by Mollie Millington | Mar 31, 2025 | community, ski
Have you ever booked a holiday with twelve strangers? That’s exactly what I did in January when I joined the Outdoor Adventure Girls (OAG) annual ski trip to Avoriaz, France. With limited friends who ski and a husband tied up with work, I decided to try the group ski package offered by OAG. Before this, I’d only been on a few OAG trips, including hiking in the Lake District, and each experience was well-organized and, most importantly, so much fun! The OAG ski trip seemed like an incredible value for the money, and it was the perfect opportunity to take the week off work and maximize my time on the slopes. The seven-day trip included five days of skiing, delicious meals, and a relaxing hot tub—everything I wanted in a ski getaway. What I didn’t expect was to come away with several new friends, ranging from ages 21-49, and the urge to re-book asap.
What’s included for the price
When I booked the trip in 2024, the price was £1499 and payable in installments without an financial penalty (which is something that they offer on all of their trips, which I think is awesome). The price included group transfer to and from Geneva airport; shared accommodation (twin rooms) from Saturday evening to Friday morning; ski equipment hire (which I didn’t need but since it was included in the price, I used it); daily cooked breakfast with continental options too; nightly three course dinner with wine (except on Wednesday); five day ski pass; daily afternoon tea with snacks; OAG goody bags; OAG host; hot tub, sauna, and more! It was the little touches, such as door signs with people’s names on them, amazing goody bags (see photo below), daily itineraries texted to us every day, and a WhatsApp group created prior to the trip so we could get to know each other, that really added value by developing community before we had even met.
Flights to and from Geneva were not included but these can be affordable from London if you plan ahead. Ski lessons were not included either but a bunch of girls organized some between themselves. We also had to cover food and drinks on the slopes but I think you could eat enough at breakfast to make it to tea time if you really put your mind to it. I would also recommend packing snacks or stopping at the grocery store in Geneva Airport to stock up on a few things. There isn’t a convenience store in Avoriaz unless you go up the mountain, which can be tricky if you have a craving late at night. Luckily for us, the chalet has an honesty bar for beer, liquor, Coca Cola, and more. This definitely came in handy for the group a few times!
Accommodation and mountain access
Our 4* chalet (run by Chilly Powder Holidays) was a 10-15 minute walk from the chairlift. Spread over three floors, it included an indoor sauna and outdoor hot tub. It had hard wood floors, six bedrooms with en-suites (plus one for kids with a toilet next door in which the OAG host stays), and an open plan kitchen which connected to the living room and dining room. Balconies on each level (aside from the ground floor) gave us instant to the access to mountainous views and fresh air. It was so hot in the bedrooms overnight, most of us ended up sleeping with the balcony door open a little bit. Lastly, the ground floor also had a boot room where we could dry all of our wet clothes overnight.
Even though it was only a 10-15 minute walk from the chairlift, it was an uphill walk. Add in the gradient to carrying skis and walking in ski boots, it was not an easy feat (I blame the altitude too). Given this, we followed the advice of OAG founder, Sophie, and hired lockers for the week to store our skis, boots, and poles. This is worth every penny! It ended up being about £15 per person for four people to share one locker. Since the combination was automatically emailed to you, you could for share with your group. Therefore, you don’t need to be skiing with your locker mates in order to access the locker. Everybody can do their own thing in terms of scheduling, which can be nice if someone becomes tired or very wet. The locker code could also be added to your ski pass which meant a wave of your arm over the reader made the locker door magically pop open. That was must less hassle than remembering a random four-digit code.
Some of our evening meals were served in the Chili Powder’s main chalet. This building was about a five minute walk from our chalet, just down the main road. The dining room featured a huge fireplace and small bar. It was nice to leave the chalet for some meals and have the opportunity to mingle with others if we wanted to. There wasn’t a dress code for dinner and everyone kept it pretty casual in jeans and sweaters or fleece tops. On the other hand, it was also nice to stay in our pajamas after returning from the slopes and eating pizza in our chalet on the night the Chili Powder team had off.
Ski conditions
Given the trip was in late January, I was fairly confident there would be good snow conditions while we were in Avoriaz. Day one was a good day on the slopes. We headed off in groups to find our ski legs and learn where the best runs were in the resort. On day 2 it was raining so I stayed at the chalet to recharge and read my book in the morning. The rain was meant to stop but when it didn’t, I headed out after lunch. The group was at La Folie Douce for lunch (organized by OAG but you had to pay for the set meal), so I skied on my own. Everyone was soaked from skiing in the rain that morning, but I managed to stay warm and dry in new TOG24 jacket (which also had the benefit of making me easy to spot in a crowd). We got sunshine and fresh snow on Wednesday which made it the best day to head to Switzerland. Lauren, Lilly and I paid a big extra to upgrade our passes so we could dip in and out of Switzerland. This day had the best conditions so we focused on the skiing rather than content creation. The Swiss side didn’t have any trees which meant that sunshine and snow was all we could see. It also meant that on Thursday my legs were dead. Luckily, my roomie packed a miniature massage gun. Between that, my massage stick, and the hot tub, I managed to keep my legs going for the next two days. Next year, I will do more training beforehand so I am ready for five days on the mountain.
The. Food.
In short, it was amazing. Every morning, a chef and our chalet host would put out an incredible spread of hot breakfast, continental choices, pastries, and fruit. My meal was the same format each day: hot breakfast, two hard-boiled eggs, small yogurt, a mini pain au chocolate (trying to be good!) and a Lemsip (I had a cold the entire trip). On our first day out, we all met for lunch in town. To keep costs down (and after paying 4 Euros for a Red Bull that morning), I only ordered chips and a Pepsi Max. My ski buddies, Lauren and Lilly, were a bit more adventurous with a ham and cheese and a local dish in a clay bowl and covered with cheese (can’t remember what it is called), respectively. Since we had to cover costs of lunch, the other days of the week we ordered ham and cheese sandwiches from the local hotel. At only 7 Euros each and with fresh French bread, they hit the spot after a busy morning on the slopes. I also had brought GORP and Snickers bars in my suitcase for emergencies and stocked up on Diet Coke at the convenience store.
As mentioned above, dinners were three courses and served with (free) paired wines. As we arrived the Chili Powder main chalet, we were offered bite-sized appetizers. The first course was sometimes a soup or salad, which was then followed by a large portion of protein (pork, lamb, steak, chicken) with various vegetable and salad sides. Dessert always hit the spot (even though it didn’t always have chocolate in it). Those with food allergies and sensitivities were well catered for too. Our group had people who were gluten-free, dairy-free, and even someone who didn’t eat fruit. None of us ever had room for the post-dinner cheese board, so I think that is a testament to how filling the dinners were. My roommate suggested that the cheese board could be shared at afternoon tea, which I think it a great idea. Although it would probably affect how how much dinner the group ate later that evening.
It wasn’t all glitz and glam while we were there. The chalet team does have Wednesdays off, which meant that morning there was just a continental breakfast that morning and then pizza in the evening along with a rom com at the chalet. Wednesday was that powder day at the top of the mountain and they deserved the day off to play!
Would I book it again?
Absolutely. The only reason I have not yet is because I am nearly out of annual leave for next year. I had the best time and met a fantastic bunch of women. In my experience, the OAG trips are always fun because you are with women who are interested in the same things as you. The adventurous spirit in all leads to fantastic stories of travels and dreams of what to hike (or in this case, ski) next. The trip was so inspiring, I am now volunteering my time with OAG to continue to grow the community and help women find their intrepid circle of friends.
If you are keen to register, click here and see all of the overseas trips offered by OAG.
I paid for this trip. All opinions are honest and my own.
by Mollie Millington | Mar 24, 2025 | motivation
Words have incredible power, especially when it comes to motivation and achieving success. Many top athletes swear by mantras they repeat during tough times, while successful business leaders often hang inspiring quotes in their offices. As the Happiness Personal Trainer, my mission is to help you reach your goals in a holistic way, whether through 1-2-1 coaching sessions, my 8-week Virtual Training Program (VTG), or my popular annual advent calendar of motivational quotes. I’m here to support and strengthen your success journey. In this post, I’m sharing some of my favorite motivational quotes that keep me going when I struggle to stay active.
Feel free to print them, post them around your space, or save a screenshot as your phone’s lock screen to stay inspired throughout the day. And don’t forget to let me know what sayings keep you on track. Comment below to share with all of my readers.
“When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him he will win.” – Ed Macauley
-Harvey MacKay
“What a man thinks of himself…determines, or rather indicates, his fate.” – Henry David Thoreau
-Adapted from Lucille Ball
“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.” – Ken Blanchard
“Never underestimate your power to change yourself. Never overestimate your power to change others.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage, but simply because they have never organised their energies around a goal.” – Elbert Hubbard
“Commitment is the wedge that drives open the door of momentum.” – Anonymous
by Mollie Millington | Mar 17, 2025 | product review, ski, travel
Spring skiing offers a unique experience that can’t be beaten. Blue skies, warmer temperatures, and abundant sunshine elevate your mood while on the slopes. A ski holiday is always a great time, but add in the opportunity to enjoy a cold drink under the sun, and it feels like you’ve found the perfect balance between a mountain getaway and a beach vacation. (Don’t forget to apply sunscreen!) If you’re considering a spring ski trip, Cervinia, Italy, in the Aosta Valley, is a must-visit destination. Known for its reliable snow and breathtaking views, it’s the ideal spot to enjoy skiing in Italy while soaking up some spring sunshine.
Never-ending season
Sunshine was not what I was expecting when we planned a trip to Italy to ski. We chose Cervino Ski Paradise based on a friend’s recommendation that you are guaranteed for there to be snow. At an altitude of 2600 metres, the temperatures should stay cold enough during the winter months to allow skiing without any risk of brown patches. And now Cervino Ski Paradise boasts a never-ending season. Open 11 months of the year (with September off for lift maintenance), there is never a bad time to hit the slopes. From 4 May, 2025, summer fares will be offered with skiing primarily limited to the Plateua Rosa glacier on the Swiss side and accessible by three chair lifts.
Our trip to Cervinia
We had a five day trip planned, with two travel days and three days to ski. Flying in and out of Turin, we ended up hiring a car rather than booking transfer to Cervinia as the car was slightly cheaper and gave us more flexibility. With a 7pm flight on our last day, we were tempted to plan a 4th day of skiing before heading home. Unfortunately, I had a pretty bad fall on the Sunday which meant no skiing on Monday.
From Turin airport, it was about a 2 hour drive to Cervinia. As we got higher up into the mountains, more snow started to appear along the roads. In the last few kilometers to our accommodation, we had to put on tire covers/socks (instead of chains) to give us enough traction to climb the hill (we only got stuck a few times before this). We rented a studio apartment through Booking.com that had parking, a ski equipment room, and was ski in/out. When we travel, we usually just look for a place to stay that are convenient, safe and clean. We are normally out all day so just needed a place to eat, sleep, and shower. While this place was a tight squeeze (we ended up using the bunk buds instead of the pull out couch to sleep), it was perfect for us to make breakfast, pack snacks for the mountain, and then have dinner. Even thought it could sleep four, I can’t imagine how everyone else would have fit.
It was a short walk downhill to get to Cieloalto lift, where we could strap on our gear (sadly, James is a snowboarder) and ski about 90% of the way to Breuil-Plan Maison lift. Our first morning, we tried to leave the flat ‘early’ but it took us some extra time to get organized. Once we got to the main ticket office, we learned that high winds were keeping the slopes shut and no lift tickets were being sold until the lifts opened. The Cervino Tourism board kindly provided me with a 3 day lift pass, so I was able to pick that up while James had to wait. It totally makes sense not to sell the lift tickets unless they are sure the mountain will open up. We waited over an hour, to the point where I badly needed a Red Bull or Diet Coke. I went up the road to try to find a shop or cafe which would help me get some caffeine into my veins. The ticket office had numerous vending machines but they were stocked with coffee, tea and healthy snacks whereas I was after sugar. Because we arrived so late the night before, we didn’t have time to stop at store to pick up any fizzy drinks for me. I made sure we did at the end of the day. Soon thereafter, the winds resided and we were able to make our way up the mountain to meet our friends and their kids.
The choice for families
Our friends, The Williams, have been to Cervino Ski Paradise twice, one time booking everything themselves in 2024 and this year they came as past of a package holiday with Crystal Ski. They are a family of five and it is because of their recommendation we booked our trip to Cervinia. Serendipitously, they were there on holiday at the same time we were. It was much easier having someone familiar with the mountain and village to guide us around to the all best spots when we were not there for very long.
In 2024, the Williams, Jenny, Chris, Max, Milo, and Penelope, stayed for 10 days at Basecamp Apartments at Cieloalto lift. While this is a ski in/out lift, you have to be fairly advanced (and good at planning) to make it back on your skis by the end of the day. There is a bus that runs from the city centre up to the Cieloalto lift (and beyond). We also used this bus to get back to our flat because it would have taken forever to walk back uphill while carrying our kit. While the skiing in/out is convenient, Jenny said they wanted to be closer to the lifts and village centre (thus not needing a car), so they booked a package holiday for the following year before they had even left from their first visit.
How did the package holiday compare? First off, it was slightly more expensive than their DIY apartment and for only 7 nights instead of 10. But the benefits outweighed that. The kids ski lessons, the airport transfers, and daily breakfasts were all included. The Williams still paid for their ski hire, ski passes and for Jenny’s private lessons. Staying at the Hotel Europa, they were 150m from the Cretaz lift – the closest they had ever been to a lift when skiing. It made things so much easier if they had to go back to the hotel to fetch something like extra layers. The hotel had a spa and pool (which they used each day). As the hotel was bed and breakfast only, they went out for dinner each day in the village and enjoyed lunch on the mountain. One tip Jenny has to share is to book restaurants ahead of time for dinner as they get busy in the evenings (because all the tourists are eating dinner out). I would add that if you want to enjoy time at a spa during your visit to Cervinia, be sure to book a hotel that has one. We could not find a spa with public access in the town.
Eat. Ski. Sleep. Repeat.
It is hard to show you here in photographs just how impressive the valley looks with blue skies surrounding you. Aside from the windy first day, the others were a repeat of: ski in the sun, stop to enjoy a morning coffee in the sun, ski some more, stop for al fresco lunch admiring the Matterhorn (should have worn more sunscreen), few last runs, apres ski drinks, and then bed. Keeping in mind that the Matterhorn is the world’s most photographed mountain, I did what I could to preserve this title. You will have to pop over to my Instagram to see some video footage of our trip because as I have said, these photos do not do it justice.
Things to know about the region
- New chairlift in Goillet area, which is a 6-seater with individual footrests, heated seats, and a transparent bubble to protect you on windy days
- To encourage younger people to ski, there is a new pricing scheme for those under 24. A regional agreement in the Aosta Valley aims to make skiing more accessible by giving those under 24 years old a 20% discount and under 16s a 30% discount.
- The 3S Matterhorn Alpine Crossing opened in July 2023 and connects Testa Grigia with Little Matterhorn, linking Breuil-Cervinia and Zermatt (which are only separated by the Matterhorn
- We enjoyed the Cretaz treadmill, which is protected by a clear tunnel and serves the baby hill. No ski pass required!
- The SnowXperience Plateau Rosa has snow tubing and a beginner’s slope.
- Other winter activities in the local area include: freeriding or heleski, cross-country ski, ski mountaineering, and snowshoeing.
For couples too
Even if you are just travelling as a duo, as compared to a large family, I would say Cervinia is still an ideal destination. It was easy for us to get around with our ski/in out accommodation with options to ski, walk or take a bus. Our studio flat was big enough for two of us and gave us the option to save some money by eating in. Lift passes were very affordable at 172 Euros for three days*. Although we had a big breakfast and packed snacks, we did enjoy lunch on the mountain each day. The first day, we ate near a lift because the wind caused it to close temporarily. We also lucky enough to enjoy lunch at Love* and Les Skieurs D’Antan*. One night, we had dinner out with The Williams in Cervinia village at Jour Et Nuit. There seemed to be a variety of restaurants and food trucks, from steak to Thai to pizza, that everyone should find something they like. Although we bought pasta and a few other bits for dinner, the lunches on the mountain were so filling we managed without dinner the other nights.
Exploring Aosta Valley
Unfortunately, on our last day of skiing, I had a nasty fall which ended with me taking a taxi (at a flat rate of 20 Euros) from the chairlift back to our apartment. I had to lie on the couch with ice on my leg for the rest of evening, which wasn’t much fun. The following morning, we had to be out of our apartment by 9am. As my leg and arm still hurt from the day before, we decided to explore Aosta Valley a bit more by driving over to Courmayeur for lunch to see Mount Blanc rather than squeeze in another day of skiing. We quickly left the snow behind as as we descended. Driving through Aosta Valley was beautiful with all the mountains off in the distance. And of course, the windy roads were fun to drive along. Before we returned to the airport, we stopped at the Turino Outlet Village because they had a Salomon and Ferrari outlet stores (and many high end brands). With longing memories of snowy mountains, we returned the car at the airport and boarded our plane.
This was my second time skiing in Italy (last time was in the Dolomites a long time ago). Both times I had blue skies and plenty of open piste to enjoy. Next year, I am going to forget about the French Alps and explore more of the Italian ski scene. After all, the coffee is much better in Italy (so I am told). Care to join me?
*My lift pass and our lunches at Love and Les Skieurs D’Antan were complimentary. Thanks to Cervinia Tourist Office for their support. All views are honest and my own.
My ski jacket is #gifted from Tog24. It was warm and toasty, as well as making it easy to spot me on the slopes.
by Mollie Millington | Mar 7, 2025 | ski
The tallest peak in Great Britain is 1345m at Ben Nevis in Scotland. This is a far cry from the Alps in Europe (4810m at Mount Blanc) or Scandinavia (2469m at Galdhøpiggen). On average, the UK gets 13 days of laying snowfall a year. These stats make it very challenging to learn how to ski if you live in the UK. Sure, up north in Scotland, you can access some outdoor ski resorts but the majority of people will struggle to find enough snow through the winter to make much progress when learning how to to ski.
Infinity Slope at South Wilts Ski Club
Aside from indoor ski centres, there are two other options to learn how to ski throughout the year in the UK. The first is South Wilts Ski Club (SWSC). It is one of two options I tried at the beginning of this year, with the other being a dry slope near home. To save you time and money, I am going to tell you all about both of these options so you will be ready to hit the slopes next year.
South Wilts Ski Club opened in October 2024 and it located about 20 minutes west of Stonehenge. It is an indoor ski slope which has a Infinity Slope Think of it as a giant treadmill which the slope’s angle and speed can be adjusted. I have had two lessons there (both #gifted) and found the instructors to be very friendly and approachable. They are able to communicate simply and effective instructions. Sadly, my stamina meant I only lasted about 10 minutes before my legs were too tired to carry on. Think about how often you stop for a rest on a long run. Would you be able to ski for 30 minutes without stopping? We were told that most people split their lessons with someone else.
This was my first proper ski lesson. My dad taught me to ski when I was little and my favorite runs are blue squares. I can make it down a black diamond but it will take me a while! During my first lesson, we took it back to basics with the pizza pie and french fries (IYKYK). My confidence was quickly bolstered and I was nearly carving by the end of the session. James came along to share the lesson with me as he has never tried skiing. He found them focused due to the nature of being 1-2-1 and felt he progressed rapidly over the session. Of course, it was physically tiring too. Being a snowboarder, his thighs are not used to working that way. Luckily, he is pretty athletic and caught on quickly. James and I split a 60 minute session and that was more than enough time for us both to spend on the slopes before our legs went to jelly.
My second session, I went with my friend, Elle, and we had a blast. She hadn’t skied in years and was looking for a refresher. Her lesson started off similar to James’ (using the bar and moving across the slope) but she quickly found her feet and was practicing her pizza pies. I was able to pick up where I left off from a few weeks prior and was able to spend more time on carving. Unfortunately, I did ski off the side of the treadmill a few times but the instructor always had the emergency stop button in their hand to prevent accidents.
SWSC provide boots, skis, poles, and a helmet as part of your fee (£100 for 30 minutes at peak time with packages available). They also have a club house lounge where you can relax before or after your lesson. Within a few short months being open, they have had to expand the number of instructors and are fully booked. Most recently, they have added a SkyTech Ski Simulator which allows you to perfect your stance and build up your ski specific muscles year round.
The other benefits of SWSC include:
- Personalised one-on-one coaching with recorded video feedback for precision improvement.
- No time wasted getting back up the slope. In contrast, a run on a dry ski slope is 10-20 seconds and takes five times longer to get back up again. Even in a ski resort the ratio of skiing to lift time is 1:5.
- One hour non-stop at full speed on our slope is the equivalent of skiing from the top of Everest to sea level!
- In a one-hour session we can teach you as much as a whole morning on the nursery slopes.
- The surface is always the same, the weather is the same and there is no one to crash into you. You can focus on your technique.
- Great for introducing children to skiing before their first ski holiday so you can quickly skip the nursery slopes.
Dry slopes
If you are not close to SWSC or it is a little bit out of your price range, dry slopes are also an option. I have one a short drive away from me as part of the Better Gym Gosling Park. One Saturday morning, I headed over on the bus to give it a try. For £14, I was given skis, boots, poles, a helmet and one hour lift pass. I took the button lift to the top (only 40m up) and surveyed my options for the decent. The dry slope is made of thick bristles which I found made it quite slow to get down the hill. This particular slope was pretty wide and I had the place to myself. You definitely need to wear long sleeves and long trousers (which the gym recommends) because if you fall, it could be extremely abrasive on your skin.
40m is not a very long descent so I could only a few turns in before I was at the bottom. I was afraid I would hit a joint in the ‘carpet’ and trip but I only fell at the top as I went to start my run while filming a video selfie. One hour was plenty of time for me to get some (very short) runs in. Lessons are available and I think would be a good option for people wanting to learn how to ski on a budget. At this slope, you are not allowed to teach friends and family to ski but given the tricky nature of the dry slope’s surface, I think this is ok.
Which do you prefer?
In 2018, I was able to try Snozone in Milton Keynes which is an indoor facility with artificial snow all year round. In fact, it it Europe’s largest indoor real snow centre. One hour adult lift passes seem to currently start at £32.99 for off peak times and include the hire of skis and poles/ snowboards, boots and a helmet. The slopes and amenities may have changed since Covid, so if you have been there recently, please let a comment below and let me know what you thought of the facility.
Of course, skiing on a sunny slope is always best but I also like the idea of not having to “waste” my time at a ski resort in lessons. I see the above options as ways to supplement the time I spend on skis in the Alps. Since moving to the UK, we have only been able to go skiing once every two or three years. With local options in the UK now available, I will be able to get a few sessions in before out next trip to the mountains.
Thanks to South Wilts Ski Club for the complimentary session. All opinions are honest and my own.
by Mollie Millington | Feb 23, 2025 | race review, running, WMM
Many years ago, a friend challenged me to run 52 marathons in 52 weeks. I said absolutely not but I will do the Abbott World Marathon Majors instead. Fast forward 10 years later and she has run several hundred marathons and I am struggling to complete my 6 stars. But I am nearly there now! In 2024, I managed to complete my 5th star with the Tokyo Marathon. The 2025 race is coming up on Sunday 2 March so I thought I should finally share my thoughts on this race (as best I can remember).
My story starts in the summer of 2019, I woke up at 2am to secure a charity entry place for the 2020 Tokyo marathon (you can see where this is going). I donated about £700 to Florence Charity (which offers day care and schooling for children with special needs amongst other things) and then bought my race entry fee for £150. There are a few different ways to gain entry to Tokyo Marathon with charities. You can either make a donation upfront to the charity (similar to a bid) or fundraise as much as you can and then earn your entry. There isn’t a JustGiving (or similar platform) so it can be tricky to fundraise the money you already donated back. This was the cheapest donation entry I had for the World Marathon Majors, so I was happy to donate and not have to add more stress to my training by asking people for money.
Turns out, I had to reschedule my trip twice due to Covid and restrictions for foreign visitors not on an organized tour. Aside from March 2020, I was supposed to race in October 2021 but there was too much up in the air with international travel to commit. I finally made it in March 2024. There were still regulations in place to keep runners safe, such as to using an app to register whether you had a fever every day for a week or two before and after the race.
Sadly, I don’t have many photos from the race as I was filming on a small sports camera for a vlog. I lost this footage along with some Kyoto city tour photos I logged on to a temporary admin profile on my laptop in haste. Lesson learned!
Without further ado, here is information from my experience running the 2024 Tokyo Marathon.
Entries and fees
As mentioned above, I decided to enter via a charity route in 2020, which the organization and charity kindly let me keep my place until 2024. While I paid an entry fee in 2020 (and received a large parcel with all of the 5Km race and marathon finish line goodies plus my 2020 medal at the 2024 expo). I was required to pay an additional race entry fee for the 2024 race and completely understand why. There was so much logistics and communication over the four years, I am surprised they didn’t charge people every time their rescheduled. Compared to the other WMM races I have done, it wasn’t too expensive (not counting the flights and accommodation).
Course and bogs:
The race starts on the west side of Tokyo in Shinjuku City and then ends near the Imperial Palace. There were not enough port-a-loos in our start corral for the number of people waiting which meant I split up from my friends. Just as I made it to the front of the queue, there was an announcement saying we had to start within 11 minutes but the start line was still a ways to walk. I was stubborn and stayed to use the loo and managed to start without any issue.
Along the course, there were many port-a-loos which were well sign-posted both with a warning that a toilet was near by and then volunteers were there with signs where it was time to come off the course. We didn’t run by too many famous landmarks (see the route I ran below). We did go close to the Hanazono Shrine (I think) and a shopping area that was on my tour. Otherwise, we passed a lot of 7-11s.
The course is said to be ‘flat’ but I would say that it is undulating. Strava tells me I had an elevation gain for 157 feet. Of course, I am very literal so would have preferred 0.
Location
Tokyo, Japan (see map above). The expo center and many events leading up to race (including the lululemon shake out run I went to) were in the Koto City area. I went back there nearly every day before the race (including for museums). Most people stayed in Japan either before or after the race to travel a bit. I will say that the jet lag was killer. I slept nearly an entire day after I arrived.
Atmosphere
Even though there were lots of people along the route, both spectating and working, there was not a lot of noise. I don’t know if it is true, but I was told culturally, Japanese people will not cheer unless you speak/cheer to them first. Of course, there were some international family and friends who had traveled with the runner that brought silly signs and they kept up the vibes. It was a sunny day so everyone was smiling.
The food along the course, both officially supplied and by the crowds, was a bit unusual for me so I didn’t try very much (nothing new on race day!). As a ran along, I saw people giving out Coca Cola and was grateful to have a 1/2 cup for a boost while I was flagging.
Race bling and goody bag
For this race, I walked away with two medals. No, not for my 6th star but for the 2024 and the 2020 races. I would like to commend the Tokyo Marathon race organizers for how well they handled all of the uncertainty during the pandemic. Financially and administratively, it must not have been easy for them.
The goody bag had bath salts and limited snacks. It also had a McDonald’s gift voucher. After I received by 2024 medal, I went to over to the Florence charity celebration for their runners. It was a bit confusing to get to as it involved sub-terrain walkways. Many runners headed here as it was where the official changing rooms are. Since it took me a while to finish the race, there wasn’t much time to enjoy the free snacks and drinks with Florence. My main priority was the sports massage which I was able to receive. After I changed, I can’t believe I went to McDonalds (even when I had to climb stairs to enter the restaurant and then needed a lift to find seating). I knew once I got to the hotel, I would not leave again and just wanted something very salty.
Tips if you want to take part next time
Communication: Organizer emails can be tricky to read because they are written in very formal English. Take your time to read through them as they do contain lots of helpful info. You can also log on to the race portal for more helpful info there.
Expo: Wear comfy shoes because the lines are long to both enter and collect your bib on Thursday. Bring food with you because there are only a few vending machines and one shop in the building where the expo is. There is a larger shop outside but it quickly was depleted in stock. Everyone going crazy for official WMM kit (the videos I saw were crazy!) but I wasn’t that bothered about it. Personally, I don’t think the 2024 WMM designs were that cool anyways. It is no where near the size/energy of the other WMM expos I have attended. Do stop by the charity stalls as there are many and you can let your friends know which ones to register for next year.
Strict rules for start area: No liquids allowed and they mean it. I had to throw away an opened tin of anti-chafe wax which made me very sad. If you plan on carrying water during the race, you need to fill soft flasks within the starting corals (which are huge and do not have many rubbish bins).
Along the course: Remember, Japan doesn’t not have rubbish bins on city streets and no one litters. Plan on carrying your rubbish with you until there are bins along the course.
Finish line: I had to pay to have my checked bag transported to finish line. It was not very expensive and definitely worth IMO. I did receive a towel poncho at the finish line which would have helped keep me warm, but I preferred having dry clothes too.
Best of luck to everyone running in 2025. Be sure to leave comments below with tips from this year’s race.
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