Hiroshima Peace Marathon

Get those jogging shoes out of the cupboard and get one more wearing out of your Halloween costume too if you want to get on the telly. This annual event takes place over a mostly flat  out and back course starting and finishing at the Coca Cola West Hiroshima Stadium in Kannon. This year is the 37th running of the event, and they are expecting 12,000 participants.

Don’t be put off by the word “marathon”, the longest distance is 10km, and there is a 5km, as well as a 1km family run. Although it is fairly competitive at the front, the emphasis is firmly on fun rather than racing and, although it can get a bit crowded back in the pack, the flat course makes it a good one on which to try your first running event.

Everyone does get a chance to win prizes in what is sometimes the longest lottery in history, but with free flights, hotel vouchers and invitations to a Hokkaido marathon it’s worth hanging around. One GetHiroshima team member won a round trip flight to Tokyo a few years ago and we won a tablet in 2013, so it can happen.

 

2017 Information (2018 details likely to be release in early summer)

 

Entry period: From August 16 (Entry to the 10km is limited to 5000 and will fill up pretty fast) to September 9.

 

Entry Fees:

 

1km ‘Kids Course’

• Adults & University Students ¥2500
• Junior & Senior High School Students ¥1200
• Elementary School Students (must be accompanied by an adult) ¥600

 

5km ‘Beginners’ Course’

• Adults & University Students ¥2500
• Junior & Senior High School Students ¥1200
• Elementary School Students (must be accompanied by an adult) ¥600

 

10km ‘Challenge Course’

• Adults & University Students ¥3500
• Senior High School Students ¥1800

 

5km ‘Wheelchair Course’

• Adults & University Students ¥2500
• Senior High School Students ¥1200

 

Start and registration times:

• The 1km kids race starts at 10:55
• The 5k starts at 11:00
• 10k starts at 11:20
• 5k wheelchair race starts at 11:30
• All participants should pick up their numbers at Hiroshima Stadium between 08:40 and 09:45

 

How to enter

The “international” peace marathon still doesn’t have a English language entry page and the entry process on the official website is a bit intimidating. BUt, you can give it a go by

• • Go to this

page

• • Scroll to the bottom and click the blue box (this means you agree to all that stuff above!)
    Scroll down to the bottom of

this page

• • and click the green button (on the left) for individual entry and the blue button (on the right) for group entry.
    Go to this

page

• • You should now see the entry form on

this page

• • (individual entry).
    Fill in the form (follow

this translated version of the form

• if necessary).
• Hit the small button on the left at the bottom of the form to submit and be taken to the payment page.

• Enter via Runnet.jp

Official site: www.hiroshima-marathon.com