Just as I start to train for my 1st marathon and hopefully, BQ, the Boston Athletic Association decides to change the rules. (Thanks, but no thanks!)
Runners – how do you feel about the new Boston registration and qualifying standards – especially those who are trying to run a marathon and qualify in (later part of) 2011?
Interesting articles about the changes can be found here and here
Ugh…so you could qualify and not get in???? That would be so discouraging!!! I ran it for a charity….scandalous I know but I am still in the books for running Boston!
The changes had to come and someone was always going to get hurt by them. We just have to take it in stride and hope that the best we have to give is enough to qualify and register. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was stressed out about the changes but there's nothing I can do to change them so I will just stick to the plan and hope that my best is good enough in the end. Good luck to you and everyone trying in 2011 for 2012 and at least those shooting for 2013 know what they have to do to make it happen.
It's frustrating but at the same time, kind of understandable. I originally qualified by 5 minutes but now that they're changing it, I only qualified by 12 seconds! Huge difference. That means, there is NO way I would get in because the faster people will. I guess that seems fair to me. I guess I think someone that ran 20 mins faster than me should be given an entry before someone with my 3:35. It is kind of a bummer at the same time.
What I find most interesting is that although they keep mentioning that qualifying times will be 5 minutes faster, they really are dropping them 6 minutes (or 5:59) by taking away that extra :59 cushion. While it seems like those people who need the extra 59 seconds probably wouldn't actually be able to get in the race under the new system, they could have at least said they BQ'ed. Which is probably all that some of people want anyway!
I think dropping the time makes sense (this doesn't mean I wish they didn't wait another year). I'm less pleased with the rolling admissions, but I won't claim to be capable or running a race as big as Boston. So for now I'm just hoping to qualify. And I will work hard and do my best and what happens from there isn't something I can control.
I wanted to try to go back 1 more time, but…the new standards will be really tough for me. I think I could make the BQ time, but will likely not make it with the new rolling registration process. You are young and fast. You will have plenty of time to BQ. Go for it!