It was perfect weather for the 2016 Tokyo Marathon on Sunday.
37,000 lucky participants queued for several city blocks in anticipation (organizers received more than 10 times that number of applications).
Before queueing for the race…
… there was another very important queue.
BMW was a sponsor.
Tokyo is one of the “Big 6” World Marathons Majors. The others include Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.
Dignitaries were in position…
… and the race started with wheelchair participants. They zip through the course at speeds up to 30 km / hr.
Five minutes later, it was time for the masses. They started under a shower of confetti (it took nearly 30 minutes for all 37,000 runners just to reach the starting line).
The runners were serenaded by a men’s choir as they began their journey through the streets of Tokyo.
The marathon course is exactly 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195 kilometers). The origins date back to 490 BC with the legend of Greek messenger, Pheidiopides, who ran non-stop from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce victory before collapsing and dying. Thus the race’s name and distance were set.
Not everyone was satisfied with the standard racer’s wardrobe.
Note the crayons..
… and the minion…
I wonder whose idea it was to wear tutus.
Why a goose head? It’s clearly not for aerodynamics.
After witnessing the start, we were bussed to the finish line.
And 2 hours, 6 minutes and 56 seconds after starting the race in Shinjuku…
… Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia was the first to cross the finish line in Odaiba.
About 15 minutes later, Helah Kiprop won her first major marathon with a course-record of 2:21:27.
Hundreds were on hand at the finish to cheer the runners…
… only 195 meters to go.
We witnessed both pain and joy on the runners’ faces as their goal was reached.
After crossing the finish line, several collapsed — thoroughly exhausted.
Prizes were awarded in a concluding ceremony, starting with men’s wheelchair…
… then women’s wheelchair.
Men’s runners were next…
…followed by the women.
It was a great event. Congratulations to all who participated. ts
Ukrainian Tom 