Forums >Racing>2018 Boston Marathon Thread
This registration circus is the main reason I decided to break my streak in 2015. The BAA was just pissing me off too much. Just tighten the damn standards so that a BQ means you can run, and let registration last until the spring, like it used to, so you don't have to wait a year and a half after a fall qualifier. Oh and by the way so that pace groups for standard BQ times actually mean something.
But no, we have to set BQ times so that there are not enough slots, and have staggered registration. All to create more drama. And incidentally to get all that registration $$$ in the coffers much earlier.
It's true that none of that affects me directly. But for me the tone of the race has changed quite a bit since I started running it. Of course all the extra security stuff doesn't help either. It's just not the same.
Rant off...
delicate flower
Registration is closed and will not be reopening. So now us bubble folks wait......
<3
This registration circus is the main reason I decided to break my streak in 2015. The BAA was just pissing me off too much. Just tighten the damn standards so that a BQ means you can run, and let registration last until the spring, like it used to, so you don't have to wait a year and a half after a fall qualifier. Oh and by the way so that pace groups for standard BQ times actually mean something. But no, we have to set BQ times so that there are not enough slots, and have staggered registration. All to create more drama. And incidentally to get all that registration $$$ in the coffers much earlier. It's true that none of that affects me directly. But for me the tone of the race has changed quite a bit since I started running it. Of course all the extra security stuff doesn't help either. It's just not the same. Rant off...
I completely agree with this. It seems crazy to me that a male runner can go sub-3:05 and not get in; yet a coworker of mine, who was more of a crossfitter and had never run a marathon before, fundraised and got in to run Boston as his first and only marathon.
The new system is crazy!!!
Races in general are really getting ridiculous as far as how far in advance you have to register. Who knows what kind of shape you will be in 6 to 9 months from now (or if you will be injured).
I personally have no problem with the charity runners -- they have to raise a lot of money to get in.
ETA -- The new system kind of killed the old Last Chance for Boston race that I remember from years ago.
And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx
Rob
Can somebody talk me down from fretting that my qualifying time hasn't been verified?
I ran Boston in 2015 and 2017, and had kind of miserable experiences. Thought I'd take 2018 off, but then my running partner qualified at Kansas City last fall. Here husband is deployed and won't be able to join her, plus I ran all of her long runs in preparation with her, so I really want to be there with her. Failed to requalify at Boston this year, but managed to pull it together and qualify with -5:19 at Anchorage Mayor's Midnight Sun marathon 8 weeks later.
Has anyone used that as a qualifier before and had to wait for their time to be verified? All of my local friends have received their acceptances except those that registered this week. It's making me anxious.
From the Internet.
Can somebody talk me down from fretting that my qualifying time hasn't been verified? I ran Boston in 2015 and 2017, and had kind of miserable experiences. Thought I'd take 2018 off, but then my running partner qualified at Kansas City last fall. Here husband is deployed and won't be able to join her, plus I ran all of her long runs in preparation with her, so I really want to be there with her. Failed to requalify at Boston this year, but managed to pull it together and qualify with -5:19 at Anchorage Mayor's Midnight Sun marathon 8 weeks later. Has anyone used that as a qualifier before and had to wait for their time to be verified? All of my local friends have received their acceptances except those that registered this week. It's making me anxious.
You're fine. They wouldn't have opened up the second week of registration if all the >5 minutes under BQ folks weren't in.
I'm sure you're fine. I registered last Wednesday with a -11:31 and I still haven't heard anything either. It takes time to verify all the times.
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.
Part of the reason I'm anxious about it is that my Gadmin also flaked out the last few miles at that marathon, ending up showing only 23+ miles. The timing mats were at odd locations - the last one was at 22ish miles. One of my friends at home received the tracking update and sent me a text "only 6 miles to go!" since she thought it was a 10K to go mat. My Garmin at the same time was indicating I was running 18 min/mile pace. I had a pretty impressive meltdown at that point! I was so happy to then see the finish line well before I expected it!
Anyway, I don't think there were any actual timing issues with my qualifier, but I'm still a naturally anxious person and I fret about it!
I'm in, this will be my first.
New poster here. It will be my first Boston also.
I received my official acceptance on Saturday. So I am in for my 3rd Boston.
Ran it in 2015 & 2017. 2015 went well, 2017 was a disaster so I'm hoping for a little redemption.
Half Fanatic 12680
I agree! I was torn about registering for 2018. I qualified, but wasn't sure I wanted to do Boston again. It's a great event, but it means putting in lots of training in the winter when the weather can be terrible and I have a heavy schedule at work. If I could wait to decide in January, I might have done it, but I didn't want to commit in September, so I passed. This might have been my last chance for a while since I'm not doing a fall marathon this year. Oh well, the lure of Boston is strong, but the timing is terrible!
The new system is crazy!!! Races in general are really getting ridiculous as far as how far in advance you have to register. Who knows what kind of shape you will be in 6 to 9 months from now (or if you will be injured). I personally have no problem with the charity runners -- they have to raise a lot of money to get in. ETA -- The new system kind of killed the old Last Chance for Boston race that I remember from years ago.
It really is. As an old guy who remembers how relatively uneventful qualifying for and registering for Boston used to be I just don't feel it's worth the drama (and cost) for me anymore. It's a great race but I'll leave it for runners that are passionate about running this particular race. I'm fine with races closer to me (and more affordable). If I was a local Greater Boston area resident it'd be different and I'd probably run it.
Best of luck to those waiting on confirmation!
2017 was a disaster
Seems to be a common theme with the 2017 race.
+1. I'm running Chicago in two weeks and they opened (and closed) registration in November, a solid 11 months ahead of the race. I can't imagine how hard the RD's job is for an event of that magnitude but still, registering for the next year five weeks after finishing the race wasn't particularly appealing to me. I wonder how many deferrals Chicago gets compared to other marathons...it has to be astronomical.