2017 Boston Marathon Thread (Read 487 times)

 

Any advice on getting to Back Bay/Boylston area from the airport?  I've taken cabs and they are SO expensive.  I've also tried taking public transportation (not Boston Marathon weekend but when I was there for a conference) and it was a disaster.  Should I just eat the cab fare?

Why not just take the Logan Express?  Or is that the public transportation that was a disaster?  I hopped on that from the airport terminal and it dropped me off in front of the convention center on Boylston.  It made another stop near the Westin, I believe.  I could've gotten off at either place.  I don't remember the price.  I bought a card from the airport terminal but the bus driver took credit cards.

 

Any advice on getting to Back Bay/Boylston area from the airport?  I've taken cabs and they are SO expensive.  I've also tried taking public transportation (not Boston Marathon weekend but when I was there for a conference) and it was a disaster.  Should I just eat the cab fare?

Taking the Silver Line to South Station is a bad idea unless you are heading to Somerville with Bob. The Red Line has never gone near Back Bay and never will.

Taking Uber-x is a fantastic idea if you want to get to the suburbs. It's also as good as a taxi if you just want to get a ride or are in a real rush.

Working downtown I've always just used the Blue Line if I were heading to or from the airport and my office was involved. I've gotten from my office to checkin often under a half hour.

Take the shuttle to the Blue Line Airport Station (It's not as bad as it sounds) and then take the Blue Line to State Street for the Orange Line which will get you to Back Bay quickest or to Government Center for the Green Line which will get you possibly closer to your hotel (I don't know where you are staying so can't advise - Either is good if you can walk a couple blocks). If at any point you decide it's not for you just grab a cab. Hell, you can walk from downtown if you want to traverse the Commons and Garden. Not a bad experience on a nice day. If it works out it will have cost you less than $3.

Right. My success rate is about 9 out of every 10 trips I can get uber x at logan, usually with no wait at all. Once in the past year of business travel I've had to take uber black (a 5am arrival.) Even then I probably could have waited a bit and I'm sure an Uber x would have popped up but I was tired getting off a red eye and I wasn't paying for it.

But I'm generally commuting home to the suburbs from the airport. Like x said, if I was headed downtown I'd take the blue line.

I'm in, with a BQ -11:28 this time, courtesy of getting older. I didn't qualify in 2016. This will be my 2nd Boston - my first was 2015. Hoping for any kind of different weather just about after running in the cold rain in 2015.  I did get my alternate wish at least, that it didn't start raining until I was in the start line (wave 3) so at least I didn't sit around wet too.

I'm undecided on whether to race or just run it to enjoy it this time.  I thought after this I wouldn't bother trying to qualify for a few years, but two of my regular running buddies are making attempts to qualify for the first time in October. If they make it, I may have to try to come back in 2018.

I'm staying at the Marriott Copley.

Couple quick questions:

 

1.  Since the last e-mail update I received indicated registration would open today for those who met their qualifying time, does that mean they didn't fill the field with those that ran BQ-5 or faster?  I entered on Friday with BQ-5:22.

 

2.  I know it might take a few days for them to verify my time so I'm sure that's why I haven't heard anything...should I be worried that my race didn't appear in the drop-down box of races you could select in the portion of the registration that asked for it?  I'm assuming not, since there was also a space to enter the race yourself...but I'm getting mixed signals when I try to look up and reassure myself that yes, my race was a Boston Qualifier.

 

Sorry...obviously, these are questions that will answer themselves this week.  But you know how it is...nervously awaiting that e-mail, wanting to talk about it in the meantime.

1. Yes. I'm in the same boat and have been before. I'm not worried.

2. Is your qualifying course USATF certified? My qualifier is the Boston Marathon and I've also not heard back. Again, not worried one bit. It's time to relax.

MTA: Just got my acceptance. It's highly probably that Boston Marathon qualifiers are the easiest to verify.

Thanks, guys!  Yes, my race course was USATF certified.

 

1.  This aspect of the process puzzles me a little too. If they open a later registration, it would seem that all valid entrants in the earlier period should be accepted.

Actually no, all it means is that the number of Friday applications was not higher than the number of remaining slots available. If they don't verify registrations from that number the places will just roll into the pool available this week.

Therefore, you have to be confident that you selected your BQ course wisely and that it will be approved. I'd imagine this isn't a worry for most runners.

...which happened like they said it would.  But now thinking back...not exactly the confident, "Why yes, it is absolutely a Qualifier!" that would put my mind at ease right now, you know?

 

But I'm sure you guys are right.  Just externalizing the interior angst I'm experiencing here.

You can check to see if the course is listed here
https://www.usatf.org/events/courses/search/