Race Information

Host Organizations

Japanese Olympic Committee / Japan Association of Athletics Federations / Nagano Prefecture / Nagano City / The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun Daily Newspaper

Co-Host

NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

Special Associates

Nagano Association for the Promotion of the Olympic Movement / Hellenic Amateur Athletic Federation (iSEGAS) / SBC

Superintendent

Nagano Amateur Athletic Association

Patrons

Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Ministry of Education / Culture / Sports / Science and Technology / Nagano Prefecture Board of Education / Nagano Prefecture Amateur Sports Association / Nakano City / Yamanouchi Town / Obuse Town / Toyono Town / Karuizawa Town / Hakuba Village / Nozawaonsen Village / Kyodo News Agency / Nagano City Board of Education / Nakano City Board of Education / Yamanouchi Town Board of Education / Obuse Town Board of Education / Toyono Town Board of Education / Nagano City Amateur Sports Association / Nakano City Amateur Sports Association / Obuse Town Amateur Sports Association / Toyono Town Amateur Sports Association / Nagano City Tourist Association / Nakano City Tourist Association / Yamanouchi Town Tourist Association / Obuse Town Tourist Association / Nagano City CCI (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) / Shinonoi CCI / Matsushiro CCI / Nakano CCI / Yamanouchi Town CIA (Commerce and Industry Association) / Obuse Town CIA / Toyono Town CIA / Nagano City Kouhoku CIA / Kawanakajima Town CIA / Wakaho CIA / Naniai CIA / Shinko CIA

Cooperating Organizations

Ministry of Land / Infrastructure and Transport / Nagano Prefectural Police Headquarters / Nagano Highway Public Corporation / Nagano Prefecture Medical Association / Nagano Prefecture Traffic Safety Confederation / Nagano Traffic Safety Association / Nagano Minami Traffic Safety Association / Matsushiro Traffic Safety Association / Chuko Traffic Safety Association / Suko Traffic Safety Association / Nagano Tourist Federation / Joetsu City / Arai City / Myoukou Kogen Town / Nakagou Village / Myoukou Village / Joetsu Amateur Athletic Association / M-Wave / Nagano Convention Bureau / Nagano Flower Support Association / JTB

Race Date and Starting Time

9:05 a.m., Sunday, April 20, 2003

Event

Marathon (42.195 km)

Course

Starting Point : Olympic Memorial Torch Platform, Yamanouchi town
Finishing Point : Nagano Olympic Stadium, Nagano City
(Accredited by the Japan Amateur Athletics Federations. Expected accreditation by AIMS)

Competition Rules

Pursuant to the rules of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations for the year 2003 and those outlined by the event organizers.

Time Limit for Finish

5 hours

Gate Regulations

1) Gateways are set up every 5km with closing times scheduled as stated below. Athletes who arrive at a gateway after the closing time will not be allowed to participate in the race thereafter. Furthermore, those who are still running between the gateways in question after the closing time have to abandon the race.

＜Gate Closing Times＞
• 5.1km 9:50
• 10.2km 10:25
• 14.8km 11:00
• 20.4km 11:40
• 25.4km 12:14
• 29.8km 12:45
• 33.9km 13:15
• 39.8km 13:56
*Gateway points and the closing times are subject to change.
2) Those athletes who could not make the closing time and/or those who were told to discontinue the race by officers are to remove their number cards and follow the officers' instructions.
Those running without number cards are not considered to be registered runners.

Eligibility

1) 1, Athletes who have registered in the Japan Association of Athletics Federations registry for the year 2003. Also the foreign athletes who have registered in one's country Federation are included in this category.
    2, General athletes Non-registered, public athletes other than the ones above.
*In this event, non-registered athletes are admitted as temporary registered members of the Japan Association
2) Men and women 18 years old or over as of April 20, 2003
3) Both domestic and foreign athletes with the recommendation of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations and hosts.

Entry Quota

5,500 people (in the order of arrival)

Entry Fee

5,000 Japanese Yen (Including insurance, participation souvenir, finisher's record-certificate)

Participants Receive

Original T-shirt, and others.

Awards

1) General: 
-- Men and women who finish from 1st to 6th place will be awarded respectively.
-- General athletes (except for Federation registered members) men and women who finish from 1st to the 6th place will be awarded respectively.
2) Category by Age:
Men and Women (general athletes), categories are:
-- Under 30 years of age
-- 30 to 39
-- 40 to 49
-- 50 to 59
-- 60 years of age and over
The 1st to 6th place of each category will be awarded. However, a commendation ceremony will not be held.
Certificate of commendation and others will be mailed later.

Participation Rules

• Participants are responsible for going through a physical examination administered by a doctor before the race and to insure that they are in good physical condition.
• In the event that umpires pass judgment on participants that they are unable to keep running or are interfering with the other runners (running backward or in an irregular way), they may be told to abandon the race.
• Make sure to observe the closing time as some selfish behavior on your part could impede the smooth operation of the event. Objections of any kind as to the closing time of gateways will not be accepted.
• For accidents during the race, we provide first aid but assume no further responsibility. (Though we have every participant covered by "sports accident insurance", some cases such as hospitalization due to internal disease are not covered by this insurance.)
• We do not admit any substitute running. When such case is detected, we shall cancel the participant's entry. Moreover, the insurance does not apply to substitute runners.
• Participants are requested to agree in advance to have their pictures, taken during the race, used in printed matter such as an event booklet, also in web site. They also have to allow sponsors free use of their pictures for entrants' brochures and newspapers.
• All participants should be able to run a full marathon in 5 hours. After the entry is made, start training for the race.
• Participants are not supposed to wear or post anything that advertises a particular brand, company name or design in the event are a (marathon course included). Running in disguise is not allowed.
• Make sure to bring your health insurance card with you on race day.

Others

• Visually handicapped runners are required to run with accompanying runners. Accompanying runners are obliged to indicate themselves as such clearly.
• Though we provide water, sport drinks and sponges at aid stations, we can not make arrangements for special drinks for everyone because of operational reasons. Please understand special drinks are provided only for invited runners.