Forums >Racing>Boston: When is registration??
Proud Calgarian
Heck, the kids are in their 20's and can fend for themselves, I plan on spending a wonderful Easter weekend in Massachusetts!!
Another reason to be thankful I'm childless and my family finds me irritating. A guilt free Boston Marathon!
2015 Goals and PRs:
5k - 17:59 (18:05); 10k - 35:59 (36:42); HM - 1:19:19 (1:19:59); FM - 2:49:59 (3:05:46)
I ran my first BQ time this Spring and would like to run in 2014, so I'll be hitting the computer on my assigned day like everyone else.
However, I suspect that logistically, it's going to be a zoo--so I'm feeling fairly sanguine about the whole deal.
Especially, since in 2015, things will likely get back to normal. If I can keep running to my capabilities (big if, I know) perhaps I'll just try to go then.
Good luck to everyone!
Bacon Party!
I will be very surprised if BQ-5 is not good enough. I really can't see that happening. I expect that even with the increased interest, it probably will not fill in the initial registration period. But who knows.
I will be very surprised if BQ-5 is not good enough. I really can't see that happening.
I expect that even with the increased interest, it probably will not fill in the initial registration period. But who knows.
So, I *probably* don't need to be online at the ass-crack of 10:00am Sept 9? Cool.
Liz
pace sera, sera
Actually I don't think it matters when you register, as long as you do it during your registration window. If it were to fill with the BQ-5ers, all those who registered during the BQ-5 window would be sorted by qual time, not by who registered first.
That's one of the points of this scheme, to make it so there is no rush to hit their registration servers and pound them into dust, as happened a few years ago.
MTA but they still made it unnecessarily complicated. Because of the above, there is very little difference in BQ-5:01 and BQ-4:59. They might just as well say initial registration is open for a week, and if we get too many applicants we will take those most under BQ. I guess this way does have the benefit that you know sooner whether you're in, if you are BQ-5 or better.
The short version: BOSTON MARATHON REGISTRATION DATES: Monday, September 9 - Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 20 minutes, 00 seconds or faster. Wednesday, September 11 - Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 10 minutes, 00 seconds or faster (if space remains). Friday, September 13 - Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 5 minutes, 00 seconds or faster (if space remains). Monday, September 16 - All qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard (if space remains). Friday, September 20 - Registration closes at 5:00 p.m. ET. If space remains after this initial period, then on Monday, September 23 registration will re-open to anyone who meets the qualifying standards on a first come, first served basis. Registration will remain open until the maximum field size is reached.
The short version:
BOSTON MARATHON REGISTRATION DATES:
I have a dumb question.
Let's say a bunch of people wait until September 23th to register. Does "first come, first serve" mean that spots will fill up in order of registration regardless of age group or the qualifying time/BQ time difference?
not bad for mile 25
I have a dumb question. Let's say a bunch of people wait until September 23th to register. Does "first come, first serve" mean that spots will fill up in order of registration regardless of age group or the qualifying time/BQ time difference?
Can't be a dumb question, 'cause I've been wondering about this too. Say there's still room after the BQ-10 period, it goes into the BQ-5 period and there's not enough room for everyone in that group. Would additional BQ-10+ people who register late be bumping the BQ-5 people out?
MTA: Re-reading the BAA announcement, I see:
Those who are the fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender group will be accepted.
and:
If space remains after this initial period, then on Monday, September 23 registration will re-open to anyone who meets the qualifying standards on a first come, first served basis. Registration will remain open until the maximum field size is reached.
It might mean that all registrants are in the pool during their two-day registration window and are accepted according to their relative speed. If you failed to register during the window, however, someone slower than you might have been accepted, and you might be out of luck. Or, maybe it's one big pool taken in order of speed after the first two weeks. That's not clear.
It sounds like first come, first served comes into effect only if the race hasn't filled by September 23, and then your speed relative to QT does not matter.
It seems unlikely that they make it to the 23rd, but, yes, that's the definition of "first come, first served".
Runners run
It seems unlikely that they make it to the 23rd,
My call is that they do. Even with the increased interest, with the new qual times, it's just not clear to me the pool of interested, qualified runners is that big. But we will see. I'm pretty sure they will eventually fill, which means the race will be logistically interesting at that size. But I think it might take some of the bigger fall marathons to do it.
I looked a bit deeper into the marathonguide numbers and came up with 35,788 non-unique Boston qualifying times since 9/22/12.
5624 runners who did not complete the 2013 Boston were offered early registration ~4500 of those runners took the option.
If we assume that all of those 35,788 BQ times are unique and that these runners are as motivated to finish Boston as those who were stopped on the course last year (~80% interested) then this brings the projected total to 28,635 qualified + 4500 guaranteed = 33,135.
~5000 numbers go participants via Boston Marathon partners such as charities and running clubs that volunteer to work the race. This means that we would be looking at a maximum of ~39,000 runners ready to sign up before September 23rd. (I would bet that >3600 {10%} of the BQ times were redundant and some may have been run by runners who were stopped on the Boston course so I don't think it is actually ready to sell out by 9/23 yet).
I cannot imagine Boston selling out before it opens on the 16th for the squeeker qualifiers (like me) but I wouldn't count on it staying open long enough to qualify in New York especially with Chicago running on October 13th.
this brings the projected total to 28,635 qualified + 4500 guaranteed = 33,135.
But many of those 4,500 are also part of those 28,635 qualified.
However, this years race falls on Easter weekend, so I think that will deter some people from running Boston, especially female qualifiers (which I think is now roughly 50% of the field) that have already run it before, as this is a big holiday for those that celebrate it to be with their kids/families. Personally, I will be very suprised if at least all of the -5 qualifiers don't get in.
Why'd you have to go there? Women won't run because of family commitments? B/S
Oh and count me as one of the unexpected ones. I wasn't planning on trying to qualify for Boston 2014 but went out and BQ-10 at the Charlevoix Marathon on June 22 (which made the Marathon guide top 30 by %) off of 8 weeks kind of specific training.
Maybe this is addressed elsewhere/dumb point, but does the fact that they increased entry necessarily mean that they will increase the number of qualified runners? Seems like the BAA might get more good pub by increasing charity runners instead, specifically anything to do with the ONE fund. Plus easier to sell to the communities/cops, etc.
Resident Historian
There could be some increment to the charity entries, but there's no way BAA would double the non-qualifier allotment. A lot of added spots have to go to qualifiers. I wouldn't be surprised if BAA waited till the end of the two-week qualifiers' entry period, to see if all qualifiers get in, before finalizing charity spots allocation.
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
I've been wondering this too, in that, I've been hoping the BAA would open up more slots for people in the community. I think I saw something that said they would announce the actual number of time qualifying runners they're accepting shortly before registration opened. So, next weekend?
My blog is JT Running DC. It's awesome. Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes. Guide to the New York City Marathon. Guide to the Boston Marathon. Guide to Running Gear. Guide to Running Clothes.