There has been a lot of discussion in the media that the Tokyo Olympic women's marathon (Aug 2, 2020) and the men’s marathon on Aug 9, will be particularly grueling for runners and spectators because of how hot it usually is in Tokyo that time of year. Do you think some people are overreacting or is it a valid concern?

The media are raising this concern rather late in the day.

Is it a valid concern? In a country that requires a government guideline before companies no longer work their employees to death? Nope, not valid.

Non-Japanese runners might be concerned of dying in the 90% humidity in a 35 degree heat, but they don’t have that unique samurai spirit, so, again, not valid.

A consideration that should have been taken into account a lot earlier. There is also the factor of low oxygen levels. Running through streets with the levels of air pollution in Tokyo is not going to produce any new olympic records.

Absolutely 100% valid.

This marathon should be run somewhere up north, such as Hokkaido, but even there it will be hot.

Of course it's valid.

Well, as they say here, you haven't gambarimassed enough until you've dropped dead from exhaustion.

Jeez there will be some deaths amongst the marathon runners I predict. The Olympics should be held in the cooler October as in 1964. Why not this time too? Has the the demands of American TV won the day for them?

I regularly run marathons, I just can't imagine running in 40C + and high humidity. It's criminal to have a marathon in such conditions.

Its a valid concern. Tokyo summers are brutal

Yes, brutally hot but marathons in Tokyo in summer are not without precedent.

Hiromi Taniguchi won the marathon in Tokyo in 1991 at the world championships.

Admittedly they ran it on 1 Sept in the evening. I remember it was cloudy but as usual about 5000% humidity. Also, Taniguchi used to swear by 独谷 (dokudani tea) which he drank during the race.

Also admittedly, half the people did not finish the race, but a yank came 3rd.

In the evening and running naked the humidity will still be terrible. The temperature does not usually drop below 30 even at midnight.

Just pray for rain on both days?

Valid concern. But historically the low temperatures on those days are 23 degrees. Civil twilight starts around 4.20 am. Beginning the marathons at first light would help significantly.

August 2108 weather for Tokyo averaged out. (?)

https://www.accuweather.com/en/jp/tokyo/226396/august-weather/226396

The men's marathon, closing event of the Olympic Games, is behing held on August 9th, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the Nagasaki atomic bomb, so that Abe and his cronies can wallow in their victim complex on the world stage. We will vertainly be observing a moment of silence on 8/6 and 8/9; no question.

They don't give a hoot about the athletes' health. If they did, these Games would be held in October like they were back in 1964.

ThonTaddeo:

I didn't realize the date. Abe stoops to a new low again, if true. I hope he's thrown in jail before he gets to wear that Mario costume again.

I have mixed feelings about this. Host countries often hold events in certain locations in order to gain an advantage over the competition. For example, Mexico plays all of their home soccer games at an extremely high altitude which has enabled them to have a stupendously lop-sided home record. A few years ago, the US hosted a soccer game against Costa Rica in the snow.

The marathon is a grueling event, but with proper training and hydration the athletes should be fine. That being said, if the Japanese athletes don't stand to benefit over other countrys' athletes in the Tokyo heat, choose a different location.