I was just going to post the same info! Unbelievable! Thank goodness I had it on my calendar to register! Either higher standards or fewer charity runners necessary?
Of course in my world, there would be no events for charity at all. But at the bare minimum, a race like Boston loses its credibility (to me) when not everyone has had to do the same thing to get there. Next thing they'll be allowing people in the Olympics if they pay enough. And in our sell out society, it wouldn't surprise me.
Qualifying times are a part of it. The race will still sell out even if they made the times tougher. Make people really go out and earn it. Make it difficult to qualify for. People will respect it.
The other problem is this scare tactic of hyping up registration. This was a race that used to sell out in late January for an April race. Last year was November 13. This year, 8 measly hours.
Triathlons sell out a year in advance because there are no more than 2500 spots in these Ironman races, and they let people register on site. By the time it makes it to Active.com (if it does) there are less than half the spots remaining.
It's frustrating for those who expected that they could qualify this fall and register in the next few weeks. At least the times are good for the 2012 edition, but sucks that people will have to plan ahead that far now.
It sold out in 8 hours because everyone THOUGHT it would sell out in 8 hours, so everyone freaked out and jammed on the website at the same time. People signed up that day who weren't even sure if they would be able to run or not, just to have the option. (I'm not gonna lie, I was one of them.) What sucks is now 2012 will be even worse because so many people got shut out. It'll probably fill in like four minutes or something.
i know some people work really hard to qualify, and i don't mean to offend them or devalue what they've accomplished but i just don't think it's all that impressive anymore. it would be cool if there were a marathon that was real tough to get into and didn't give any exceptions.
and there goes my plan to run boston 2012 by qualifying @ marine corp.
I started my own marathon once, and it was tough to get into. The qualifying time was 2:02; I thought that the super tough qualifying would attract people, but no one showed up.
The BQ times used to be lower. I think 3:00 & 3:30 respectively.
They could also ween out the crowd if they tightened the qualifying dates. Until recent years they allowed many fewer runners, and the qualification period was only 12 months (currently like 16 month window).
Apparently, for the 100th running they expected an abundance of runner applicants (and they got it), so they extended the field, and moved qualifying period from Feb - Feb (12 or 13mo) to Oct - Feb (16 mo).
The money grubbers made a shit load more, ca-ching, and never moved the qualifying periods back.
I'm just really glad 2011 will be the last year I run it for awhile...I don't even want to deal with the inevitable headache of registration next year. Ugh.
I vote we fly to Boston, and run a marathon on Marathon Monday from Boston to Hopkingtown by running the marathon course backwards during the regular race...
I might blow up, but if you don't take chances, why are you out there?~ Christo Landry
Falling apart in a marathon, you feel utterly defeated, knowing it got the best of you. You go home and ask your mom if she still loves you~ Jacob Frey
I'd always rather fail being bold than fail being meek and tentative~Julia Lucas
I tell ya, girls are pretty fast sometimes, and I don't like it ~Tim Burns
I'm like a turtle when I sip that purple~ Lil Wayne
Effort is between you and you~ Ray Lewis #52
On Your Left
Power Now, Baby~Terence
If I don't keep running, I won't get any slower~ Travis Warren
You go until the sun goes down, then you are there~ Kipchirchir
I want to run as hard as I can. If I blow up, I blow up, it's not that big a deal. At the end of the day it's just running. ~ James Carney, USA 20km Champion
Every time I run it's with the mindset that if I die at this race, it's OK.~ Japanese marathon hero, Yuki Kawauchi
22 comments:
I was just going to post the same info! Unbelievable! Thank goodness I had it on my calendar to register! Either higher standards or fewer charity runners necessary?
Of course in my world, there would be no events for charity at all. But at the bare minimum, a race like Boston loses its credibility (to me) when not everyone has had to do the same thing to get there. Next thing they'll be allowing people in the Olympics if they pay enough. And in our sell out society, it wouldn't surprise me.
Qualifying times are a part of it. The race will still sell out even if they made the times tougher. Make people really go out and earn it. Make it difficult to qualify for. People will respect it.
The other problem is this scare tactic of hyping up registration. This was a race that used to sell out in late January for an April race. Last year was November 13. This year, 8 measly hours.
Triathlons sell out a year in advance because there are no more than 2500 spots in these Ironman races, and they let people register on site. By the time it makes it to Active.com (if it does) there are less than half the spots remaining.
It's frustrating for those who expected that they could qualify this fall and register in the next few weeks. At least the times are good for the 2012 edition, but sucks that people will have to plan ahead that far now.
It sold out in 8 hours because everyone THOUGHT it would sell out in 8 hours, so everyone freaked out and jammed on the website at the same time. People signed up that day who weren't even sure if they would be able to run or not, just to have the option. (I'm not gonna lie, I was one of them.) What sucks is now 2012 will be even worse because so many people got shut out. It'll probably fill in like four minutes or something.
Overflow entries are being accepted at the Don't Run Boston 50k :)
http://www.trailanimals.com/index.php/?page_id=6
i know some people work really hard to qualify, and i don't mean to offend them or devalue what they've accomplished but i just don't think it's all that impressive anymore. it would be cool if there were a marathon that was real tough to get into and didn't give any exceptions.
and there goes my plan to run boston 2012 by qualifying @ marine corp.
Well, Kris, you know what we should do?
START OUR OWN MARATHON.
Gargledeez Marathon 2k11. Wednesday Night Run loop into Shady 7 into Fort Loop up into Druid Hill and back down.
@Kris and RM:
I started my own marathon once, and it was tough to get into. The qualifying time was 2:02; I thought that the super tough qualifying would attract people, but no one showed up.
RM- i was hoping you'd say that
FBG- i was thinking, like, 2:45 or something.
God dammit, it totally slipped my mind to register this morning....so much for running Boston this year...
You mean yesterday morning, when the race sold out?? I would have posted on the blog but I honestly didn't think that it would sell out same day.
Fuck Boston. Who needs that race.
sounds like it also slipped your mind yesterday, when registration actually opened.
Yeah, I have no sense of time. I definitely forgot to register yesterday morning, and thought today was Monday.
I personally enjoy Boston, and always have good luck there...
I cannot stand Boston, especially their stupid Red Sux. Go Orioles.
Minus the lottery, NYC is 16 minutes harder to qualify for than Boston. NYC is easier to qualify for in the half vs. a marathon.
I will not run NYC until I qualify for NYC. F the lottery.
& F Boston
& while I'm at it, F New York & their Spankees.
Go Orioles
The BQ times used to be lower. I think 3:00 & 3:30 respectively.
They could also ween out the crowd if they tightened the qualifying dates. Until recent years they allowed many fewer runners, and the qualification period was only 12 months (currently like 16 month window).
Apparently, for the 100th running they expected an abundance of runner applicants (and they got it), so they extended the field, and moved qualifying period from Feb - Feb (12 or 13mo) to Oct - Feb (16 mo).
The money grubbers made a shit load more, ca-ching, and never moved the qualifying periods back.
F Boston
I'm just really glad 2011 will be the last year I run it for awhile...I don't even want to deal with the inevitable headache of registration next year. Ugh.
We should have a Beer Marathon.
Meg, your challenge has been accepted into the challenge-idea-hopper.
I vote we fly to Boston, and run a marathon on Marathon Monday from Boston to Hopkingtown by running the marathon course backwards during the regular race...
... with bats and chains (ya know, the way we used to fight(or "rumbble") in my day).
the middle ages? bet you have chain mail & a leather shield too?
you "bet" or you fantasize?
Eww gross...Joel wants to see Kris in Renaissance clothing and then be the "M" to his "S"
Well, I'm not running either. I haven't run a marathon in like 18 months now. Looks like I spaced on that one.
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