Iheya Moonlight
The Iheya Moonlight Marathon is a small-scale marathon held on a small island to the north of the Okinawan mainland. As far as I know, this is the only evening race in Okinawa. Don't let the name of this race mislead you: the race starts at 3 p.m., so you won't see the moon until late in the race. Overall, this is a well-organized and enjoyable event. The course is relatively flat; the scenery is absolutely stunning; and there are plenty of water stops. My only complaint is that there aren't enough distance markers, which makes pacing yourself difficult. Unlike most small races, the post-race party is quite entertaining. Click on any of the photos below to start the slideshow.
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View of the island from sea

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Another view of the island

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View of the island from the ferry.

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It takes an hour and a half from Unten port (north of Nago) to Iheya Island. If the waves are high, be prepared to get sea sick.

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The main port of Iheya Island

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This is only minutes after the start. As you can see, you can run your own pace from the beginning (i.e. NO crowding.)

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One of the many beautiful views along the course

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Here's the 37K marker. Unless you are very fast, it will be dark when you reach this point.

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The 39K marker

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The sign reads, "Beware of Habu [an extremely poisonous snake]." These signs show up all along the course.

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The band at the post-race party was excellent. A lot of people (including us) were dancing.

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Here's the elevation chart. The course is relatively flat, with changes within a range of twenty meters.

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Here's my Certificate of Completion. I finished in 4:10:54, one second faster than my wife.