2020 Boston Marathon Thread (Read 408 times)

    I waited until after my first Boston marathon to buy a jacket.  If I had a bad day, I didn't want to pay for something that would remind of my incompetence.

     

    how do people here feel about buying the jacket before running the race? I'm registered for April 2020 but feel like I shouldn't have/wear the jacket unless I run the race. I was registered for 2019 but, due to injury, didn't run.  I would feel weird to have the jacket without running the race...

      how do people here feel about buying the jacket before running the race? I'm registered for April 2020 but feel like I shouldn't have/wear the jacket unless I run the race. I was registered for 2019 but, due to injury, didn't run.  I would feel weird to have the jacket without running the race...

       

      I bought mine the day it went on sale last year. I say buy it & just try not to be injured this time.

      Dave

      Running Problem


      Problem Child

        how do people here feel about buying the jacket before running the race? I'm registered for April 2020 but feel like I shouldn't have/wear the jacket unless I run the race. I was registered for 2019 but, due to injury, didn't run.  I would feel weird to have the jacket without running the race...

         

        If it was me I'd buy it on sale and keep it in the packaging until after the race. Yes I'm cheap. Yes I'm going to say it's bad juju to wear the jacket before the race. I view it just as equal to buying the jacket 2 days before the race except one costs more.

        Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.

        VDOT 53.37 

        5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22

           

          If it was me I'd buy it on sale and keep it in the packaging until after the race. Yes I'm cheap. Yes I'm going to say it's bad juju to wear the jacket before the race. I view it just as equal to buying the jacket 2 days before the race except one costs more.

           

          There are certainly thousands of people giving themselves bad juju every year. I kept it in the closet for 4 months, but then put it on for the trip there, and wore it all weekend. It’s super important that everyone knows you’re running it. The shirt of course is not worn till after the race, that’s just common sense.

          Dave

            I waited until after my first Boston marathon to buy a jacket.  If I had a bad day, I didn't want to pay for something that would remind of my incompetence.

             

             

            Diff’rent strokes. For those of us who are a lot slower than you, just qualifying is the victory. The jacket is a celebration of that. Race day performance is a separate matter.

            Dave

            wolvmar


            UM 45 Ohio 23

               

              I bought mine the day it went on sale last year. I say buy it & just try not to be injured this time.

               

              I'm sure hoping to get there this time! Today's run/walk leaves me 23 miles short but it's progress!

              RunnerJones


              Will Run for Donuts!

                how do people here feel about buying the jacket before running the race? I'm registered for April 2020 but feel like I shouldn't have/wear the jacket unless I run the race. I was registered for 2019 but, due to injury, didn't run.  I would feel weird to have the jacket without running the race...

                 

                I first qualified for Boston in 2015, and ordered the jacket as soon as it went on sale (well before the race).  The day it arrived at my house, I found out I had to go on a work trip the week of the 2015 marathon, and would miss the race.  So . . .yeah.     Buy at your own risk.

                 

                [I still wear the jacket though.  I've run Boston the last three years, so why not?  My jacket's just got the wrong year.    ]


                From the Internet.


                  Sorry you missed the discount, but if you are going to Boston for the first time, just buy it.

                   

                  I think it might have been an error that they honored for folks who managed to order while it was up; women's was showing an error page as soon as I clicked on it but men's was still up.

                   

                  RE: buying or not buying - I'm with Dave that it's a celebration of qualifying/registering, finishing the race too is just the icing on the cake. I might actually wait until after the race - I'm qualified for 2021 already and local so there's no planning involved and it's therefore kind of less of a big deal to run it every year if I choose, but nobody hold me to that logic if I decide to buy ahead of time after all, lol.

                   

                  Was talking about bus options with husband a couple weeks ago and he was like "why don't I just drive you to Hopkinton and hold onto your phone", which was a nice surprise, lol Smile If I can deal with Falmouth logistics in a car, I can deal with Boston Marathon logistics from the drop-off lot to the Athlete's Village for the opportunity for a few more hours of sleep!

                  darkwave


                  Mother of Cats

                     

                    I first qualified for Boston in 2015, and ordered the jacket as soon as it went on sale (well before the race).  The day it arrived at my house, I found out I had to go on a work trip the week of the 2015 marathon, and would miss the race.  So . . .yeah.     Buy at your own risk.

                     

                    [I still wear the jacket though.  I've run Boston the last three years, so why not?  My jacket's just got the wrong year.    ]

                     

                    I've never bought a Boston jacket, but I regularly wear shirts from races I haven't run, including Boston 2019 (I decided to run the 5K instead).  It's just a shirt.

                    Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.

                     

                    And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.

                    RunnerJones


                    Will Run for Donuts!

                       

                      I've never bought a Boston jacket, but I regularly wear shirts from races I haven't run, including Boston 2019 (I decided to run the 5K instead).  It's just a shirt.

                       

                      Indeed.  A friend picked up my 2015 Boston shirt for me since I'd already paid for it, and I wear it occasionally.

                        Email from the BAA:

                         

                        Tomorrow, you will receive an email from the B.A.A. requesting you to activate your B.A.A. Account. A new feature for Boston Marathon participants, your B.A.A. Account will be the place to view your race history, submit an improved Boston Marathon qualifying time, access and update your personal information, and more!

                         

                        This doesn't at all feel like the BAA's latest attempt to monetize the reams of our personal data that it's sitting on.

                        Runners run

                        LRB


                          I was coming off of a DNF 4 months earlier so I didn't buy mine until I was relatively sure I was going to run the thing. My thought was, it wasn't designated as a finisher's jacket, so it was a no brainer for me.

                           

                          Any trepidation one may have about wearing the jacket before the race will quickly dissipate once you disembark and walk through the airport in Boston (I personally had ZERO trepidation). If that doesn't do it then going to the expo where there is a literal explosion of jacket colors surely will.

                           

                          What I found while wearing my jacket before the race was that it spurred conversation about the very subject. There were those who've raced Boston X numbers of years consecutively who didn't own a single jacket. Others who had a jacket for every year they've run it and still others who had only one or two. There was no consensus, opinions were all over the place. Everyone was cool about it though, they had their reasons and that was that.

                           

                          Ultimately, I think it just comes down to what the individual wants to do. You're not going to wear something you're not comfortable wearing and you're not going to pass on wearing something because you're afraid of what people think. Do you. To the fullest. Make no apologies for that. What you don't want to do however, is cheat yourself. Don't cheat yourself. Boston is a celebration, you earned it. Celebrate. Or don't.


                          delicate flower

                            I jumped all over the $66 2020 jacket when DaveP mentioned it.  Funny because it was last Sunday and I was sitting in a pub immediately after finishing the Space Coast Marathon and I happened to check RA to see what was going on here.  I am glad I checked!  I got a little worried because my order sat in a "pending" status for over a week, but it finally got shipped yesterday for tomorrow delivery.  Score!! 

                             

                            Last year was my first Boston and I bought the jacket in December when Adidas screwed up and allowed us to use a 30% off coupon.  I took it out of the package and hung it in my closet until race weekend, then I wore it to the expo.  I took the T in from Riverside and a couple of folks struck up conversations with me because I had the jacket on.  That was cool.  I don't believe in race superstitions or bad juju or bad karma or any of that malarkey.  I'll buy the jacket early to save money, and that is $77 I've saved on two jackets.  I don't know if I'd wear the jacket had I DNS'd.  I'll cross the bridge when I get to it.

                            <3

                            Joann Y


                              I don't know if I'd wear the jacket had I DNS'd.  I'll cross the bridge when I get to it.

                               

                              I debated and now I do. It's a great colder weather windy jacket. I qualified twice, registered once, and got injured and DNS'd. I kind of feel like I earned it. It feels a little weird but I wear it. But not anywhere that someone will want to strike up a conversation about it. 

                              flyrunnr


                                Did everyone set up their new B.A.A. accounts? I like it, seems like they got the idea from NYRR which is several years ahead in the game. I like seeing my history of races in one location.

                                https://www.strava.com/athletes/2507437

                                PR's - 5K - 17:57 (2017) | 10K - 38:06 (2016)  | 13.1 1:23:55 (2019)  | 26.2  2:58:46 (2017)

                                2020 Goals - Sub-2:55 Marathon                       Up Next: TBD, Boston on 9/14?