Forums >Racing>2021 Boston Marathon Thread
UM 45 Ohio 23
And... I caught COVID! Thankfully, I was vaccinated and seem to be having a relatively mild case of it. (Symptoms started Monday. Mostly two days of a very high fever.) I'm trying not to think too far ahead and just focusing on getting healthy but... and, I'm sorry if I sound ungrateful because I know so many others have died from this virus or have had lingering effects... the timing of this really sucks.
hope you feel better soon and fully recover!
Thanks! (Lost my sense of smell last evening. Very bizarre!)
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Oh Julia, that sucks. I hope you recover quickly and it doesn't impact your training too much. I mean, a Boston without Julia just isn't a true Boston.
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I know! I just need 3 more to get my consecutive 10 years! I'm about 90% certain London is out for me - it stings but it was something that fell into my lap anyway, so I can try to get in with purpose next time. But, I may still try to run Boston. It's a week later and all I need to do is finish to keep the streak going.
Today I installed the B.A.A racing app and it says:
...
Race Begins:
Mon, Oct 11, 2021 6:00 AM
I wonder if it's the race start time or just when you allowed to board buses...
paces PRs - 5K - 5:48 / 10K - 6:05 / HM - 6:14 / FM - 6:26 per mile
It starts at 9 am but it is giving the time based on current location. I would assume you are in pacific time.
Today I installed the B.A.A racing app and it says: ... Race Begins: Mon, Oct 11, 2021 6:00 AM ... I wonder if it's the race start time or just when you allowed to board buses...
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.
Yes, I am - thank you! 9am is still better than 10 am
Maybe this was mentioned in an email I didn't read but bib numbers are available if you log into the athlete's portal. I haven't seen anything about waves/corrals, though.
Yeah, I found out my bib number when I installed b.a.a app . Also, I missed that part about waves/corrals too, but it was in one if the emails and also on their web site:
…
So - no waves or corrals, you board a bus at a time window assigned to you, get to Hopkinkton, do your last minutes stuff and off you go.
Mother of Cats
Yeah, I found out my bib number when I installed b.a.a app . Also, I missed that part about waves/corrals too, but it was in one if the emails and also on their web site: … To further participant safety, the B.A.A. will eliminate the staging area in Hopkinton (Athletes’ Village) where athletes traditionally mingle, stretch, hydrate, and fuel prior to the race. Athletes will instead be assigned specific start times and participate in a rolling start in Hopkinton. The rolling start procedure will be directly aligned with the bus loading times in Boston and transportation to the start. … So - no waves or corrals, you board a bus at a time window assigned to you, get to Hopkinkton, do your last minutes stuff and off you go.
That was how Grandma's was supposed to work. In practicality, it ended up being a mass start, but without any organization of runners by pace.
I think it would have worked better if they had assigned buses and enforced it, instead of just encouraging faster runners to get on earlier buses.
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That was how Grandma's was supposed to work. In practicality, it ended up being a mass start, but without any organization of runners by pace. I think it would have worked better if they had assigned buses and enforced it, instead of just encouraging faster runners to get on earlier buses.
My hope that they are a solid organization that learns on experiences of others and they might somehow do a little “enforcement” , but we will see. Thinking about it - if they allow only certain amount of buses per certain amount if time, that should somehow solve the issue of big crowds at the start.
In my info on the BAA website, it gives me a bus loading time. I hope they enforce it - as an older female I start late enough as it is, and don't want to get stuck any later than I already am.
What I saw somewhere (don't ask me where), everyone will also have a start time, and it's set so you should have about 20 minutes between when you're assigned bus time gets there and your start. This is to give you time to stretch, go to the bathroom, etc. before you start.
Thanks! I just saw something on FB about it, too. I guess I like the idea of not having to stand around needlessly. 20 minutes sounds about the right amount of time needed in the village.
For those wondering how the race will work this year and might find this interesting, Dave McGillivray did an interview on the Ali on the Run podcast a couple of weeks ago. (Start at the 19:20 mark.) It sounds like the goal is to have people go off every 15-20 minutes. Edited to add: so, I continued listening and at one point he says something to the effect that you get there and go, so now I'm not sure. Still, it's a great interview.
I will be very interested to see how this works. At Grandma's, we ended up with a mass start anyway. IME, the only way to do a staggered start in a larger race is to really organize the start with cones, marked places to stand, and repeated countdowns of 3-2-1 go.