Marathon Mania
I recently ran the Publix Georgia Marathon in Atlanta. In my decade-long quest to run a marathon in every state, Georgia marked number 37 for me. It was also my first marathon after a two year hiatus. I ran quite slowly compared to my finishing times from a few years ago (3:48), but I’m hoping to quickly get back in shape this spring. Why? So that I can run a Boston Marathon Qualifier for 2012, of course.
I ran the Boston Marathon several years ago, so I don’t necessarily intend to sign up for the race again. I just want to meet the qualifying standard to prove to myself that I’m in good shape for my age.
The running community has become obsessed with running Boston qualifying times. For beginning runners, just finishing 26.2 miles is enough of an accomplishment. But for a lot of experienced runners, running Boston is the ultimate challenge. Each year, about 400 runners from our state complete the Boston Marathon. But this year’s race was a disaster for thousands of runners who didn’t register quickly enough. The nation’s oldest and most prestigious marathon sold out in just eight hours. The race’s website was not able to handle the enormous demand.
The race filled so quickly that the Boston Athletic Association revamped the entry process, making the most sweeping changes in three decades. Now, entrants will have a two-week window to register for the race, and only the fittest and fastest will be granted entry. Then, starting with the 2013 race, qualifying times will drop by five minutes for all age groups.
Will the new rules be strict enough for some runners to just give up? I doubt it. I think that the tightened requirements will make running Boston seem like an even bigger challenge to attain.
Happy trails!
Derek