Transportation to start time, Wave 2, departures from 6:45 to 7:21 AM, arrival from 7:35 to 8:11 AM
Wave 2 start time: 10:25 AM
That looks like a whole lot of time in advance. What is there to do in the 150 minutes between arrival and start time other than visit the port-a-potties 2-3 times? Nothing? From some pictures I see the Athlete's village area is all grass, with some covered areas (packed with people)... sure hope it won't be raining.
LRB, I dunno if you're meeting with people there, but if you have nobody to hang with, I can be a decent chatting partner
So for a 10:25 start time, I'll need to get up pretty darn early if I want to leave a bag at the bag check before hopping on the bus, since I have to take the T to get to the bus loading area.
LRB, I dunno if you're planning to ride with someone already, but if you have nobody, I can be a decent bus ride chatting partner
I didn't get to the athlete's village 150 minutes before my wave start. More like 40 minutes? Maybe? I am pretty sure I took the last set of buses for my wave. Really, after waiting in line and using the port-o-potty I had maybe 10 minutes of standing around before they started calling the corrals for my wave to walk to the start area.
It wasn't raining when I got to the athlete's village but it was pretty cold and had rained off and on during the bus ride over. I had a throw away pants and a long sleeve shirt and sweatshirt over my race outfit. And then a garbage bag to wear over that if it rained (or to sit on since the grass was wet). But I really didn't have much sitting around time! But if you're lucky enough to have a cold day, bring plenty to wear. One girl I was talking to while waiting was shivering so hard she could barely talk. It can't be good to waste energy on that pre-race.
I had a throw away pants and a long sleeve shirt and sweatshirt over my race outfit.
That's a deal breaker for Cy. He's been pretty consistent that he's not throwing away anything. Shit, Jay posted a pic of his throw away sweater one year (a Buffalo Sabres hockey jersey if I recall correctly), and Cy's head exploded. lol
I did sort of regret tossing the Adidas pants but I just told myself it was a charity donation and I never wore them anyway.
Maybe Cy will get a nice warm day and then he won't have to part with any throwaways.
I think that's human nature.
One year I bought a nice throw away jacket for Detroit, and when the thought of keeping it crossed my mind I had to shake my head because A) I paid $5 for it and B) I would have never worn it because I would have never bought it in the first place were it not for the race!
I'll need to go shop for throwaway clothes now, FFS!
Seriously, I know I'll need to find throaway clothes, but haven't really thought about it yet. Jay's Buffalo Sabres jersey did hurt. Bad.
What you're saying seems very reasonable to me, but then I don't know what to think of the schedule. Unless my math is wrong, I will get there over two hours in advance even if I take the last shuttle for my wave. Unless I can take any shuttle, and not only the ones for my wave. I copied-pasted the info I found on the marathon web site in my initial post...
You can take any shuttle as long as you have a bib, it doesn't matter which wave. Some people take EARLIER wave shuttles but I am not that type of overly early and prepared person. I wanted to minimize the waiting around in the cold and maximize the time in my hotel bed.
However, I do think I took the last one recommended for my wave but I don't remember the times at all. But I was surprised at how little waiting around there was. My port-o-potty line was pretty slow but still...
I do remember arriving shortly before wave 1 went off now that I think about it! I remember hearing them call wave one while I was in the line and then announcing the start. I was in wave 2.
Former Bad Ass
I can attest Cyberic is a decent chatting partner!
Damaris
No more marathons
DS and I ran in 2014. We bought some clothes at Goodwill for layers while we were waiting and them just stripped down to running togs on our way to the start. We stopped at the last set of portables before getting to the start, and as a result were late for our wave start. But each wave takes a long time to get going, so we just casually walked in at the back and started running when we could. After all, time doesn't start until you past the start. And while we were there to enjoy the day together, the first 10 miles or so were at my BQ marathon pace, and I don't recall doing any significant weaving - everyone in that wave is planning on running about the same pace.
Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey
Lordy, I hope there are tapes.
He's a leaker!
Seven Deadly Shins
You can take any bus, not necessarily assigned to your wave, as long as you think you'll get there in time. Bus ride takes about an hour. It's not a ride as much as stop-and-go once you get off the highway in Hopkinton. Local roads are very narrow, drop-off circle is not large, and each bus takes time to unload. It might be faster to walk once you get close enough but they generally don't let you off the buses early (and you don't really know where "close enough" is anyway).
I spent about an hour in the village both times I was there. Just enough time to use the porta-potty once or twice and get ready. Village fields could get muddy if it's been raining. Bring something to sit on if you expect to be there an hour or more. It's a bit of a walk to the starting corrals, so don't discard your throwaways too early if it's cold/rainy/windy. They will be collecting them right after the exits.
Porta-pots at the CVS Pharmacy (formerly known as Colella's Supermarket) are generally less busy than in the village.
If you need a chatting partner, what corral are you in?
You can take any bus, not necessarily assigned to your wave, as long as you think you'll get there in time. Bus ride takes about an hour. It's not a ride as much as stop-and-go once you get off the highway in Hopkinton. Local roads are very narrow, drop-off circle is not large, and each bus takes time to unload. It might be faster to walk once you get close enough but they generally don't let you off the buses early (and you don't really know where "close enough" is anyway). I spent about an hour in the village both times I was there. Just enough time to use the porta-potty once or twice and get ready. Village fields could get muddy if it's been raining. Bring something to sit on if you expect to be there an hour or more. It's a bit of a walk to the starting corrals, so don't discard your throwaways too early if it's cold/rainy/windy. They will be collecting them right after the exits. Porta-pots at the CVS Pharmacy (formerly known as Colella's Supermarket) are generally less busy than in the village. If you need a chatting partner, what corral are you in?
Thanks for the info. I'll be in Wave 2 / Corral 2. You racing it too?
Hey guys! The unicorn rodeo draws near, hope you're getting amped up for it.
Suggestions for pre-race:
Get on an early bus. The wait in Hopkinton is not bad, and the sooner you get there, the better your chances of staking out an area under the tent (or in the sun, if it shines.) There are bagels, coffee, and a bunch of other dubious fuel to tempt the poo monster with if you're brave.
Buy warm throwaway warmups at a thrift store. They get donated to charity afterward. There are collection bins all along the walk to the corrals, no need to ditch them at the first one you see.
Bring a garbage bag to sit on, folded up and concealed in your clothes. The volunteers will get nervous if they see a plastic bag. (I had two empty grocery bags to keep my shoes dry on the wet grass last year, and almost had them taken away after dropping them from a pocket while digging for clif bloks.)
Go to the potty immediately upon entering the athletes village, and grab an extra piece of TP for later. There are more potties on the walk to corrals, exit AV right when your corral is called and you will have time to use them.
It wasn't a sabres jersey, just a jacket