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| some random dude |
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Looking for some friendly advice. Will be going to Boston with somebody racing Boston, starting in one of the later corrals, aiming for somewhere in the 3:45-4:00 region, weather depending. How practical/possible is it to meet her somewhere along the route, say in the first 10 miles, and jog alongside to close to the finish, then jump off course and find her after she's gone through the finish area? I know friends/relatives can't line up with registered runners, or get near the starting or finishing areas. Just wondering if this evil scheme is workable, and if so, would appreciate some logistical advice (i.e. sensible landmark to try to make contact, and how best to get there from hotel near the finish area to wait for her to run by). |
| Ran last year |
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Doable but two things: have a very specific place to meet, like literally holding on to the marker at mile 10 (and there might be one on each side of the road, so be very specific). There are so many people that even being 10 feet away can make it really difficult to meet. And, the last mile is fenced off so if you go too far you will have difficulty getting out without going through the finish - a huge no-no. I made this mistake in 2003, but managed to get though the fence at the last street before the finish. Don't know if that is still possible, so plan accordingly. I met up at mile 20, which you can do riding the T ( I think I had to walk a mile to get to mile 20). Farther up I'm not sure how you'd get there. Officially this is discouraged because they plan for just the racers, but I saw lots of people doing it. |
| some random dude |
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Yeah, I know, and I realize I shouldn't do it, but I'll be carrying my own stuff and won't be taking any official race support or getting in anybody's way. i know that still doesn't make it really kosher, but it is what it is. I'd like to try to do it with minimum chance of bothering anybody - me, racers or race officials. |
| Hopkinton |
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Take a train from Back Bay station to West Natick station (located right off the course @ the 8-Mile mark) Crowds not as dense there = better chance you'll find each other. Schedule - http://tinyurl.com/7x4x7pf PS: exit the course BEFORE Boylston Street. |
| some random dude |
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Wicked, thanks! Looks like that train runs every couple hours.... am I reading the schedule right? |
| Fastnbulbous |
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Pretty much every year I jump into the Chicago Marathon to run with friends, colleagues, sister-in-law. I pick spots where the spectator crowds are sparse, so it's easy to try to spot them unobstructed. It gets dizzying to watch hundreds of people going by, trying to spot one, so planning a meet spot is a good idea. Also, Chicago has a system that sends texts of splits for people when you text in a code for a particular runner. Does Boston have that? |
| Hopkinton |
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The 9:11am train (bound for Worcester) will get you there in time to see the wheelers, elite women & elite men fly by. http://tinyurl.com/7wxo3vp |
| AlmostBQ |
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Why is this a huge no-no? Do the police actually drag off people who are bandits in the race at the approach to the finish? It seems to be Boston just rolls their eyes about bandits. |
| Hopkinton |
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Up until 1pm, race security will yank runners w/o numbers on Boylston Street. |
| Some Random Slacker |
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Why didn't you just run a BQ somewhere and sign up like everyone else? |
| AlmostBQ |
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Why the cutoff at 1 pm? Is it only to protect the top finishing orders from being screwed up by bandit finishes? Why not have a zero tolerance for bandits altogether? Until 4:45 pm at the finish and certainly not "allowing" them to start the race after the third wave. I forgot this is Boston and not Beijing. There bandits would likely be caught and sent to hard labor or hard intervals. :) |
| some random dude |
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Haha, fair question. Short answer is I'm finished with marathons (hate 'em), and have no particular interest in racing Boston. My last five have all been 2:42-44, but most recent was ~ 3 years ago, and I don't see myself doing another in this lifetime, just simply don't enjoy them, not even remotely. :-) |
| some random dude |
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With her start at 10:40, I'd be expecting a finish in the neighbourhood of 1:30. You figure security will be more lax by then? |
| some random dude |
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I guess I meant 2:30. 1 pm seems a little early for them to ease up with the first wave starting at 10? |
| ShouldaJustRunIt! |
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I picked up my brother at mile 16 and ran the last 10miles with him jumping out right at the very end where the barricades start for the home stretch. It was crazy amounts of people, I couldnt get to the finish line, no cell phone, no money. I ended up running back to mile 16 where I new the car was! Found a sweet Boston Marathon jacket on the ground on the way back, I was exhuasted. |
| Boston32 |
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Dude, tuck in behind her, hold hands or sprint by any security that comes out. They'll think twice about taking you out knowing you are with a registered runner. I have never seen anyone taken off the course, but if others have witnessed I guess it's true. I just never have. The fencing over the last mile is to keep the drunken Fenway crowd from crossing over and cutting off the death march runners. It is very jammed there. Rancid beer smell and very loud. Lastly, and very important, be close at the finish and look up. Marathonfoto will capture it for both of you. |
| Another old guy |
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Guys, thanks for all the advice. West Natick was a perfect place to meet, on the uphill maybe a third mike from the 8 mile marker, where spectators were thin, you could see a mile downhill, and there's a Wendy's across the road for pre-jjog pee breaks. I wound up running through the finish. Just took off my shirt likes lots of others. I have to say this is a very well organized and executed event. My wife suffered horribly in the heat, but she survived and finished. The crowd support is un-freakin-believable, seriously never seen anything like it. Big shout out to the BAA and the city of Boston, with apologies for being a dirty bandit :-) |
| Hopkinton |
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Yeah, I figured you'd hit that Wendy's. Sounds like you guys had a memorable day out there. |
| Boston33 |
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Congrats to her. Glad it all worked out. |
| Kevin52 |
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One thing that really pissed me off this year in Boston was all the buttholes like you that got in the way in the last few miles. There is not enough room on that course for non-participants to be there. One bimbo running with her friend on the right side of the road, kept crossing the course to shout at other family/friends spectating on the left side. She needed to be bitch slapped something fierce. None of these idiots understand how runners with tired legs and dulled mental capacity can't make sharp adjusments to avoid them. Your wife needed to suffer without you unless you were willing to pony up the entry and run with her like a man. Stay the hell out next time. |
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