Forums >Racing>Non-finishers at Boston
Hey all, so tragic about what happened at Boston. Kinda makes me glad I'm a slow runner. Anyway, one of my first thoughts was for the 10,000 or so runners still out on the course and not allowed to finish, did they get a medal, a finishing time, or what exactly will happen?? That would really suck to train for months, and months, run hundreds, possible thousands of miles, get to mile 25, then be told, sorry, you can't finish. Does anybody have any first hand knowledge what happened to the non finishers?? My heart and prayers go out to everybody who was in Boston.
Awesome
They got a medal, which they were able to pick up today. The rest remains to be seen.
Considering what happened, I don't think it really matters....doesn't matter to any of my friends that ran and I had quite a few....
The BAA is a class organization - they'll figure something out....
Champions are made when no one is watching
Feeling the growl again
Speaking of class, I've heard a number of stories about how the locals helped the non-finishers. Given what those locals along the course did to help those suffering in the heat in 2004 (including me) I am not surprised. (I was offered T fare twice in 2011 after cramping as well).
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
King of PhotoShop
Here's a different take. BTW, I met that cool guy bhearn, whose pic has that pipe? he is cool.
http://runningblog.dallasnews.com/2013/04/the-boston-marathon-lucky-to-be-slow-lucky-to-have-joe.html/
Spareribs
Half Fanatic 12680
Yeah, stopping at 25.8 miles was tough. At first we were just told that there was an "incident." I was thinking, okay I'll have to wait a few minutes for police to attend to someone who collapsed on the course and I'll lose some time off my official finish time (which was already about 5 minutes slower than I had planned). A minute later we heard there had been an explosion near the finish line, but no more info. At that point, I realized the race was over and started getting very worried about my husband waiting for me near the finish. I have not heard anything about getting a finisher's medal -- it would be nice since I was only 8 blocks away when it was halted and it was such a memorable experience that I'd like the medal to remember the day. I wouldn't be surprised if the BAA found a way to get one to me; they did a great job of providing a way for runners to get their checked gear and distributing blankets and food after having to clear area around the finish line. Most of all, I'm glad that I and my husband were unharmed and my heart goes out to the victims and their families; if I had been 5 minutes faster, I would have been at the explosion site.
The locals were great! They offered food, water, and trash bags to the stranded runners at mile 25.8 standing around for an hour in the cold not knowing what was happening and where to go.
I hear the locals were just wonderful. Many offered food and transportation. A friend of mine was pulled off the course a mile or so from the finish. So far as I know she has not heard anything about receiving a medal. I really hope the BAA not only sends those pulled off a medal but gives them an entry to next year's race. Maybe even add a special wave for them.
Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.
Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way --> http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/
registered pw
I have a feeling that the BAA will allow entry into one of the next 2-3 marathons for those who have not finished via timing chips. I would think that they would make those people pay again but would be allowed to run if needed. Those are just my thoughts and not something that i have heard.
2017 goals:
sub 1:30 half
All those people that lost limbs makes you realize your medals and finishing times aren't important in the grand scheme of life. Glad to hear the RAers are all ok.
Glad you were five minutes slow Jersey!
ultramarathon/triathlete
Considering what happened, I don't think it really matters....doesn't matter to any of my friends that ran and I had quite a few.... The BAA is a class organization - they'll figure something out....
I kind of disagree, to a point...kind of. It's a horrible tragedy, obviously. But I think people who were close to the end should still get medals, IF they want one, and I know some of them personally who wanted one, that picked them up yesterday. We're all rocked by what happened, but they still ran well. I brought my medal into my office yesterday to mail to one Bostonian friend who ran her first Boston and made it to 25.5 miles before she was stopped. I called her for her address and was told she actually just picked up her medal. So, clearly some people still want theirs. Also, when she was forced to quit she walked around the closed off area, ducked back into the end area to help out in the med tents (she's a doctor). I think she deserves a medal just for that. Not getting a medal doesn't change what happened and doesn't make it better for anyone affected, that's just my opinion though.
Now, if they were NOT offering medals, I would not be mad or think it's a terrible thing on the part of the BAA because I agree that overall, the medal is a SUPER low priority in this case. But, if it doesn't harm anyone, why not offer them.
By the way, I was standing just down the block when the bombs went off, heard the blasts, saw the panic and stretchers. I think I finished 15 minutes before they did. Crazy. Absolutely crazy.
HTFU? Why not!
USATF Coach
Empire Tri Club CoachGatorade Endurance Team
Mendeldave I totally agree with you. Holding back medals from those forced off the course will not help anyone. It will, however, sadden some which moves the world closer to what the animal that planted those bombs wants. I am very happy to hear the BAA is offering to send medals out. It is very possible 2013 will my friend's one and only Boston Marathon and I am sure she would like to receive a finisher's medal. Can people just write to the BAA at their headquarters and request theirs?
My husband and I have each run Boston previously and were both running on Monday. He got turned around at Mass Ave and ran back to catch me just past mile 25, and we just kept walking in the opposite direction. I'm not very active on RA forums, but reading everyone's accounts has been so helpful in getting some chronology for what still feels like a blur.
We're both heartbroken at the life-ending and -transforming bombing, and needing closure as runners (completely aside from the partial relief of yesterday's arrest). We raised $25,000 for a local housing charity, and it feels completely pointless now in the face of all that the bombing victims & families will need. So, my question for other non-finishers is: what are you doing to give yourself a sense of closure? People from Boston and all over the world are donating money and blood, but what do you do as a runner, feeling this as an assault on our sport and our people? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
I immediately registered for the Providence Marathon (May 12, still has openings), since I am in ok condition and felt great (physically at least) after the race. I just need to finish the full 26.2 miles, mostly to get over the fear of the finish line. If anyone else is running, I'd love to meet up. DH feels strongly about needing to finish Boston in particular, and has already gotten approved for a 2014 number from the charity we were running for.
Re: imaokie & jerseyrunner's questions - We live in Boston, and so were able to get our medals at baggage pickup on Tues, but I'm sure that the BAA will honor requests for finishers medals for registered runners who made it past the last checkpoint. There's some (unconfirmed) talk about granting entries for next year's race to non-finishers, as they did this year for those who deferred due to 2012's excessive heat.
Official statement from the BAA:
"The Boston Athletic Association has yet to issue official times for all runners who participated in the 117th running of the Boston Marathon.
It is our intention to release those results on or about Friday, April 26th. At that time, you will receive a link that will provide you with the opportunity to pose questions regarding that official time.We will also address the issue of those who could not cross the finish line on Boylston Street due to the tragic events which occurred near the finish line. We ask for your patience as we work to resolve the final results and times for these participants."
Carolyn - Boston Marathon 2014 Training Blog Yo tengo que soñar, asi nadie me va a parar, asi puedo volar.
Here is a cool thing a local coach worked out with a local marathon for three of his Boston runners who didn't get to finish. Also turns out I somehow got a few (heavily edited!) seconds of fame because I happened to be there about to start the 5k and got noticed by a reporter in my finisher's shirt. (We'll see if I can figure out how to post this video).
http://www.kctv5.com/story/22027603/runners-will-finish-garmin-marathon-with-boston-on-their-minds?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8794533
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
Resident Historian
Totally agree -- having also run 2004, and 2012. I'd never have finished either without the locals with cold water and ice along the last part of the course. I'll never forget a woman at about mile 23 in 2012 who had a large tub of crushed ice and poured some into my hat to cool my head. Boston Marathon crowds are the best.
And BAA is indeed a class organization. They'll figure out an appropriate solution for those unable to finish.
Neil
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Some people will tell you that slow is good – but I'm here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. - Hunter S. Thompson