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Boston 2017
We are planning a family holiday to the east coast of the USA next Easter and, in a rather fortunate bit of timing, I'm currently in possession of a Boston qualifier time (courtesy of Brighton 2016).
So .... I'm hoping to secure my place for 2017 once applications open next week. I'm 9 minutes under the required time so I think that should be enough.
I wondered if anyone else is going? Or if you've done Boston in the past do you have any tips about accommodation, how early you need to book somewhere to stay? I'm being abandoned by the family before race day so it will be just me and I need to bolt on the marathon weekend as cheaply as possible. Is it realistic to book a flight home the evening after the race? Any other tips!?
Cheers
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I'm thinking about it next year, I've done it a couple of times before. Book accommodation as early as you can, there's lots available within walking distance of the finish, from 5 star hotels to hostels depending on how much you want to spend, but it does fill up.
Flying back the same evening is doable, depending on your wave start time and how long you take to finish. Flights leave in the evening to land in the UK early the following morning. Not ideal from a recovery perspective, but you may not be worried about that!
Good luck with the entry.
Thanks Dave - I'm going to try to line up my accommodation pretty much as soon as I have my place confirmed. I think I'll be in wave 3 because my qualifying time is 3:45, so I won't be starting until nearly 11. It's not at all ideal hopping straight on a plane that night but finances and childcare needs may outweigh any thoughts for my poor battered legs!
Anyone entering today??? I gotta wait till next Monday... (3:00:04)
Friday for me (7minute buffer). Flights/hotel booked so it had better go smoothly.
Got my entry in - 50 minute buffer so I think I'll be OK
. With it being Easter weekend it seemed a good time to do it again. Looking forward to it, should be good.
Entered last night. 15 minute buffer so hoping should be ok. $250 worse off and need to sort flights and hotel.
On the one hand, what have I just done? I'm running London 6 days afterwards which can't be a good idea.
On the other hand, it's Boston. Can't wait.
Think I have a long, hard winter of training ahead of me.
2 of my friends are in... 1 more can enter tomorrow... I gotta wait till Monday as I have a 4;56 buffer... VERY EXCITED/IMPATIENT
Nice one Cheerful Dave, good skillz!
Entered last night, reasonable buffer as I'm going up an age group (
) .Where do you book cancellable flights as the price tends to shoot up for direct ones?
That said, I used Norwegian Airlines who are budget but reasonably good last year.
Also doing London but I'm not going to take that too seriously.
I'm in
Very excited indeed
I'm in. Airbnb booked. Very very excited. Now just need to sort out flights.
20 mile run this morning to celebrate!
Phew, good to get the official confirmation. Looks like it may not be as clear cut as many were thinking (i.e. No cut off) with numbers registered after Week 1 higher than predicted.
My buffer was 5:13, and I got my confirmation today. Really looking forward to this one!
Loving All the Boston Entry stuff. I had a marvellous race and all round experience there in 2015 so it's a race close to my heart.
I'm not in for 2017 ... I do have a BQ but I have other majors to try to conquer in 2017 if I get the nod off the missis.
CD - this is your 3rd Boston right?
Bobdidmadrid - Congratulations on getting in. Our paths have crossed on threads over the last couple of years and you talked about doing it one day, so getting that BQ and now securing that entry into the race is a great achievement.
Slinky - ha ha, seizing the opportunity with that brilliant qualifier in the Dam. Love it.
There are lots of great things to recommend .... firstly get accommodation booked up sooner than later.
Secondly do some downhill tempo running, maybe a stretch of at least 3 miles ... if there is one near your house.... I would say one session a week. It's a fast marathon if you pace it right, but it's a painful marathon (compared to London, Berlin and some of the other flatter races) ... the legs feel trashed by mid race and if you haven't paced it right, the Newton Hills can feel worse than they actually are. I passed a lot of fast runners having a bit of a death march through Heartbreak who probably overcooked it during the earlier fast section of the race.
If you can get to 21 with a little left in the can the last 5 are downhill net so it's easier to keep the momentum going.
Also, the Red Sox is worth a visit on the Friday or Saturday. They usually play at home that weekend. The tickets went on sale on new Years day, but I recommend you keep an eye on the website.
Lastly the 5k on the Saturday. 50 bucks is a lot for a 5k but as a one off it's a good way to have a little pre race workout and then rest up on the Sunday for Monday's race. I ran it slower than marathon pace. The weather was lovely unlike the weather on the main race day which was very cold and very wet, but better conditions for a fast time unlike 2016's heat wave.
Congratulations on everyone for getting in and good luck to those still waiting to hear, fingers crossed everyone gets in.
Thanks Jimbob! Yes, I remember you confirming entry details for me a couple of years ago and I followed the Valencia qualification route as you did.
Some great tips there, particularly about the downhill tempo work. Will definitely work those sessions into the schedule. Finding a downhill stretch will be tricky though.
Going back to Valencia again this year (will be my 3rd in succession).
Good luck with your major quest. I think obtaining permission from 'er indoors is often the trickiest part! Where are you hoping to go?
Jimbob - yes, my third time, although the last one was back in 2008.
Entered today. A bit later than I should have, but I was cycling all of last week and no access to internet. 2:32:15 PB from London should hopefully secure the entry this year - I will sort accommodation once confirmed.
I haven't been before, but wanted a change from VLM (and a holiday too) so booked up.
Some good insight into organisation on threads above and I will be reading closely!
I will be using this as a leapfrog to Comrades Ultra Marathon at the start of June. I can't believe I have already booked up for a year in advance. It reminds me of my triathlon days when you needed to be booking the day the race opened!
Chicago17 ..... but I did Tokyo in Feb and am flying out to NY for the marathon in November so I can't bring it up for a bit. Need to get 2016 out of the way before I raise the subject. I've got London to keep me busy in the spring Good luck in Valencia, don't forget if you run a PB between now and early Feb you can notify BAA.ORG and they may move you up a starting zone or two.. After receiving acceptance based on my Valencia time, I ran a 3 minute PB at Abingdon in Oct 2014 and got that time submitted as my qualifying time which I'm sure put me up 2 or 3 corrals.
Nice 2.32 at London Caashford. I see you have Comrades on the calendar. You'll probably be targeting a silver medal (sub7.30)? .... hope the training goes well, best to take lots of advice from people who have lots of Comrades experience on the training, nutrition, pacing and everything really. Especially if you are planning to do it at pace. Good Luck. I plan to do it one day when I'm done with World Marathon majors.
Thanks Jim. I'm excited about NYC, let's get that out of the way before I go stir crazy
Flights booked, had a hotel booked/held for ages, so that was a good deal.
Enjoy the weekend everyone, happy running
Entry now confirmed so I will be looking at flights and accommodation this week.
Red Sox game sounds good (never been to baseball game before), not sure about a 50 dollar 5k, but will look into it. Being as Birmingham "International" Marathon has just opened at £55 then it actually looks like a bargain!
TheJimBob - I ran Comrades last year (6:40) on the down run, so just looking to head over for my "back to back"!
As for the 50 dollar 5k yes its steep especially as one is unlikely to go all out if one is in the marathon. You'd be risking you chances of running your best marathon on the Monday. I plodded out just slower than marathon pace and soaked up the atmosphere which was very good and it was lovely weather (unlike 2 days later in the marathon).
I never run the day before a marathon but 2 days.... If you have the 50 spare then there's worst ways to spend your Saturday morning. Of course with Brexit and the pound collapse that 50 bucks feels more pricey these days.
Does anyone who has done Boston previously know roughly when they mail out the race number pick-up card to foreign runners? We are in the US for the fortnight leading up to Boston so I don't want to have the registration card arrive here in London when we are away, but equally I don't have a fixed address in the US for them to send it to as we will be travelling around.
I'm sure this is not a unique problem!? But it sounds like you can't get your race number at the expo without this card?
Not sure exactly pidge, but they do send the international ones out first for just this reason. However, one of the answers to an FAQ on the website says:
"If your Number Pick Up Card does not reach you before race weekend, please be sure to bring a photo ID with you to Number Pick-Up at the John Hancock Sports and Fitness Expo located at the Hynes Convention Center. Go to the "Replacement Number Pick-Up Cards" booth near number pick-up, show your valid photo id, and a volunteer will print a new card for you. You will use that new card to pick up your number. We are requiring that all participants claim their own bib number at the John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo during normal expo hours. Friends or family will not be allowed to claim your bib number for you."
Thought I ought to join this thread. It will be my fourth (2013, 2014, 2015, switched to Manchester in 2016
) Start saving now for the great shopping, special shoe editions, Boston apparel, etc. that you will see at the expo and won't be able to turn down 
Morning / afternoon all! I haven't posted in a while, so just thought I would give a quick update.
I'm now on my winter strength block, minimal running (7-9 hours per week) but doing x3 strength sessions - olympic lifting, x1 core and x1 hip, knee and ankle stability sessions per week. The plan is to get strong first, then up the volume. I have recently changed jobs and now working full time in Brum city centre so "stealth training" with a 6k run into and home from work.
I have re-prioritised Manchester Marathon as my "A' race, but still looking forward to Boston. Its now going to be more of a "holiday with a race in it", than a targeted event.
I'm also going to do a couple of trail ultra's, most likely the Malvern Hills Ultra 50m, and the Meriden 100k which are in early May. I'm also going to do more trail runs between now and April too, just to ease the overall pounding on pavement.
Thankfully no injuries to speak of - get well soon those who seem have them!
SteveCRunner - I have just seen that they have released the image of the jacket - looks good! As an Adidas shoe fan, I can see it being an expensive trip already...
Anyone got any hotel recommendations? I need to sort accomodation our this week / next week while on my holidays...
Got our fingers burnt once with a private arrangement. We use airbnb now.
Hi All, great reading all the posts.
This is my first Boston Marathon and would be good to get any advice. My girlfriend is coming to over to watch but the course doesn't look very spectator friendly. Also I understand there is a long wait at the start for the runners? Cheers
SS - it isn't as bad for spectators as it first looks, although it's never going to be as easy to see your runner multiple times as it is in London or Berlin, for example. Assuming you're staying somewhere in Boston itself then watching there is fine, and spectators can get out to some of the earlier parts of the course on the subway. But she's not going to be able to see you near the start and the finish as well without her own transport.
They do bus you out to the start early and the wait is probably longer than it used to be. Most of the waiting will be in a holding area rather than in the start pen itself though. If it's cold I'm planning on wearing old throwaway kit to the start, so I don't have to worry about fitting it into a kit bag, which I believe are smaller these days as well.
Thanks David
I was thinking mile 10 and 22 for her, sound ok?
Is the bag drop at the start, it looks like you need to do that before you get on the bus?
Any tips for a weekend in Boston? I have never been.
Sounds OK if that's where the subway stops are SS.
Bag drop used to be at the start, but last time I did it was 9 years ago and security will have changed for obvious reasons. Just don't plan on taking anything with you on race day that you can't either run with or discard.
Boston at the weekend? Apart from the expo, there'll be a baseball game on the Saturday, city walk & general sightseeing, the 5K (not cheap, but lots do it), shopping, lunch in Faneuil Hall, another trip to the expo, pre-race dinner....