Kyoto is cold, about 5°C and raining when we arrived on 17 Feb.
We bought the all-day municipal day bus pass for 500 yen about RM20 (which is another way to move about sightseeing around Kyoto with this unlimited ride bus pass, pretty cheap because each time boarding the bus is 240 yen, You will make back your money if riding more than 3 trips).
On the way to the REPC expo. Pretty amazing that we saw the Kyoto Marathon Poster everywhere.
The race pack collection is located at Miyako Messe which is an international exhibition centre, next to the Heian Jingu Shrine. Finishing line will be here too. It is very easy to find which located a few bus stops from the old quarter near Gion.
There are some museums nearby too.
Showcase of Japanese efficiency and planning, the flow of human traffic is regulated smoothly at the REPC centre. There were many friendly and helpful volunteers.
They have a separate booth for foreigners and numbers are in the range as shown.
The volunteers carefully explain the content of the pack, and we did mingle with a reporter whom was next to the counter on latest issue happened in Malaysia. There is no event T shirt given out, but a head buff comes with the race pack as a primary race memento. There is also a magazine containing participants name.
Somehow they gave me the ‘S’ front corral, which I think they have sequence based on the runner's recent marathon best time submitted.
Event T shirt can be bought separately, but didn't buy because er.....doesn't seem to suit me la... I think look a bit like those glittering blink blink T that Chinese aunties wear when they visit Genting Highland. Lol.
A route video continuously projected on the screen which is pretty helpful for runners to understand the route landscape. There are even talks that explains the route and terrain I think, but since I don't understand Japanese, so I diam diam walk away.
Then we stroll along the exhibitors and sponsors booths, via the exit path of the REPC route. One of them is Toyota booth with stickers containing runners wishes.
With a black head buff and ninja shoe, I will look like one of those local rickshaw driver. But my wife said I am not handsome enough. (Most of the rickshaw drivers working at the tourist spots are quite young, fit, tanned and maybe good looking - no wonder their customers are usually women). Ok..so I won't qualify to be a rickshaw driver. Lol.
There were also exhibition of historical information about Kyoto Marathon. For example, Ekiden started in Kyoto about 100 years ago! That is what I call running culture.
Guess it is what it says, "When you finish this race, we will give you this medal and towel to keep you warm at the finishing line. And every time you dry yourself after shower, it remind you are a marathoner". I have two more of similar finishing towels.
Then the interesting part. Sports gear and merchandise shopping. I was hoping to find lots of premium racing shoes, but this time round it was a bit disappointing and lack of choice and sizes.
Despite this, there were some good bargain for older models racing shoes. And there were some unique made in Japan shoes up for sales at a good price, but none that fit my size.
Step Sports runs a big booth selling sports gears. Most local will do some last minute shopping and I got myself a pair of running gloves and a souvenir T shirt.
And that is about it on the REPC expo.
REPC done! Ready to rock and roll on 19 Feb, Sunday!
Wait for my next write up on race day
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