My marathons

さが桜マラソン (Saga Sakura Marathon)

09:009:00 AM Saga
Saga Castle
Saga Castle. Photograph by 上条ジョー, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The course

The organiser calls the certified course flat, with about 10 m of height difference, from the SAGA Sunrise Park road past Saga Castle and through Yoshinogari Historical Park to SAGA Stadium.

The course in short 2 lines
  • Flat, by the castle and through YoshinogariAbout 10 m of height difference, past Saga Castle and Yoshinogari Historical Park, finish in SAGA Stadium.
  • Nine gates, the last at 40.6 kmGates from 4.3 km at 9:55 to 40.6 km at 15:15; the finish closes at 15:30.
Course notes 2 short reads on the course
km 0 to 42.2GeometryFlat, by the castle and through YoshinogariAbout 10 m of height difference, past Saga Castle and Yoshinogari Historical Park, finish in SAGA Stadium.

The organiser’s page describes a flat route with a height difference of about 10 metres. The marathon, a Japan Association of Athletics Federations certified course, starts in front of SAGA Sunrise Park on National Route 263, passes the Saga Castle Honmaru History Museum, runs inside Yoshinogari Historical Park and along the Tafuse River, and finishes in SAGA Stadium. The fun run of about 10 km uses the first half of the marathon course.

Sourced

km 4.3 to 40.6TacticsNine gates, the last at 40.6 kmGates from 4.3 km at 9:55 to 40.6 km at 15:15; the finish closes at 15:30.

The organiser plans nine gates for the marathon: 4.3 km at 9:55, 8.7 km at 10:30, 10.5 km at 10:45, 14.5 km at 11:20, 24.0 km at 12:43, 27.4 km at 13:13, 33.0 km at 14:04, 37.0 km at 14:41 and 40.6 km at 15:15. All times are counted from the gun, and the organiser says it takes about 15 minutes for every runner to pass the start line. After the 6 hours 30 minutes limit the gate leading to the finish in SAGA Stadium is closed.

Sourced

Race fuel

Energy gel
An energy gel sachet
Illustration · drag to turn

5 gels for Saga, plus 1 spare

Finish

One every 40 minutes, by the clock:

  1. km 7mile 4.4
  2. km 14.1mile 8.7
  3. km 21.1mile 13.1
  4. km 28.1mile 17.5
  5. km 35.2mile 21.8

Our pick: SiS BETA Fuel gel, box of 6, strawberry and lime. 40 g of carbohydrate a gel, about twice a usual gel, from two kinds of sugar your body takes up side by side.

Easy to forget on race morning: pack them with your bib the night before.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

In Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Salted Caramel, 24-pack, the best seller there.

Outside the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Italy, the rest of the EU and Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Chocolate Outrage, 24-pack on Amazon.com, the best seller there.

Anti-chafe
Compeed Anti-blister stick
Photo: Compeed

Compeed

Compeed anti-blister stick, 8 ml

Best selling on Amazon amazon.nl, read 2 Nov

An invisible layer before the start keeps seams, straps and shoes from rubbing skin raw.

Put it on before you leave for the start: heels and toes, inner thighs, under a bra or heart-rate strap.

Try it on a long run first, like everything you use on race day.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Number belt
A race number belt
Illustration · drag to turn

Compressport Race Belt

Holds your bib without safety pins through your top, with loops for up to 8 gels.

Clip the bib on the night before, so it goes on with your shorts in the morning.

Keep the number on the front, where officials and photographers can see it.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Electrolytes
A tube of electrolyte tablets
Illustration · drag to turn

SiS Hydro electrolyte tablets, tube of 20

One tablet in a bottle puts back some of the salt you sweat out.

One tablet in 500 ml of water in the hour before the start.

Only if you have used them in training: nothing new on race day.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Blister plasters
Compeed Blister plasters, medium, 6
Photo: Compeed

Compeed

Compeed blister plasters, medium, 6

Best selling on Amazon amazon.nl, read 2 Nov

One in a pocket cushions a blister if one starts.

Put it on clean, dry skin and leave it until it comes off by itself.

Give a couple to whoever comes to cheer, so they are there at the km you need them.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
distance
42.2 km26.2 mi
cut-off
6:30 h

Race week

Timetable

Sunday 21 March Race day

  1. 09:009:00 AM

    Marathon start In front of SAGA Sunrise Park (National Route 263). Start time in the organiser's race outline. It takes about 15 minutes for every runner to cross the start line, and limits are counted from the gun. The fun run (about 10 km) starts from the back of the marathon field.

  2. 15:303:30 PM

    Marathon finish closes Six and a half hours from the gun; after that the gate to the finish in SAGA Stadium is closed. 6:30 limit: 9:14/km for 42.195 km6:30 limit: 14:52/mi for 26.2 mi
Cut-offs (9)

  1. 09:559:55 AM

    Cut-off gate 1 at 4.3 km Gate 1 closes at 09:55, Saga Prefectural Museum. Planned gate times, counted from the gun. 0:55 limit: 12:47/km for 4.3 km0:55 limit: 20:35/mi for 2.7 mi

  2. 10:3010:30 AM

    Cut-off gate 2 at 8.7 km Gate 2 closes at 10:30, SAGA Arena. The fun run's last gate is gate 2. 1:30 limit: 10:20/km for 8.7 km1:30 limit: 16:38/mi for 5.4 mi

  3. 10:4510:45 AM

    Cut-off gate 3 at 10.5 km Gate 3 closes at 10:45, Saga Kojo Danchi junction. Planned gate times, counted from the gun. 1:45 limit: 10:00/km for 10.5 km1:45 limit: 16:05/mi for 6.5 mi

  4. 11:2011:20 AM

    Cut-off gate 4 at 14.5 km Gate 4 closes at 11:20, Saga Landscape Cooperative. Planned gate times, counted from the gun. 2:20 limit: 9:39/km for 14.5 km2:20 limit: 15:32/mi for 9 mi

  5. 12:4312:43 PM

    Cut-off gate 5 at 24.0 km Gate 5 closes at 12:43, inside Yoshinogari Historical Park. Planned gate times, counted from the gun. 3:43 limit: 9:17/km for 24 km3:43 limit: 14:57/mi for 14.9 mi

  6. 13:131:13 PM

    Cut-off gate 6 at 27.4 km Gate 6 closes at 13:13, JA Life Support Saga. Planned gate times, counted from the gun. 4:13 limit: 9:14/km for 27.4 km4:13 limit: 14:51/mi for 17 mi

  7. 14:042:04 PM

    Cut-off gate 7 at 33.0 km Gate 7 closes at 14:04, Saga Landscape Cooperative. Planned gate times, counted from the gun. 5:04 limit: 9:12/km for 33 km5:04 limit: 14:49/mi for 20.5 mi

  8. 14:412:41 PM

    Cut-off gate 8 at 37.0 km Gate 8 closes at 14:41, Saga Mizumonogatari-kan. Planned gate times, counted from the gun. 5:41 limit: 9:12/km for 37 km5:41 limit: 14:49/mi for 23 mi

  9. 15:153:15 PM

    Cut-off gate 9 at 40.6 km Gate 9 closes at 15:15, Saga City Waterworks Bureau. Planned gate times, counted from the gun. 6:15 limit: 9:14/km for 40.6 km6:15 limit: 14:51/mi for 25.2 mi

Times as published by the organiser, in Saga time, checked .

Add to calendar .ics file, times in Saga time

Trip

Getting a place

Entry through the organiser

Entry details on the organiser’s site →

The organiser, a third party. We take no entries and have no part in the race.

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