The September 2025 Nintendo Direct kicked off with Shigeru Miyamoto discussing Nintendo’s celebration of Mario’s 40th anniversary. One of the more minor announcements including sponsoring the Kyoto’s 2026 marathon. My view on participating in a marathon jumped from over my dead body to I need to sign up ASAP. Follow me as chronicle my training journey as I reflect on why I love video games and Nintendo in the first place.

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Kyoto Marathon 2026 Training: Weeks One and Two

The clock is ticking. After submitting my application for the Kyoto 2026 marathon, I frantically bought a marathon training manual and counted how long I had to train. If I started that weekend, I’d have twenty-one weeks, which is just a little over five months of training–the bare minimum one should train for a marathon. My smile faltered as reality came crashing down: could I really do this? Did I make a mistake? Am I a complete and utter idiot? Perhaps.

My hobbies rotate around three things: gaming, creating, and working out; however, my form of working out is running a short distance four times a week and strength training via fun classes once a week. I was nothing like my marathon-running father and co-workers. A marathon is extremely intimidating, and you can imagine the eyebrows I rose when telling my friends and family.

Why? they’d ask.

Because…Nintendo is sponsoring the run and they will have a Mario-themed runner’s bib?

Silence.

It isn’t your traditional reason for running a marathon, and I honestly felt like marathon runners were crazy. Marathon training required strict discipline, with a rigid diet and lifestyle so you don’t collapse during the 26.2-mile journey. Why would someone put themselves through cramped legs and sore feet? Thankfully, I got over my self-consciousness and told myself that it doesn’t matter what others think or say about why I’m running the Kyoto marathon. If a video game company can inspire me to do something great, then something great I shall do!

The goal of week one of training involves establishing a baseline. You are encouraged to run at least five miles by the end and get into the habit of running consistently. I pushed myself farther and farther until I hit six miles and ended week one nearly doubling my average milage: 27.4 total miles. That first week taught me a lot: that pushing myself wasn’t the best idea, for one. I already developed plantar fasciitis, which is inflammation of tissue that runs from your heel to your toes, and my knees and even shoulder ached. I had to overnight some specialty socks that supported my feet and expedite the healing process, and I forced myself to take a rest day. I thankfully recovered enough to finish the weekend with at least one “long run”.

Going into week two, I noticed significant changes in my thirst and appetite. I couldn’t stop eating! Moreover, the food choices I made began to matter. I ate a chocolate bar for dessert the other night, and my body immediately reacted. I grew hot and felt ill. Soon, I was swapping out chocolate with high-protein, high-fiber substitutes, and incorporating more complex carbs and veggies into my diet. The most interesting aspect is that I didn’t mind the change. Any other time I wanted to “eat healthier” for the sake of dieting resulted in mass disappointment and rummaging around the pantry for a tastier substitute. I’m growing a steady appreciation for food as fuel and not purely for pleasure.

With the coaching and encouragement of my father, who has run several marathons and completed more than one Ironman triathlon, I remained positive and kept on running one mile at a time. By the end of week two, I’m already noticing progress in my runs. Not every day is a great day; however, I’m tracking my progress on the Nike Run Club app, and I feel sincere joy that I am maintaining and steadily improving my pace. Moreover, five miles is becoming more comfortable as a standard versus a painfully long trek. Lastly, I feel great afterward. Endorphins flood my body, renewing my focus to tackle the rest of my day of work…and play!

Nintendo is Truly an Inspiring Company

Whether you like Nintendo’s consoles and their first-party games or not, I don’t think you can really deny their influence in the games industry and beyond. They began as a humble company out of Kyoto that produced hanafuda playing cards in 1889. Only in the 1970s and 1980s did Nintendo evolve and produce video games. Donkey Kong released in 1981 and the first proper Mario game debuted in 1985. Mario quickly became the company’s beloved mascot and now celebrating his 40th anniversary.

Nintendo is inspiring in many ways. The first of which is their legacy and longevity. Not many companies can survive and thrive as long as they have. They also were one of major innovators in video games, especially in platformers. Nintendo made strides in the industry, ranging from Z-targeting in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and successful motion controls with the Wii (RIP SEGA Activator with Power Glove). Their passion for innovation encompasses both successes and failures (e.g. Virtual Boy, which ironically is coming back via Nintendo Switch Online). Nintendo has held a steadfast reputation for quality, refusing to let their games release “broken”. Lastly, Nintendo has been cited to smart and respectable business practices, such as the former President, Satoru Iwata, taking a significant pay cut in the face of financial decline in order to prevent layoffs. Those are just some of the more well-known examples out there. Say what you will about Nintendo’s consoles relative “lack of power” compared to PlayStation and Xbox and their game prices, but this company has risen to new heights and has been a shining symbol of passion in games.

This isn’t the first time Nintendo has inspired me. When I first played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I was blown away from the sense of adventure and whimsey. It left me thinking of the game long after I beat it, and I often daydreamed in school what would happen to Ganondorf if he ever broke out of the Sacred Realm (and now we know thanks to Twilight Princess). In fact, I wrote my very own fan fiction, and my love for telling stories blossomed from there. When I graduated high school and entered college, I put away all my hand-written stories in order to focus on my studies. It hurt a lot, but I was able to fuel my imaginative side by toting my Wii to my campus and playing The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on weekends.

Fastforward post-graduation and into adulthood, I was working full-time and gave birth to my wonderful child. It was 2017, and I fell into a rut. While cleaning out my old belongings, I found these stories, including my Ocarina of Time fan fiction. Right then and there, I made a resolution to publish a book. I worked tirelessly transforming my fan fiction to a brand-new story, complete with my own characters and plot. I joined a writer’s group, participated in National Novel Writing Month, and send several submissions to publishers. Some way, somehow, I landed a deal, and The Aeonians was born. I can only thank Nintendo for providing such fertile grounds for creativity and inspiration. Because of them, I kicked off my writing career, where I’ve published four novels and several short stories.

When it comes to video games–I’ve grown as a player and expanded my taste beyond the Nintendo horizon, but I never will forget that it was them who brought so much wonder in my life. I still feverishly follow their projects via their Directs and Nintendo Today! app. I’ve enjoyed how they’ve grown as well with the open world Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. I got to see Zelda finally have her own game in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. I’m seeing Metroid making a comeback with Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Nintendo is also extending their reach into film and amusement parks.

It is you, Nintendo, that has made a marked difference in my life, both in video games and beyond. I took these first two weeks reflecting on my early years with Nintendo and growing up with them. When I run, I think about bringing my family to Kyoto with me and showing them around the city (hopefully the Nintendo Museum included)! Thank you.

Stay tuned as I cover my marathon journey, where I talk about training as well as reflect on all things Nintendo and video games.

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Featured Image Source: KYOTO MARATHON 2026