Last weekend I faced a decision every runner eventually encounters in a race. Stick to the plan… or go with the moment. At the Tokyo Marathon — one of the most special races in the world — that decision came much earlier than expected. Getting into Tokyo is incredibly difficult, so simply standing on that start line already felt like a privilege. But once the gun goes… the mindset changes. You're no longer just happy to be there. You want to race. Early in the race I found myself in a massive pack running much quicker than planned. It felt smooth. It felt effortless. So I rolled with it. But as every marathon runner knows… Those days don’t last forever. Around 14km in, reality kicked in and I backed off the pace. From there I ran almost 28km completely solo, often not seeing another runner ahead of me. Tokyo has a unique racing culture and I got caught up in what I call the “Japanese racing style.” Start fast. Hang on for dear life. Risky for a marathon… But when in Japan 🇯🇵 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here’s the interesting part. As a coach, I normally tell athletes to do the opposite: • Stick to the plan • Control the pace • Respect the distance Yet in Tokyo I did the exact thing I usually warn runners about. I went with the pack. And honestly? Part of me loved it. It’s chaotic. It’s risky. But it’s racing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 💬 Your Turn Imagine you're standing on that start line. Your pacing plan says one thing… But the pack around you is moving faster and it feels comfortable. What would you do in that moment: Would you stick to your pacing plan —or take the risk and go with the pack?