2026 Nagano Marathon - Apr 19 Race Completed

Race Completed

This marathon has finished. Check back for next year's edition.

Race Information

Race	2026 Nagano Marathon - Apr 19
City	Nagano
Date	2026-04-19 at 08:30
Field Size	~10,000 runners
Time Limit	5 hours
Cutoff pace	7:07/km
Timezone	Asia/Tokyo
Official Site	Nagano Marathon Organizing Committee / Shinano Mainichi Shimbun

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	8.2°C / 47°F
Humidity	77%
Wind	18.9 km/h
Rain Chance	40%
Typical Conditions	Cool, bright mid-April morning. Expect 6-16C (43-61F) with crisp Alpine air, low humidity, and cherry blossom still lining parts of the course. Light wind off the Chikuma River.

What to Prepare: Dress for a cold 8:30 start that warms fast in spring sun. Arm sleeves and a throwaway top let you shed layers; sunscreen matters more than you'd think at altitude.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 18.9 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

	Cooler	Typical	Warmer
Temperature	3.4°C	8.3°C	12.4°C
Dew point	-1.4°C	3.9°C	8.7°C

Wet-day chance: 40% Runnability: 72/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course Type	Point-to-loop city and riverside course
Elevation Gain	90m
Terrain	Road
Profile	Fast and gently rolling, net flat with only minor undulations along the Chikuma River embankment.
Boston Qualifier	Yes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2026 Nagano Marathon - Apr 19

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

Running Pace Calculator — Min/km, Finish Time & Pace Chart

Free running pace calculator for 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon. Get min/km or min/mile, your ...

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Free Pace Band Generator — Printable Race Day Wristband

Free printable pace band for marathon, half marathon, or custom distance. Choose even, negative, or ...

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Marathon Wake-Up Time Calculator — Race Morning Timeline

7 AM race, wake at 3:45 AM? Enter the gun time; we work backward through meal, gear, bathroom, warm-...

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Marathon Predictor — 5K, 10K & Half Marathon Race Predictor

Free marathon predictor — convert your 5K, 10K, or half marathon time into race-day estimates from R...

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Race Finish Time Calculator & Predictor — Free

Predict your race finish time from pace, or set a goal time to find required pace. Free instant calc...

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Heart Rate Zone Calculator — 5-Zone Training Guide

What heart rate should you train at? Enter your age and resting HR to get personalized 5-zone traini...

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Nagano Marathon and where does it finish?

The Nagano Marathon is held on a mid-April Sunday; the most recent edition ran on Sunday, April 19, 2026, with an 8:30 AM gun start. The full marathon ends inside Nagano Olympic Stadium in Minami Nagano Sports Park, the legacy venue of the 1998 Winter Olympics, so you cross the line on the same ground as the Games.

How do I enter the Nagano Marathon as a foreign runner?

Entry is first-come, first-served (not a lottery), and the 10,000 full-marathon places fill quickly after registration opens, usually the autumn before race day. Sign up early through the official site or an authorized entry portal; the representative full-marathon fee was 14,300 yen for the 2026 edition.

Do I need a visa to run the Nagano Marathon?

Many nationalities (US/UK/EU/Australia) can enter Japan visa-free for short tourist stays, so a marathon trip usually needs no visa. Confirm your own nationality's requirement before booking. Japan does NOT currently require an ESTA or eTA, so there is no online travel authorization to apply for.

Is the Nagano Marathon a flat, fast course good for a PR?

Yes. The JAAF-certified course is net flat and gently rolling, with long straight stretches along the Chikuma River embankment, making it a genuine personal-best opportunity. Use our pace calculator to lock in even splits, and check the gradient with our elevation profile tool.

Does a Nagano Marathon time count for Boston qualifying?

Yes. Nagano runs on a JAAF (Japan Association of Athletics Federations) certified, AIMS-measured road course, so a finishing time here is valid for Boston Marathon qualifying. See where you stand with our Boston qualifying calculator.

What is the time limit for the Nagano Marathon?

The official cutoff is 5 hours from the gun, with intermediate checkpoint cutoffs along the way. That is tighter than many big-city marathons, so first-timers should train to hold a sub-7:00/km pace comfortably to stay ahead of the sweep.

How do I get to Nagano for the race?

Nagano is about 90 minutes from Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, making it an easy add-on to a Tokyo trip. The start and finish area near Minami Nagano Sports Park is reachable by local bus or a short taxi ride from JR Nagano Station.