01:04,819 them. So that's kind of our niche 18 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:07,500 here. And thank you guys for 19 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:11,340 consistently tuning in. We've had quite a growth in the 20 00:01:11,340 --> 00:01:13,620 last year. We're super grateful for that. 21 00:01:14,070 --> 00:01:18,270 Yes, definitely. I mean, today you love hacks, so 22 00:01:18,310 --> 00:01:21,670 sounds like a good episode. Yes, we talked to Robert Wang, 23 00:01:21,670 --> 00:01:24,990 who is known in the running community, at least on Facebook, 24 00:01:24,990 --> 00:01:29,880 for being very savvy when it comes to traveling and doing 25 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,240 those world Majors. So the World Majors is 6 26 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,760 different marathons all around the world and he has done all of 27 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,080 them. People do those particular 28 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,400 marathons because once you finish the series of them, you 29 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,160 get the six start medal, which is something that a lot of 30 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,800 people strive to acquire over the years of running marathons. 31 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,680 How do you, how do you get the medal to have to, like, apply or 32 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,000 something? Yeah, so it goes through Abbott, 33 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,840 which is the organization who has the umbrella, is the 34 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:00,520 umbrella for all these marathons. 35 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,680 And you let them know prior to running your last race that it 36 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,480 will be your last marathon. They verify it and then you get 37 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,479 that six star medal and the celebration and prestige that 38 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:12,400 comes with it. Do you get it during your race, 39 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:13,720 like when you finish your race? Yeah. 40 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:15,080 How do they do that? So they have like a little 41 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,600 separate section and all these major marathons, yeah. 42 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,640 Interesting. So what are they, the races? 43 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,730 Just to reiterate for people like me that don't know, so 44 00:02:23,730 --> 00:02:28,890 that's Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York and Tokyo. 45 00:02:29,250 --> 00:02:34,370 However, there is talk that South Africa will have a race in 46 00:02:34,370 --> 00:02:37,450 the future years. So you know how it's really 47 00:02:37,450 --> 00:02:40,530 difficult to get into those races sometimes like the London 48 00:02:40,530 --> 00:02:43,370 lottery and Tokyo are really difficult. 49 00:02:43,890 --> 00:02:47,570 So don't get too excited when you reach that in a couple of 50 00:02:47,570 --> 00:02:50,250 years because there may be another major added to it and 51 00:02:50,250 --> 00:02:54,800 it'll be a seven star medal. Interesting, yeah. 52 00:02:55,640 --> 00:02:59,360 So you're excited about a potential marathon? 53 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,480 We haven't done the logistics yet, but you wanted to get your 54 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,560 brother to run, right? You're trying to get all family 55 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:08,520 members, yes. So my brother is not a 56 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,680 marathoner. He actually just completed his 57 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:15,160 first 5K a couple months ago. But he loves Rome, he loves 58 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,140 Europe, and he is talking us into potentially running the row 59 00:03:19,140 --> 00:03:21,260 marathon with him, which is March 17th. 60 00:03:21,740 --> 00:03:23,980 The good thing about the row marathon is it's not one of 61 00:03:23,980 --> 00:03:28,540 those six stars, so it doesn't sell out, which is kind of crazy 62 00:03:28,540 --> 00:03:31,620 to me because there's a lot of different cities in this world 63 00:03:31,620 --> 00:03:34,180 that I would rather run a marathon and then some of those 64 00:03:34,180 --> 00:03:39,740 six stars, but to each zone. So I'm glad that you agreed to 65 00:03:39,740 --> 00:03:42,780 potentially making this your second marathon, Ryan. 66 00:03:43,730 --> 00:03:46,090 Yeah, I think it would be fun. I don't think you had to take 67 00:03:46,090 --> 00:03:47,610 it. You needed a lot of convincing 68 00:03:47,610 --> 00:03:49,770 to run a marathon, especially in Rome. 69 00:03:49,930 --> 00:03:52,610 Yeah, I really didn't. I I need more convincing to 70 00:03:52,610 --> 00:03:56,290 other things that he's recently been proposing, such as staying 71 00:03:56,330 --> 00:03:59,650 in the mountains and learning breathing techniques in the cold 72 00:03:59,650 --> 00:04:02,130 to survive. But we won't get into that. 73 00:04:02,290 --> 00:04:03,890 But. Let's get into it a little bit 74 00:04:03,890 --> 00:04:07,450 so people know. So if you listen to the podcast, 75 00:04:07,490 --> 00:04:11,130 you know that Lady does not like cold, she likes hot, and she'll 76 00:04:11,130 --> 00:04:14,230 even run in the heat. And so her brother wanted to get 77 00:04:14,230 --> 00:04:19,269 her to do what is it like a basically like a cold exposure 78 00:04:19,269 --> 00:04:22,230 experience with breathing techniques and stuff like that. 79 00:04:22,230 --> 00:04:25,030 Which sounds like the very opposite of what Letty would 80 00:04:25,030 --> 00:04:29,710 like to do, but it was kind of neat because. 81 00:04:30,210 --> 00:04:34,170 She was saying, well, if you had a marathon with me, maybe I will 82 00:04:34,170 --> 00:04:37,170 then in return and do something like that with you. 83 00:04:37,490 --> 00:04:40,250 Is that about accurate? Very accurate and anyone that 84 00:04:40,250 --> 00:04:42,570 wants to look it up. It's called the Wim Hof method, 85 00:04:42,570 --> 00:04:47,570 which is breathing techniques to even I guess reactivate your 86 00:04:47,570 --> 00:04:49,250 brown fat. We're. 87 00:04:49,330 --> 00:04:52,370 Interesting. Be outside in the cold and do 88 00:04:52,370 --> 00:04:55,210 better, which I feel like you know what I look up to. 89 00:04:55,210 --> 00:04:58,070 My brother, I have a really good relationship with him. 90 00:04:58,310 --> 00:05:00,590 If anyone is able to talk me into that, it would be him 91 00:05:00,590 --> 00:05:03,150 because I do stuff to please him in that sense. 92 00:05:03,550 --> 00:05:06,230 So it's something that is interesting and will probably 93 00:05:06,230 --> 00:05:10,310 make me better in life. So I'm not always so cold, but 94 00:05:10,430 --> 00:05:13,870 it was really interesting and so maybe that'll happen in the 95 00:05:13,870 --> 00:05:15,710 fall. He even pulled the podcast. 96 00:05:15,710 --> 00:05:18,030 He said, why don't you do that? And then you can let your 97 00:05:18,030 --> 00:05:19,870 listeners know how this stuff works. 98 00:05:20,590 --> 00:05:22,430 So that might be in the future. We'll see. 99 00:05:22,470 --> 00:05:24,550 Who knows? He'll have to run the row 100 00:05:24,550 --> 00:05:28,670 marathon first with you so that he can do his his half of the 101 00:05:28,670 --> 00:05:32,030 deal. But back to the marathoning and 102 00:05:32,030 --> 00:05:34,710 running, that was just a short detour, I think. 103 00:05:35,430 --> 00:05:38,630 I think. I think running in merit for me, 104 00:05:38,630 --> 00:05:41,350 running in marathons, just like to run in marathons. 105 00:05:41,350 --> 00:05:43,550 Probably not something I'd I'd want to do. 106 00:05:44,110 --> 00:05:46,990 Too much, But like running in marathons at cool cities that 107 00:05:46,990 --> 00:05:49,950 you get to explore by running. I could definitely get into that 108 00:05:49,950 --> 00:05:53,230 because I think it's really neat that we went and saw Stockholm 109 00:05:53,230 --> 00:05:56,390 and so, so many different parts of the city just by running 110 00:05:56,390 --> 00:05:57,750 through it. So that was kind of neat. 111 00:05:58,070 --> 00:05:59,670 I could. I could get into something like 112 00:05:59,670 --> 00:06:01,310 that. I agree 100%. 113 00:06:01,310 --> 00:06:02,830 And I knew you're going to be on board too. 114 00:06:02,830 --> 00:06:04,870 And for me too. I don't race every race. 115 00:06:04,870 --> 00:06:08,350 I actually like racing particular marathons and then 116 00:06:08,350 --> 00:06:12,260 take it really easy on other ones because it just makes my 117 00:06:12,260 --> 00:06:15,500 heart happy to just run as well. I don't really need to feed the 118 00:06:15,540 --> 00:06:19,180 ego with certain timing, so it's gonna be great. 119 00:06:19,500 --> 00:06:24,300 So anything else? What's coming up besides I guess 120 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:27,140 we did talk about Tokyo. We talked about potentially 121 00:06:27,140 --> 00:06:31,540 Rome, which would be next March, Chicago. 122 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,040 Chicago is coming up. But the reason that we are 123 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,320 having this episode on Tokyo is because the lottery is still 124 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,720 open. So if you are still looking for 125 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,360 your star being Tokyo or if you're just interested in 126 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:48,360 running the Tokyo marathon for whatever reasons you have, the 127 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,680 lottery doesn't close for another few days. 128 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:53,800 At the time of this podcast coming out, I think you still 129 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,400 have a. Few days left and we'll have 130 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:01,590 Robert explain when the deadline is because I don't know it from 131 00:07:01,590 --> 00:07:04,350 the top of my head. Along with some other questions 132 00:07:04,350 --> 00:07:06,470 that we're going to ask him, we're going to talk to him about 133 00:07:06,790 --> 00:07:09,510 when to get there. If you're coming from the US and 134 00:07:09,510 --> 00:07:12,710 you're familiar with short vacation timing, how much time 135 00:07:12,710 --> 00:07:15,230 do you really need? Their flight, accommodation, 136 00:07:15,230 --> 00:07:19,390 packing tips, food, currency, customs, do's and don'ts, 137 00:07:19,390 --> 00:07:23,310 transportation, the Expo race, day differences and post run 138 00:07:23,310 --> 00:07:25,510 celebrations and all that. So it's going to be super 139 00:07:25,510 --> 00:07:28,120 exciting. Everyone else that entered the 140 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:29,880 lottery doesn't know if they get in yet. 141 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:31,960 No, they don't know yet. Because it hasn't finished 142 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:32,440 right. Yeah. 143 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,600 OK, so you want to get into it. Yes. 144 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:36,240 Let's do it. Without any further ado, we're 145 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,800 not going to play our conversation with Robert Wang. 146 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,080 All right. So I'm back on with Robert Wang. 147 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,040 Robert, thank you so much for joining. 148 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,520 Me today. It's great to see you again, 149 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:51,630 Letty. Yes, you too. 150 00:07:51,630 --> 00:07:53,830 And thank you for coming back. So for those of you guys who 151 00:07:53,830 --> 00:07:56,670 don't know, Robert, Robert is an expert when it comes to all the 152 00:07:56,670 --> 00:07:59,470 world majors. He has a huge Facebook group 153 00:07:59,470 --> 00:08:01,590 with, I don't even know how many followers you have. 154 00:08:01,590 --> 00:08:06,230 You have this point, but I know that you have a lot of insight 155 00:08:06,230 --> 00:08:10,830 when it comes to every marathon from how to get into them to 156 00:08:10,830 --> 00:08:12,790 where to stay. So that's what we brought you 157 00:08:12,790 --> 00:08:16,590 back today to talk to us about Tokyo, because we are in a phase 158 00:08:16,590 --> 00:08:21,020 of a lottery happening. Let us know who's able to still 159 00:08:21,020 --> 00:08:23,540 get into Tokyo. So the lottery. 160 00:08:23,620 --> 00:08:26,540 Now here's the thing, it It opened a few days ago. 161 00:08:26,540 --> 00:08:29,100 It opened Sunday night. The registration. 162 00:08:29,100 --> 00:08:32,820 And it goes until 4:00 AM Eastern Time, August 25th. 163 00:08:32,820 --> 00:08:36,659 Remember, the registration deadlines are always by Japan 164 00:08:36,659 --> 00:08:41,740 time, and Japan time is 13 hours ahead of Miami or Fort Myers or 165 00:08:41,740 --> 00:08:45,220 New York or Canton. OH, so you got to keep that in 166 00:08:45,220 --> 00:08:46,660 mind. That has tripped up a lot. 167 00:08:46,660 --> 00:08:48,100 Too many people. But. 168 00:08:49,110 --> 00:08:53,110 You have until the 25th of August, 4:00 AM Eastern Time to 169 00:08:53,110 --> 00:08:55,270 register for the lottery. OK, now what? 170 00:08:55,270 --> 00:08:57,390 Now people are like, what are the chances I'm going to get in? 171 00:08:57,630 --> 00:09:02,350 OK, well, it's not really clear. The Tokyo Marathon they have 172 00:09:02,350 --> 00:09:05,430 not, as far as I'm aware. I don't think they've released 173 00:09:05,430 --> 00:09:08,230 any numbers on how many people have applied the last couple 174 00:09:08,230 --> 00:09:09,910 years. They used to before COVID. 175 00:09:10,970 --> 00:09:13,850 Last year I I had a survey. I put up a survey in my group 176 00:09:13,930 --> 00:09:16,570 and I asked people if you applied for the lottery, did you 177 00:09:16,570 --> 00:09:18,330 get in? And I and about one in three 178 00:09:18,330 --> 00:09:22,090 people who responded to the poll said they got in, which is a, 179 00:09:22,130 --> 00:09:23,970 which is probably an historic high. 180 00:09:24,370 --> 00:09:28,690 But you have to remember that we had travel restrictions in place 181 00:09:28,770 --> 00:09:33,610 a year ago. Basically, to go to Japan you 182 00:09:33,610 --> 00:09:36,070 had to get a visa. You had to go to the consulate, 183 00:09:36,070 --> 00:09:38,150 you had to apply, fill out an application, give them your 184 00:09:38,150 --> 00:09:41,150 passport, They have to get your passport and stamp it and get 185 00:09:41,150 --> 00:09:43,110 the you know and and all that stuff you had to pay. 186 00:09:43,590 --> 00:09:45,630 You actually didn't have to pay a visa fee if you're American, 187 00:09:45,790 --> 00:09:48,870 but and then you not only that, you had to book through a tour 188 00:09:48,870 --> 00:09:53,030 operator, You had to have a tour booked, an itinerary booked 189 00:09:53,030 --> 00:09:55,230 through a tour operator. At one point you had to actually 190 00:09:55,230 --> 00:09:59,070 have a have a guide with you, a chaperone, at all times, because 191 00:09:59,070 --> 00:10:00,790 their job was to make sure you were wearing your mask. 192 00:10:00,790 --> 00:10:03,430 You didn't go around spreading COVID and infecting people. 193 00:10:03,430 --> 00:10:06,360 That was their job. So they they they got rid of 194 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,800 those restrictions in October. But the people when you entered 195 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,080 the lottery last year you didn't know that was going to happen. 196 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:15,400 So a lot of people didn't apply because of the uncertainty. 197 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:20,160 So basically the odds were one and three but before COVID, 198 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,400 based on my surveys I believe that for a non a runner not from 199 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,920 Japan the odds I like. I'm guessing totally estimating 200 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:32,000 10 to 17% because I suspect that the Tokyo Marathon has a drawing 201 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,310 for. Runners who live in Japan and 202 00:10:34,310 --> 00:10:36,350 runners who are from outside Japan. 203 00:10:36,670 --> 00:10:40,070 So the odds of actually getting into the race are better if you 204 00:10:40,070 --> 00:10:43,790 don't live in Japan based on the information that I've seen. 205 00:10:44,110 --> 00:10:46,350 So that so that your chances are pretty good. 206 00:10:46,710 --> 00:10:49,510 You've missed the boat on the charity registration and that's 207 00:10:49,510 --> 00:10:55,510 where you basically pay like 758 hundred $900,000. 208 00:10:55,510 --> 00:10:58,590 Basically an auction you bid. You bid for each charity for 209 00:10:58,590 --> 00:11:01,570 your entry. But that bill to sale the 210 00:11:01,570 --> 00:11:04,690 deadline that to apply for that was July 13th. 211 00:11:04,970 --> 00:11:09,130 So right now you're you have basically most people have one 212 00:11:09,130 --> 00:11:13,210 option the lottery you we will we will find out on October 3rd 213 00:11:13,210 --> 00:11:15,610 according to the schedule on the Tokyo Marathon website. 214 00:11:15,810 --> 00:11:19,290 Now there is another option after that and that is the 215 00:11:19,330 --> 00:11:21,370 Abbott World Marathon Majors drawing. 216 00:11:21,370 --> 00:11:24,450 And that is for anyone who, by November has has completed 217 00:11:24,450 --> 00:11:27,610 officially four other different World Marathon Majors. 218 00:11:27,940 --> 00:11:30,460 And they can enter that drawing. And I think the odds of that, I 219 00:11:30,460 --> 00:11:34,900 mean, you know, my guess, my, my, my instinct, my intuition 220 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:37,740 tells me, I think it's higher than the Tokyo Marathon. 221 00:11:39,540 --> 00:11:43,420 So I mean the really the only real, the other option is tour 222 00:11:43,420 --> 00:11:47,500 operator, but that is pretty difficult because they reserve 223 00:11:47,580 --> 00:11:51,140 entries for their most loyal clients like Marathon Tours just 224 00:11:51,140 --> 00:11:53,340 closed their registration a few weeks ago. 225 00:11:53,500 --> 00:11:56,380 I think for most people those packages are probably. 226 00:11:56,870 --> 00:11:58,990 Those deadlines have probably passed, but it depends on what 227 00:11:58,990 --> 00:12:01,390 country you live in to. Check with your check with the 228 00:12:01,390 --> 00:12:03,910 tour operator who sells majors entries and make sure they're 229 00:12:03,910 --> 00:12:06,590 legit if you can. The problem is token Marathon 230 00:12:06,790 --> 00:12:09,710 doesn't have a listing of official turf operators up 231 00:12:09,710 --> 00:12:11,830 anymore. I don't know why, so it's very 232 00:12:11,830 --> 00:12:15,950 difficult to confirm who still sells Tokyo bits, but those are 233 00:12:15,950 --> 00:12:17,870 your main options for getting into the race. 234 00:12:17,870 --> 00:12:20,590 And I'm sorry for going on for like 5 minutes about this. 235 00:12:21,310 --> 00:12:23,910 No, that's OK. I mean, it just shows us how 236 00:12:23,910 --> 00:12:27,590 difficult it is to get into those marathons and then once 237 00:12:27,590 --> 00:12:31,030 you do get into them, then obviously it's time to go. 238 00:12:31,500 --> 00:12:34,620 So, all right, let's talk about timing to get there. 239 00:12:34,620 --> 00:12:38,260 So if you obviously have all the time and money in the world, you 240 00:12:38,260 --> 00:12:41,380 want to make this trip as long as possible so you can see Japan 241 00:12:41,380 --> 00:12:43,980 and maybe the surrounding countries and everything. 242 00:12:44,180 --> 00:12:46,340 But if you don't, If you have a family, If you. 243 00:12:46,340 --> 00:12:48,780 Have a job and you don't have those two weeks. 244 00:12:48,940 --> 00:12:51,980 What do you feel, in your opinion, is the shortest amount 245 00:12:51,980 --> 00:12:56,780 of time that you can go there and get there if you obviously 246 00:12:56,780 --> 00:12:59,300 want to run the marathon but maybe see a little bit of Japan? 247 00:13:00,370 --> 00:13:03,090 The absolute minimum. And I know that we live in a 248 00:13:03,090 --> 00:13:06,130 country where people are time starved. 249 00:13:06,770 --> 00:13:09,010 People want to leave for like one day and come back. 250 00:13:09,130 --> 00:13:11,810 You know, people do not do what people do in Europe and 251 00:13:11,810 --> 00:13:13,970 Australia, they leave for two weeks a month. 252 00:13:14,210 --> 00:13:15,890 Americans just often don't do that. 253 00:13:15,890 --> 00:13:18,610 So but I know some people will struggle. 254 00:13:18,850 --> 00:13:22,010 I think people should leave leave like middle of the week 255 00:13:22,410 --> 00:13:25,810 before the race and minimum get back on Monday, the day after 256 00:13:25,810 --> 00:13:27,730 the race. That's what I think. 257 00:13:27,730 --> 00:13:29,850 However, I know there are people who are going to test that. 258 00:13:30,350 --> 00:13:33,270 That they're going to arrive on Saturday, run the race on Sunday 259 00:13:33,270 --> 00:13:35,430 and fly out Sunday night. I know there are people going to 260 00:13:35,430 --> 00:13:38,430 do that. I don't recommend that because 261 00:13:38,430 --> 00:13:41,270 of the jet lag that's involved. Logistics that are involved. 262 00:13:41,430 --> 00:13:43,190 You're going to miss out on so much of the experience. 263 00:13:43,190 --> 00:13:45,350 You're going to pay all that money to go there for like a 264 00:13:45,350 --> 00:13:47,190 couple days and then leave. And that. 265 00:13:47,190 --> 00:13:48,470 This doesn't make any sense to me. 266 00:13:48,470 --> 00:13:50,830 Why you you buy there? Why even go then? 267 00:13:50,830 --> 00:13:55,350 I mean, really, But I OK, I think the minimum is the here's 268 00:13:55,350 --> 00:13:57,430 the thing, when you. I'm talking to people who are 269 00:13:57,430 --> 00:13:59,230 coming from the United States, OK? 270 00:13:59,620 --> 00:14:03,420 If you leave on, let's say you leave Tuesday morning, Okay, 271 00:14:03,860 --> 00:14:06,540 you're because of the of the 13 hour time difference from 272 00:14:06,580 --> 00:14:09,660 Eastern Time, you're going to arrive there in the afternoon of 273 00:14:09,660 --> 00:14:11,580 the next day. So if you leave on, let's say 274 00:14:11,580 --> 00:14:14,100 you leave 11, let's say you catch a flight from, I don't 275 00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:18,740 know, Newark or JFK or whatever, Atlanta, you leave at 11:00 AM. 276 00:14:18,780 --> 00:14:22,500 Okay, you're going to get there around 3:00 or 4:00 PM the next 277 00:14:22,500 --> 00:14:26,370 day, Wednesday in Tokyo. That the flights, the flights 278 00:14:26,370 --> 00:14:29,770 going to be 1316. I mean maybe it's actually 279 00:14:29,770 --> 00:14:33,130 longer now because we can't use Russian airspace but it's 13 to 280 00:14:33,130 --> 00:14:37,610 16 hours okay to get there okay. So and then you have the time 281 00:14:37,610 --> 00:14:40,010 different, you add that so you you you basically now you're 282 00:14:40,010 --> 00:14:41,930 going to get that time back when you come back. 283 00:14:42,290 --> 00:14:45,610 Like you can depart on a Monday evening in Tokyo and it'll be 284 00:14:45,610 --> 00:14:47,730 Monday afternoon here when you get here. 285 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:50,480 So that's the advantage. You'll get that time back, 286 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,120 coming back, most much of it. You know, I think you should 287 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:56,000 leave on Tuesday if you can, and arrive Wednesday. 288 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,720 It'll give you like a few more day, another day to adjust the 289 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,040 time zone when you run the race. And you can get to the Expo 290 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,360 first thing in the morning, first thing in the morning, late 291 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,000 morning of Thursday when the Expo opens. 292 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,920 And therefore you can get all the access to the merchandise, 293 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,280 which is hard to get if you don't get there that early, so. 294 00:15:15,300 --> 00:15:18,020 And then if you have to leave, if you have to run back, you 295 00:15:18,020 --> 00:15:20,420 have to rush back, which I don't really recommend, but I know 296 00:15:20,420 --> 00:15:23,140 people can do it anyway. Leave on Monday, you know, run 297 00:15:23,140 --> 00:15:27,100 your race, have a nice post race meal and then leave the next 298 00:15:27,100 --> 00:15:28,340 day. You know, you could even leave 299 00:15:28,340 --> 00:15:30,660 in the evening Monday evening and you'll be back here by 300 00:15:30,660 --> 00:15:33,100 Monday afternoon. Or leave Monday afternoon and be 301 00:15:33,100 --> 00:15:34,740 back here by early Monday morning. 302 00:15:35,220 --> 00:15:37,300 Yeah, no, I agree. I agree. 303 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:39,880 All right, so. Let's talk about flights. 304 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:42,760 Do you have any tips for finding the most convenient and cost 305 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,160 effective flight? Because as we know, flying to 306 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,160 Tokyo can be very expensive coming from the United States. 307 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,560 So how do you normally find your flights? 308 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,920 I usually use Google Google Flights, simple as that. 309 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,800 I used to use Kayak, but I'm not a big fan of Kayak because it 310 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:01,520 connected me with this like third party like they'll put up. 311 00:16:01,970 --> 00:16:05,490 Airfare airfares with 3rd through third party travel 312 00:16:05,490 --> 00:16:09,090 agencies which are I I think are kind of dubious personally. 313 00:16:09,290 --> 00:16:11,650 So I go at Google Flights and then I usually put direct 314 00:16:11,730 --> 00:16:14,050 through the airline. Now here's the thing about 315 00:16:14,050 --> 00:16:19,410 Tokyo, the airfares have been crazy since COVID, especially 316 00:16:19,410 --> 00:16:22,370 international flights. The demands been up for 317 00:16:22,370 --> 00:16:27,450 international travel and the airfares are high and and the 318 00:16:27,450 --> 00:16:29,290 connections are usually not the greatest. 319 00:16:30,710 --> 00:16:35,150 They're they're not as good as they used to be back in 2019. 320 00:16:35,150 --> 00:16:37,710 Or actually it was summer 2018 when I booked the flight. 321 00:16:37,950 --> 00:16:42,230 But I paid about $800 to fly United from Newark. 322 00:16:42,230 --> 00:16:45,790 I I flew to Newark, and then I flew Newark nonstop to Tokyo. 323 00:16:45,790 --> 00:16:48,510 But here's the thing. We don't have access to Russian 324 00:16:48,510 --> 00:16:51,070 airspace anymore. It used to be we could fly over 325 00:16:51,070 --> 00:16:53,590 the Arctic, go through Russian airspace, and land in Japan. 326 00:16:53,990 --> 00:16:56,070 That would cut and you could do it in 12 hours. 327 00:16:56,490 --> 00:16:59,450 And apparently you can't do that anymore for obvious geopolitical 328 00:16:59,450 --> 00:17:00,930 reasons. OK. 329 00:17:01,090 --> 00:17:04,770 So you so the, the, the, the, the planes have to move further. 330 00:17:04,770 --> 00:17:06,770 They have to use more fuel and then increase the cost of the 331 00:17:06,770 --> 00:17:10,290 flights. Also, there's a headwind that on 332 00:17:10,290 --> 00:17:13,010 the way there if you go across the Pacific, OK. 333 00:17:13,250 --> 00:17:16,730 And like, so it's going kind of over Alaska and fly, you know, 334 00:17:17,050 --> 00:17:21,170 it's hard to imagine 3 dimensionally, but it can take 335 00:17:21,170 --> 00:17:23,089 16 hours to get there because that headwind. 336 00:17:23,210 --> 00:17:26,250 But then the good thing is it'll be much faster coming back. 337 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,360 So I would go to Google Flights and I would check around and I 338 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:33,600 would, I would start looking, I don't know roughly six months 339 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:38,320 before and see you know what what you can find but and and 340 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,080 give yourself reasonable connections and hopefully you 341 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:45,400 have TSA Precheck or Global Entry to facilitate your way 342 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:48,280 because you don't want to be stuck in a hopefully not a 343 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:50,760 passport like coming back to the United States and then you have 344 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,880 a domestic connection. So yeah, those are my thoughts 345 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:56,620 on the flights. Perfect. 346 00:17:56,620 --> 00:17:58,300 Thank you. I didn't know that about the 347 00:17:58,300 --> 00:18:01,500 Russian airspace, Obviously it makes sense, but I never put two 348 00:18:01,500 --> 00:18:04,020 and two together. So let's talk about 349 00:18:04,020 --> 00:18:06,780 accommodation. Normally what I do is I book a 350 00:18:06,780 --> 00:18:09,380 hotel that's really close to the finish line for convenience 351 00:18:09,380 --> 00:18:12,220 reasons, etc. So let's talk about starting 352 00:18:12,220 --> 00:18:15,980 line, hotels, pros and cons. And also, are there any 353 00:18:15,980 --> 00:18:19,900 particular hotels or area that I loved by runners, you know how 354 00:18:19,900 --> 00:18:23,410 Boston has? Everything kind of close to the 355 00:18:23,410 --> 00:18:25,730 finish line and it's kind of a hub. 356 00:18:26,050 --> 00:18:29,570 I'm wondering if Tokyo is the same and if so, where is that 357 00:18:29,570 --> 00:18:32,850 area? There, there's not really a vibe 358 00:18:33,370 --> 00:18:35,090 place. There's no there's not really a 359 00:18:35,090 --> 00:18:38,370 vibe place. If if, if the best shakeout run 360 00:18:38,370 --> 00:18:41,050 in Tokyo probably is run around the Imperial Palace. 361 00:18:41,050 --> 00:18:42,930 But you don't you don't get the Boston vibe. 362 00:18:42,930 --> 00:18:45,770 You don't get the I'm in a park and all these people are running 363 00:18:45,770 --> 00:18:46,850 around. They're all running the Tokyo 364 00:18:46,850 --> 00:18:48,730 Marathon on Sunday, and you know you're not. 365 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,920 Like, like London Marathon, if you go to Hyde Park, everyone's 366 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,040 running around. They're all running the London 367 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:58,600 Marathon on Sunday. Okay, you don't get that vibe in 368 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:00,080 Tokyo. At least I never have it. 369 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:04,120 The city is so big that you don't really get the vibe. 370 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,160 Here's the complication which really throws people for a 371 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,240 whirl. Okay is the start is not close 372 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,000 to the finish there. It's at least a 20 minute train 373 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,240 ride from one from the from one end to the other. 374 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:16,560 If you take, if you took the train. 375 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,890 But here's the thing. Tokyo has the best public 376 00:19:19,890 --> 00:19:22,130 transportation system I've ever seen. 377 00:19:22,570 --> 00:19:25,250 It's very, I mean, now, now, here's the thing about it too, 378 00:19:25,250 --> 00:19:28,170 is it's different systems. There's the Metro, there's the 379 00:19:28,170 --> 00:19:30,170 Jr. lines. There's Japan Rail. 380 00:19:30,330 --> 00:19:33,930 There's the private train lines. Google Maps knows how to 381 00:19:33,930 --> 00:19:36,050 navigate through them. If you're what you know, like, 382 00:19:36,610 --> 00:19:41,290 it'll give you directions. But trains are are every two 383 00:19:41,290 --> 00:19:43,650 minutes. In Tokyo, you're almost never 384 00:19:43,650 --> 00:19:46,010 going to wait very long for a train, unless it's the airport 385 00:19:46,010 --> 00:19:48,270 shuttle train. OK, well, here's the good news 386 00:19:48,270 --> 00:19:51,070 about Tokyo. There are all kinds of 387 00:19:51,070 --> 00:19:53,190 accommodations of all budget levels. 388 00:19:53,190 --> 00:19:56,710 I mean, we're going from capsule hotels where you literally sleep 389 00:19:56,710 --> 00:20:00,030 in a capsule. OK, but they might, but it'll 390 00:20:00,030 --> 00:20:02,990 have an awesome lounge and I have a might have a spa, you 391 00:20:02,990 --> 00:20:05,390 know what I mean? It would be like $40 a night or 392 00:20:05,390 --> 00:20:08,990 something like that to hostels. You know, which are actually 393 00:20:08,990 --> 00:20:11,310 clean in Japan. You know they're not as bad as 394 00:20:11,310 --> 00:20:12,590 you know they're not. You know, they're pretty. 395 00:20:12,990 --> 00:20:14,830 Like almost everything in Japan is clean. 396 00:20:14,990 --> 00:20:19,030 Japan is is obsessed with cleanliness and being germ free, 397 00:20:19,790 --> 00:20:22,990 you know, to business hotels, which are very inexpensive 398 00:20:22,990 --> 00:20:24,710 hotels. They're tiny rooms, but they're 399 00:20:24,710 --> 00:20:27,350 very inexpensive rooms that business people stay at because 400 00:20:27,350 --> 00:20:29,310 they have to work late at the office at a long commute. 401 00:20:29,470 --> 00:20:31,150 They live like an hour away by train. 402 00:20:31,350 --> 00:20:33,230 They'll often stay at these business hotels. 403 00:20:33,790 --> 00:20:38,740 And then the next level, like there's also Roikin, traditional 404 00:20:38,740 --> 00:20:44,860 Roikin ends and you know, with the Tommy Max on the floor or 405 00:20:44,940 --> 00:20:48,580 where, you know the bedding is not, it's traditional Japanese 406 00:20:48,580 --> 00:20:52,260 room or you want a Western style and those tend to be more 407 00:20:52,260 --> 00:20:53,820 expensive. And you know, if you want more 408 00:20:54,780 --> 00:20:58,180 space in Tokyo is at a premium. It's like New York, It's 409 00:20:58,180 --> 00:21:00,300 crowded. There's so many people, is very 410 00:21:00,380 --> 00:21:02,820 densely populated. And so the room this, the rooms 411 00:21:02,820 --> 00:21:05,900 are small for the most part. You can get a bigger room, but 412 00:21:06,060 --> 00:21:07,340 it's going to cost you some more money. 413 00:21:07,580 --> 00:21:10,300 I mean, here's the thing. If you want to stay in a Western 414 00:21:10,300 --> 00:21:14,700 style hotel and you know, with a nice breakfast and a buffet and 415 00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:18,820 a spa and a bar and a concierge and a classic restaurant in the 416 00:21:18,820 --> 00:21:21,460 top floor, you're going to pay Western prices. 417 00:21:21,620 --> 00:21:24,780 If you're willing to go the budget route, you can save money 418 00:21:24,900 --> 00:21:26,420 if you're willing to like, OK, you know what? 419 00:21:26,420 --> 00:21:28,420 I don't Maybe my room doesn't have to be as big. 420 00:21:28,540 --> 00:21:29,780 Maybe I don't need these amenities. 421 00:21:29,780 --> 00:21:31,500 Maybe I don't need a bar. But you know what? 422 00:21:31,500 --> 00:21:33,540 It's there's a subway station that's good enough for me. 423 00:21:33,900 --> 00:21:36,740 You know, like, like because almost everything in Japan is 424 00:21:36,740 --> 00:21:39,420 clean. So you're not going to end up, 425 00:21:39,500 --> 00:21:41,700 you're probably not going to end up in a hellhole somewhere. 426 00:21:42,570 --> 00:21:44,650 All right, Robert. So let's talk about packing. 427 00:21:44,650 --> 00:21:47,890 What should a runner take into consideration when given that 428 00:21:47,890 --> 00:21:51,650 we'll have a certain temperature and also because we'll have 429 00:21:51,650 --> 00:21:54,370 differences in the food that we're used to? 430 00:21:56,530 --> 00:21:58,330 Well, number one, definitely bring your passport. 431 00:21:58,490 --> 00:22:01,210 That's absolutely essential. You're not gonna get in the 432 00:22:01,210 --> 00:22:04,940 country without it. But in terms of clothing, I mean 433 00:22:04,940 --> 00:22:08,780 dress for the winter, dress like, you know, in that time of 434 00:22:08,780 --> 00:22:10,660 year, it's often in the 40s in Japan. 435 00:22:10,660 --> 00:22:13,660 Dress like it could be 30s or 40s in terms of Fahrenheit. 436 00:22:13,900 --> 00:22:17,260 If whatever you normally wear when it's 35 to 40 degrees, 437 00:22:17,260 --> 00:22:19,620 bring that to Japan at that time of year. 438 00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:22,140 There's probably produce you can't bring into the country, 439 00:22:22,140 --> 00:22:24,580 I'm guessing, but that's almost true of many countries. 440 00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:27,860 If there's something that you have to have, then bring it with 441 00:22:27,860 --> 00:22:30,390 you, because you're going to. You're going to have to. 442 00:22:30,390 --> 00:22:32,470 Japan is a totally different country in terms of food. 443 00:22:32,510 --> 00:22:34,590 You're not going to find typical American food. 444 00:22:34,590 --> 00:22:37,390 It's just not going to happen. Even McDonald's is different. 445 00:22:37,710 --> 00:22:39,510 Even Burger King or Wendy's is different. 446 00:22:39,510 --> 00:22:42,110 It's done a different way. Most restaurants have a 447 00:22:42,110 --> 00:22:45,470 specialty, OK? They usually serve like just 448 00:22:45,470 --> 00:22:48,230 that specialty. All right, So if you want sushi, 449 00:22:48,230 --> 00:22:50,750 you go to a sushi place that's probably almost all they're 450 00:22:50,750 --> 00:22:52,070 going to serve. Like. 451 00:22:52,070 --> 00:22:56,220 There's no there's rarely general timing places. 452 00:22:56,220 --> 00:22:58,620 If it serves Japanese Curry, that's probably almost 453 00:22:58,660 --> 00:23:02,300 everything that they serve. Like restaurants have 454 00:23:02,300 --> 00:23:05,420 specialties in Japan. OK, perfect. 455 00:23:06,180 --> 00:23:07,980 Alright. So with that, let's talk about 456 00:23:07,980 --> 00:23:11,140 currency, credit card or cash, how easy is it to just? 457 00:23:11,140 --> 00:23:13,380 Use your credit card or using the yen. 458 00:23:16,380 --> 00:23:21,780 This is what I do #1. Japan is traditionally a cash 459 00:23:22,260 --> 00:23:24,970 culture, like crime is so low in Japan. 460 00:23:24,970 --> 00:23:28,210 Not crime does happen in Japan, but it's so much lower than 461 00:23:28,210 --> 00:23:30,690 anywhere else. People seldom get robbed, so 462 00:23:30,690 --> 00:23:34,050 people traditionally carried like a lot of cash. 463 00:23:35,690 --> 00:23:38,370 So I think you have to you have to have some cash and the best 464 00:23:38,370 --> 00:23:43,490 way to the best rates to get are through an ATM, preferably no 465 00:23:43,490 --> 00:23:45,850 fees. What I did was I opened a 466 00:23:45,930 --> 00:23:49,520 Capital One 360 account. They didn't have any fees for 467 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,440 international EDM withdrawals. And then I went to the seven 468 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:56,360 bank ATM's at 7 elevens and withdrew without any fee and I 469 00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:59,560 got the best exchange rates. I think that's the best way to 470 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,920 change money in Japan. Now some a lot of places will 471 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,120 take credit cards, some will like will take Pasmo or Sweet. 472 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:10,800 I can load money on there and then and then everyone obviously 473 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:12,560 takes cash. Vending machines are super 474 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,710 advanced in Japan and and a lot of stuff is operated by vending 475 00:24:15,710 --> 00:24:17,790 machine. You want a dish, you look at the 476 00:24:17,790 --> 00:24:20,990 picture on the button, You push the button, you put the money in 477 00:24:20,990 --> 00:24:22,270 and a ticket will be printed out. 478 00:24:22,270 --> 00:24:24,990 You give it this to the cook and he'll make that for you. 479 00:24:25,150 --> 00:24:27,910 That's often what happens. I love this. 480 00:24:27,910 --> 00:24:30,110 It's such a different cultural experience. 481 00:24:30,110 --> 00:24:33,270 I'm super excited for that. So maybe with that maybe tell us 482 00:24:33,390 --> 00:24:38,150 just a couple of basic do's and don'ts language barrier and also 483 00:24:38,150 --> 00:24:43,500 maybe talk running culture. Um, I don't know much about the 484 00:24:43,500 --> 00:24:46,940 running culture in Japan. I know that traditionally 485 00:24:47,260 --> 00:24:52,820 marathons in Tokyo, they used to be for elites like prior to 2007 486 00:24:52,980 --> 00:24:56,500 they had marathons in Tokyo. But they were mainly, most of 487 00:24:56,500 --> 00:24:59,540 them were for elite competition. You know, kind of how we used to 488 00:24:59,540 --> 00:25:04,940 do it in the United States, like prior to 1970, like you know, 489 00:25:04,940 --> 00:25:07,780 most of marathons they would have like, I don't know a couple 490 00:25:07,780 --> 00:25:10,140 dozen competitors, but they were professionals. 491 00:25:10,140 --> 00:25:14,270 They did it for a living or or maybe or they, you know, like it 492 00:25:14,270 --> 00:25:20,590 wasn't a mass sport in today. It's the Tokyo Marathon. 493 00:25:20,710 --> 00:25:23,950 So like it became a mass race in 2007. 494 00:25:24,230 --> 00:25:28,510 So in terms of the culture there, like like a lot of people 495 00:25:28,510 --> 00:25:32,310 run for corporate teams, that's a common thing as well, like 496 00:25:32,430 --> 00:25:36,190 like teamwork, consensus, that's those are important Japanese 497 00:25:36,190 --> 00:25:40,360 values like like like like running for the team and running 498 00:25:40,360 --> 00:25:46,640 for the collective good. In terms of culture, I mean, I 499 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:48,360 think people are learning really quick. 500 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,880 One part of culture is being very exact. 501 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:55,000 Like for example, this is very important. 502 00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:58,000 Deadlines are strict. That's an important part of 503 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,280 Japanese culture. My my sister used to live in 504 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,800 Japan and she told me the saying is if you're on time in Japan, 505 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:08,770 you're late and and and and they are serious about deadlines like 506 00:26:08,770 --> 00:26:13,090 if a train is 20 seconds late, it is a major scandal in Japan, 507 00:26:13,330 --> 00:26:16,010 like it is a big deal. They write newspaper articles. 508 00:26:16,010 --> 00:26:20,530 If a train is 20 minutes 20 seconds late, 20 seconds like 509 00:26:20,730 --> 00:26:24,490 like like that's like the the Tokyo marathon like has a 510 00:26:24,490 --> 00:26:28,130 schedule and everything happens according to that schedule. 511 00:26:28,850 --> 00:26:31,530 Though with the exceptions. I heard that the corrals and not 512 00:26:31,770 --> 00:26:34,870 close on time, which I'm shocked, but this if it's if the 513 00:26:34,870 --> 00:26:37,790 starts going to be at 9:10 AM, this it is going to start at 514 00:26:37,790 --> 00:26:44,230 91000 AM and there are 8 cutoff checkpoint deadlines that you 515 00:26:44,230 --> 00:26:49,350 have to make And if you don't and if you don't, if you don't, 516 00:26:49,350 --> 00:26:52,110 if you're one second late, you're not finishing the race 517 00:26:52,750 --> 00:26:54,390 like. And I think people need to 518 00:26:54,390 --> 00:26:59,110 realize that if the deadline to register is 4:00 AM or it's 5:00 519 00:26:59,110 --> 00:27:03,140 PM Japan time, you know, you're not registering at 501. 520 00:27:03,140 --> 00:27:05,740 I mean, I think people need it shocks a lot of people. 521 00:27:05,740 --> 00:27:08,700 We're used to more casual approach in our cultures and 522 00:27:08,700 --> 00:27:10,060 that's not the way things are there. 523 00:27:10,060 --> 00:27:13,500 I think people need to realize that people are sticklers for 524 00:27:13,500 --> 00:27:18,140 the rules in Japan. There's the other thing is the 525 00:27:18,140 --> 00:27:22,060 communal good is like a major big deal in Japan and they are 526 00:27:22,060 --> 00:27:26,420 super serious about opening the roads on time and and they 527 00:27:26,620 --> 00:27:29,140 that's probably why they don't let people who miss the cutoff 528 00:27:29,140 --> 00:27:32,060 finish on the sidewalk like other majors do you know because 529 00:27:32,060 --> 00:27:35,740 of all the pedestrians that's my speculation but you know people 530 00:27:35,740 --> 00:27:38,700 are in for a lot of people are in for a culture shock and it it 531 00:27:38,740 --> 00:27:42,820 it it it's it's very off putting to a lot of people from North 532 00:27:42,820 --> 00:27:47,700 America or Europe who go there and and but that's part of the 533 00:27:47,700 --> 00:27:49,020 deal it's part of the experience. 534 00:27:50,430 --> 00:27:53,070 Interesting. So let's talk about the Expo. 535 00:27:53,070 --> 00:27:55,910 I think you've alluded to it a little bit about how the Expo is 536 00:27:55,910 --> 00:27:58,030 a little bit different, but maybe you can go into details 537 00:27:58,030 --> 00:28:03,870 about waiting lines, when to get there best and how the swag that 538 00:28:03,870 --> 00:28:05,990 you can get at Expos is a bit different. 539 00:28:07,350 --> 00:28:14,570 All right, With the Tokyo Marathon, it's more difficult to 540 00:28:14,570 --> 00:28:19,050 get official race merchandise because a six is the sponsor and 541 00:28:19,050 --> 00:28:21,730 they make the apparel. But it appears they're a lot 542 00:28:21,730 --> 00:28:23,450 more conservative. They don't want to be caught 543 00:28:23,450 --> 00:28:25,290 with, you know, unwanted merchandise. 544 00:28:25,290 --> 00:28:29,010 So they go to the extreme of not ordering enough, so there's not 545 00:28:29,010 --> 00:28:33,130 enough to meet demand. And a lot of the popular sizes 546 00:28:33,130 --> 00:28:35,730 are gone by the first day. And this was 2019. 547 00:28:36,170 --> 00:28:41,410 It was even worse last year or this year, March 2023, there 548 00:28:41,410 --> 00:28:45,880 were no jackets and a lot of stuff was sold out. 549 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,000 And I think, I think because of of COVID and the pandemic and 550 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,280 the supply chains, I think ASICS was like, you know like we're 551 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:53,520 not gonna, we're not gonna take any risks here. 552 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:54,800 We're not gonna lose any money on this. 553 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,280 This is my speculation. And so they didn't make the. 554 00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:02,120 They didn't order jackets to be made and they didn't and and and 555 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:03,440 so they probably ordered less supply. 556 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,400 Like we're not going to take, we're not going to take a loss 557 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:07,680 on this. So we'll risk a loss. 558 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:08,760 I mean, that's what I'm guessing. 559 00:29:09,380 --> 00:29:12,500 I I don't know what the mentality is going to be for 560 00:29:13,060 --> 00:29:17,620 2024. But here's the thing, if you 561 00:29:17,620 --> 00:29:19,900 want this stuff, you've got to get there early. 562 00:29:20,860 --> 00:29:22,700 If you're going to be this, if you're going to have this, like, 563 00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:23,980 well, I'm going to fly in Friday. 564 00:29:23,980 --> 00:29:25,420 I don't have time to get there earlier. 565 00:29:25,420 --> 00:29:28,420 Then you know what, Forget it. You're probably, it may not work 566 00:29:28,420 --> 00:29:29,660 out. You know what I mean? 567 00:29:29,660 --> 00:29:32,180 Or you have to find a friend who gets there earlier to get it for 568 00:29:32,180 --> 00:29:33,300 you. I mean, that's just the way it 569 00:29:33,300 --> 00:29:36,340 is. If if if you can't get there 570 00:29:36,340 --> 00:29:39,400 earlier, you know, because you know your kid has a piano 571 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,880 recital, you can't find a babysitter for the night before, 572 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:46,440 or your boss has to have you know will freak out if you leave 573 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:49,080 a day earlier. If those are true, then that's 574 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:50,280 important. You know what? 575 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,760 You may have to kiss some race merchandise goodbye or try to 576 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:57,560 find someone willing to get it for you on day #1 early on day 577 00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:00,160 number one. I I'm that's just the way it is. 578 00:30:01,010 --> 00:30:03,970 Yes, very different from what we are used to here in the United 579 00:30:03,970 --> 00:30:07,290 States with for example, the Boston Jackets, where later on 580 00:30:07,290 --> 00:30:11,970 you can find a lot of them at Marshalls and Rosses and those 581 00:30:12,450 --> 00:30:14,490 discount stores all over the country. 582 00:30:14,650 --> 00:30:17,690 So that's cool. So let's talk about the race day 583 00:30:17,690 --> 00:30:21,450 differences. Last year obviously was a whole 584 00:30:21,450 --> 00:30:23,810 different ball game. It was the first race after 585 00:30:23,810 --> 00:30:25,570 COVID. People were required to wear 586 00:30:25,570 --> 00:30:28,450 masks. People were required to carry 587 00:30:28,450 --> 00:30:31,510 phones to get into corrals. And I also heard that some of 588 00:30:31,510 --> 00:30:34,310 the Porta potties were not on the course, but you had to get 589 00:30:34,310 --> 00:30:36,590 into subway stations. So maybe talk to us a little bit 590 00:30:36,590 --> 00:30:40,310 about how the race is different. I don't know what it is. 591 00:30:40,350 --> 00:30:45,030 I think the reason why the Porta potties are not as in the best 592 00:30:45,030 --> 00:30:48,070 locations is because they're thinking about the neighborhood. 593 00:30:48,070 --> 00:30:49,790 There's thinking about the people who live there, the 594 00:30:49,870 --> 00:30:51,430 people who work there. They're trying to be 595 00:30:51,430 --> 00:30:53,590 considerate. You know who wants to? 596 00:30:53,590 --> 00:30:56,470 He who wants to walk into their apartment and smell porta potty. 597 00:30:56,470 --> 00:31:01,960 So I'm guessing that they they locate them to try to make them 598 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,760 the least offensive. I think that's my speculation. 599 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:07,920 So I have seen like the first time I stopped report a potty 600 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:11,440 during the race was near the halfway point in 2019. 601 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:14,560 It was literally an entire block away. 602 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:17,440 And I'm not talking a short block, I'm talking a long block. 603 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,480 I'm talking you have to literally run there for two to 604 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,200 three minutes to get there and then two to three minutes to get 605 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:26,800 back to the course. And not only that, the next time 606 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,830 I had to go, and this is unfortunately a race, I had to 607 00:31:29,830 --> 00:31:32,790 go at least four, three times. Okay. 608 00:31:33,510 --> 00:31:38,350 They pointed me down the sub into a subway station, these 609 00:31:38,350 --> 00:31:41,510 narrow set of stairs to get down into a subway station, use the 610 00:31:41,510 --> 00:31:43,070 restroom. In the subway station you had a 611 00:31:43,070 --> 00:31:47,150 sign pointing down with the down arrow and I was like, no, I'm 612 00:31:47,150 --> 00:31:49,950 not doing that. I did find a porta potty near 613 00:31:49,950 --> 00:31:53,550 the course near close, like like, I don't know, after the 614 00:31:53,550 --> 00:31:55,880 halfway point. And then I and then the third 615 00:31:55,880 --> 00:32:00,120 time I literally had to run across a small City Park to use 616 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,760 the park restroom. That was the official restroom. 617 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:06,920 I had to run across a park and then run across the park to come 618 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:10,800 back to the course. It was a small park, but you 619 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:15,520 know what I mean. So the porta potties can totally 620 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:18,920 screw your race if you are having issues where you have to 621 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:21,820 really go. I hate to say this, but you are 622 00:32:21,820 --> 00:32:25,380 in trouble. It's not a good race to have to 623 00:32:25,380 --> 00:32:30,180 go a lot it's not. However, I heard less this year 624 00:32:30,180 --> 00:32:32,460 about porta potties being far from the course. 625 00:32:32,460 --> 00:32:34,380 I don't know if maybe they had less of those or not. 626 00:32:34,380 --> 00:32:37,220 I didn't hear it being as big of a deal, but I can tell you that 627 00:32:37,220 --> 00:32:38,940 I personally had problems with it. 628 00:32:39,140 --> 00:32:43,420 The other thing too is the start area is only open for about two 629 00:32:43,420 --> 00:32:46,440 hours. Okay, it opens at 7:00 AM In 630 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:48,400 fact, you're instructed not to get there any earlier. 631 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,600 You're instructed not to stand outside the start area and wait. 632 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:55,440 They want you to get there at no earlier than 7:00 AM. 633 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:58,800 Okay, you got to go through like airport like security to get in. 634 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:00,840 Okay. Like, I think there's like, 635 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:03,800 like, like, like, I think they have the metal detectors and 636 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,000 they have all you have to put your bags through there. 637 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:08,960 You know, they they're really concerned about a terrorist 638 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:13,440 attack. So and not only that, they also 639 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:15,680 use smartphones to identify you. Now they used to give you 640 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:18,880 security wristbands. Now they give now they have you, 641 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:22,960 they take your picture with an app that you put on your phone 642 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:27,520 and you know at the Expo and you have to show that picture to the 643 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:30,880 web at the at the start area entrance with the app. 644 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:34,040 That's to make sure apparently that you don't sell your bid to 645 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:37,680 someone okay or an intruder doesn't get in that way or 646 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:39,240 whatever. A terrorist doesn't get in that 647 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:42,270 way. And then this has been the 648 00:33:42,270 --> 00:33:44,390 experience. If, I mean, if you got there at 649 00:33:44,390 --> 00:33:47,710 7:00 AM and you got to use the porta potty immediately, not a 650 00:33:47,710 --> 00:33:50,670 big deal, not a long wait. You get there after 8:00 AM like 651 00:33:50,670 --> 00:33:52,190 I did. Big mistake. 652 00:33:52,510 --> 00:33:55,070 Because you will have, you'll be waiting 25 minutes. 653 00:33:56,070 --> 00:34:01,390 I also heard that you are not allowed to get rid of clothes, 654 00:34:01,390 --> 00:34:04,750 and I know this is a huge thing in most majors, that you wear 655 00:34:04,750 --> 00:34:09,030 some throwaway attire so you can stay warm up until you start the 656 00:34:09,030 --> 00:34:10,310 race and then you get rid of that. 657 00:34:10,310 --> 00:34:12,650 Is that true as well? OK, let's. 658 00:34:12,810 --> 00:34:15,810 It's very it's more complicated. That was the original policy. 659 00:34:15,889 --> 00:34:19,210 OK, that the original policy was you can't bring clothes in. 660 00:34:19,449 --> 00:34:21,489 I think the reason was because of COVID. 661 00:34:21,810 --> 00:34:23,889 I think the volunteers were paranoid. 662 00:34:23,889 --> 00:34:26,090 They get COVID from clothing, which is there's no scientific 663 00:34:26,090 --> 00:34:28,810 evidence that that there's any serious risk of getting COVID 664 00:34:28,810 --> 00:34:31,409 from clothing. But there are people, I suspect, 665 00:34:31,409 --> 00:34:34,330 I'm just speculating. I suspect they had that policy 666 00:34:34,489 --> 00:34:36,770 because the volunteers are freaking out about getting COVID 667 00:34:36,770 --> 00:34:38,850 through clothing. Japan is a very germaphobic 668 00:34:38,850 --> 00:34:41,639 culture, OK? Like they, they even sanitize 669 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:44,400 like cash. And before they put them in ATM, 670 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:47,120 they have a sanitizing machine. You know what I mean? 671 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:50,400 So that sanitizes money. I mean, I could be wrong. 672 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:52,440 I mean, maybe that's an urban myth, but that's what I've read. 673 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,560 So that's why I guess what happened. 674 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:58,160 And then there was, there was some lobbying by Abbott the 675 00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:01,600 world, the Communications Women, Lauren Mccambell, World 676 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:05,320 Marathon, Abbott World Marathon Majors to put out a box that put 677 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:07,520 out a couple of boxes that people could drop their clothing 678 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:09,840 in. And that was like a late change. 679 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:11,840 Apparently there weren't enough of these boxes. 680 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:13,880 And I knew that that was probably going to be a problem. 681 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,040 So people start dumping their clothes everywhere. 682 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:17,840 People were dumping their clothes. 683 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,120 They weren't in a position to enforce that policy. 684 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:24,680 So that's what happened. People were tossing clothes 685 00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:27,440 everywhere. They shouldn't have been. 686 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,280 They was against the policy. Will did it anyway. 687 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:33,360 People were were urinating everywhere. 688 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:36,400 You know they were offending Japanese people like I hear on 689 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,320 social media like Japanese people like those foreigners 690 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:42,520 peeing like I can't believe that they were urinating at you know 691 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:46,120 on the sacred garden. You know like so that wasn't 692 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:50,610 good. You know like like they're very 693 00:35:50,610 --> 00:35:52,330 strict about cleanliness in Japan. 694 00:35:52,330 --> 00:35:55,290 They have rules like you're not supposed to use the department 695 00:35:55,290 --> 00:35:59,930 store restroom or the the subway station restroom before the 696 00:35:59,930 --> 00:36:02,250 race. Like it's very strict because 697 00:36:02,250 --> 00:36:04,530 they don't want to give offense. They're very strict about 698 00:36:04,530 --> 00:36:07,050 cleanliness in Japan. Like they're very strict about 699 00:36:07,050 --> 00:36:09,370 the impact of the race on on other people. 700 00:36:10,170 --> 00:36:14,570 It and it becomes but it just it just becomes a big deal like and 701 00:36:14,570 --> 00:36:17,130 but the problem the porta potty situation is not managed 702 00:36:17,130 --> 00:36:21,360 optimally. Yeah, yeah, it's it's really 703 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:24,840 unfortunate, but OK, so we can prepare ourselves, like you 704 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,920 said, by maybe thinking about how we each. 705 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:30,960 Could best handle. Those situations. 706 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,440 Now let me talk to you about the race itself. 707 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:37,960 Anything that sticks out to you that's inherently different or 708 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:40,200 that runners in the US should know about. 709 00:36:41,240 --> 00:36:43,720 OK, well the most essential thing to know about is if you 710 00:36:43,720 --> 00:36:48,460 are a runner who runs marathons over 6 hours, you need to be 711 00:36:48,460 --> 00:36:50,740 very aware of the cut off deadlines. 712 00:36:50,740 --> 00:36:53,420 There are 8 checkpoints along the race at various intervals 713 00:36:53,420 --> 00:36:56,380 and they're not even even, you know, they're not even like 714 00:36:57,340 --> 00:37:01,100 rounded intervals, like one is like 11.1 kilometers. 715 00:37:01,100 --> 00:37:02,580 Like it doesn't mean it makes sense to me. 716 00:37:02,580 --> 00:37:05,420 I think it has to do with like the road closure schedule or 717 00:37:05,420 --> 00:37:09,340 something, but they're not in an even pace. 718 00:37:09,500 --> 00:37:14,580 OK4, they're 4.9 kilometers, 11.1 kilometers, 15.4 719 00:37:14,580 --> 00:37:21,140 kilometers, 20.924 point 729.233 point 537.8 and then the finish, 720 00:37:21,420 --> 00:37:22,820 All right. There's times you have to be 721 00:37:22,820 --> 00:37:26,100 there by, for example, the first checkpoint, you got to be there 722 00:37:26,100 --> 00:37:29,580 by 10, like a 4.9 kilometers. You got to be there by 10:25 AM. 723 00:37:29,950 --> 00:37:32,230 The second one, which is really hard to make if you're a six 724 00:37:32,230 --> 00:37:35,030 hour marathoner, is the 11.1 kilometer. 725 00:37:35,030 --> 00:37:42,830 That's 6.9 miles 11:10 AM. You must be there by 111000 AM. 726 00:37:43,270 --> 00:37:47,830 You cannot get there eleven 10:01 AM or there's a rope in 727 00:37:47,830 --> 00:37:49,870 front of you and you're being told to get on the bus. 728 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:54,000 For for people who aren't back at the Packers and the deadline, 729 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:57,680 the checkpoint, the cutoff deadlines aren't a concern and 730 00:37:57,680 --> 00:37:59,440 that's generally anyone under six hours. 731 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,280 This isn't. This is an urban streetscape 732 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:05,160 course okay. There's a lot of there in backs 733 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:07,600 like like nest. It feels like a little bit like 734 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:11,160 a maze where you you go somewhere and then you come back 735 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:14,920 and the course continues and you go somewhere and then you come 736 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:18,790 back and then or there and backs within there and backs. 737 00:38:18,790 --> 00:38:22,110 You go somewhere, you go somewhere, you come back and 738 00:38:22,110 --> 00:38:24,190 then you go somewhere else and then come back to that common 739 00:38:24,190 --> 00:38:25,830 point. And you know that there's a lot 740 00:38:25,830 --> 00:38:28,310 of that along the course. It happens at least five or six 741 00:38:28,310 --> 00:38:30,150 times. So what's going to happen is 742 00:38:30,150 --> 00:38:32,430 you're going to, you're probably going to see the elites running 743 00:38:32,430 --> 00:38:34,550 ahead of you. You're going to see the people 744 00:38:34,550 --> 00:38:37,350 behind you. You might even see the the 745 00:38:37,350 --> 00:38:39,470 balloon pay. They didn't have them this year 746 00:38:39,470 --> 00:38:42,510 for the minimum pace but you might see the balloon Pacers 747 00:38:42,750 --> 00:38:44,950 you'll see the you'll see people way ahead of you people way 748 00:38:44,950 --> 00:38:49,190 behind you because of all these there and backs and that is what 749 00:38:49,950 --> 00:38:52,190 you also have to frequently turn when you get to the end of the 750 00:38:52,190 --> 00:38:55,630 there and back you have to make a turn and come back and no 751 00:38:55,630 --> 00:38:58,110 other made world marathon major has this. 752 00:38:58,750 --> 00:39:01,230 I mean you're going to see a couple temples here and there 753 00:39:01,390 --> 00:39:04,510 but it's generally you know streetscape like you know you'll 754 00:39:04,510 --> 00:39:08,550 see department stores and and you know usual Japanese modern 755 00:39:08,550 --> 00:39:11,830 urban buildings. You know there's there's nothing 756 00:39:11,830 --> 00:39:14,870 super remarkable about the course, Okay. 757 00:39:14,870 --> 00:39:17,710 It's just it's just the environment it's the cadence you 758 00:39:17,710 --> 00:39:20,430 have people like cheering for you but they're doing it with 759 00:39:20,510 --> 00:39:25,310 with Japanese chants like the volunteers have this chant and 760 00:39:25,310 --> 00:39:28,510 it's just very, very different from any other race. 761 00:39:30,350 --> 00:39:33,390 I don't it's very difficult to articulate and describe. 762 00:39:33,390 --> 00:39:35,710 You also will see some course entertainment. 763 00:39:35,950 --> 00:39:39,930 Like you'll see you might see women in kimonos dancing but in 764 00:39:39,930 --> 00:39:46,250 a very traditional way or you might see a band playing YMCA, 765 00:39:46,370 --> 00:39:50,530 like like like it's it's just it's a different vibe than you 766 00:39:50,530 --> 00:39:54,210 would for any other like a marathon United States or the UK 767 00:39:54,970 --> 00:39:57,690 and it's very difficult to describe it and that's really 768 00:39:57,690 --> 00:40:00,250 why you want to run this race. It's not even really for the 769 00:40:00,250 --> 00:40:02,090 course. The course isn't anything super. 770 00:40:02,250 --> 00:40:04,770 It's like, it is like it feels like a scene from a video game, 771 00:40:04,770 --> 00:40:09,960 though it kind of does and. You have to kind of do it. 772 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:12,040 I mean, I don't know. Some people do it and like, 773 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:14,240 well, it wasn't that great. It wasn't super scenic. 774 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:16,560 OK, you know it. No, it's not the most super, 775 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:18,000 super. It's not a scenic race. 776 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:22,000 But it's just I I don't really know how to describe the 777 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:25,040 experience. It's just very, it's a different 778 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:26,920 frequency, it's a different vibe. 779 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:29,600 It's just something that you're not going to get this running 780 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:33,600 the New York City Marathon or Boston or Chicago or London. 781 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:35,640 You're just not. Or even Berlin. 782 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:39,120 I encourage you to do it. I encourage you to get out of 783 00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:43,000 your comfort zone you like, don't learn the ways of your 784 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:49,800 hosts, and have a tremendous, like, international experience. 785 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:52,080 I think that's why you should do it. 786 00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:55,720 I love it. Thank you so much, Robert. 787 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:58,240 Let me ask you one last question. 788 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:01,360 We're going to talk a little bit about post marathon. 789 00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:04,160 So what do people do after this marathon? 790 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,520 What is something a runner could do that's unique to Japan? 791 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:11,360 Also, are there any post run celebration opportunities or 792 00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:14,960 events where participants can commemorate their achievements? 793 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:22,040 Abbott World Marathon Majors? In the past they've had events. 794 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:24,080 I don't know if they've had anything for Tokyo. 795 00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:28,470 I don't what they did this time. I know Marathon tours as a post 796 00:41:28,470 --> 00:41:31,230 race reception for the the P and it's really nice. 797 00:41:31,270 --> 00:41:32,510 And I've been up there. I was. 798 00:41:32,510 --> 00:41:38,070 I went there briefly but like and and some people set up 799 00:41:38,070 --> 00:41:41,110 meetups like like one woman I know she set up an impromptu 800 00:41:41,110 --> 00:41:46,630 meet up at the Grand Hyatt bar or lounge but there's nothing 801 00:41:46,630 --> 00:41:50,440 really organized. But but basically like, I mean 802 00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:53,200 like the common thing is to eat something, you know and there's 803 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:56,240 plenty of things to eat in Japan and Tokyo after the Tokyo 804 00:41:56,240 --> 00:41:58,520 marathon, you cannot go. It's hard to go wrong. 805 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:03,040 I mean in terms of restaurants I like, I don't think you need to 806 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:04,760 do much planning. I don't think you need to do any 807 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:06,520 reservations. I mean if you're saying if you 808 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:08,360 want, if you're going to a western style hotel and a 809 00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:11,400 western style restaurant, western style hotel, then you 810 00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:13,960 may and you want to go fancy, fancy, then maybe you need to do 811 00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:15,400 a reservation. You're doing an Italian 812 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:17,740 restaurant and there are a few in Tokyo. 813 00:42:17,740 --> 00:42:20,060 You may have to do a reservation for that, but in a large 814 00:42:20,060 --> 00:42:23,500 majority you can walk for 5 minutes and find a place and 815 00:42:23,500 --> 00:42:25,420 just eat there and you know that's it. 816 00:42:25,420 --> 00:42:28,140 It's very casual. That's awesome. 817 00:42:28,140 --> 00:42:30,380 We're looking forward to that. And thank you so much for coming 818 00:42:30,380 --> 00:42:31,900 on. Maybe you can remind our 819 00:42:31,900 --> 00:42:35,100 listeners what your website is or your Facebook page where 820 00:42:35,380 --> 00:42:37,220 where you spread your knowledge all the time. 821 00:42:39,060 --> 00:42:41,980 Well, it is the World Marathon Majors Challenge Group on 822 00:42:41,980 --> 00:42:44,140 Facebook. Yes. 823 00:42:44,140 --> 00:42:46,420 And we'll invite everybody to join that group. 824 00:42:46,420 --> 00:42:48,820 And we're gonna post the link in our notes. 825 00:42:49,100 --> 00:42:51,500 And thanks again, Robert, so much for coming on and speaking 826 00:42:51,500 --> 00:42:52,540 with me. I appreciate it. 827 00:42:53,500 --> 00:42:56,060 Sure. And I'm sorry for going on and 828 00:42:56,060 --> 00:43:02,860 on and on a couple of times. Thanks, Robert again for coming 829 00:43:02,860 --> 00:43:05,140 on to the show. We appreciate your input and 830 00:43:05,140 --> 00:43:08,500 hope to have you back on probably a little bit closer to 831 00:43:08,500 --> 00:43:11,100 New York or some other major that is coming up. 832 00:43:11,100 --> 00:43:14,240 So stay tuned for that. So what are you going to talk 833 00:43:14,240 --> 00:43:16,360 about next week? Can you give a teaser for people 834 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:18,840 that want to listen again? Yes, next week we're going to 835 00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:22,400 stay away from hacks, but we're going to talk about interval 836 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:25,400 training. We're going to talk to a running 837 00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:30,040 coach about why intervals are good for you and exactly what 838 00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:32,480 type of intervals you are supposed to do. 839 00:43:33,070 --> 00:43:36,310 For a marathon training cycle. So that's going to be super 840 00:43:36,310 --> 00:43:38,790 exciting and super helpful for your current training. 841 00:43:38,910 --> 00:43:40,790 So don't forget to tune in next week. 842 00:43:40,830 --> 00:43:44,470 The easiest way to do that is if you subscribe to our podcast at 843 00:43:44,470 --> 00:43:47,270 whatever platform you're listening and that way you get a 844 00:43:47,270 --> 00:43:50,190 reminder. Please give us reviews, Go on 845 00:43:50,190 --> 00:43:52,670 and give us reviews so that other people will see our 846 00:43:52,670 --> 00:43:54,950 podcasts and listen to it. And so that Letty doesn't have 847 00:43:54,950 --> 00:43:58,830 to go to Costco and all the computers there Get yourselves 5 848 00:43:59,310 --> 00:44:01,350 star. Yes, I would never do such a 849 00:44:01,350 --> 00:44:01,870 thing. Right. 850 00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:05,760 All right. So with that. 851 00:44:06,320 --> 00:44:14,200 Have a great week of running. Thanks for tuning in. 852 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:19,680 For more information head to www.runningpodcast.us and as 853 00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:21,400 always have a great week of running.