Email from B.A.A. about Boston on Monday

It's not the racers it's because of the folks jogging in the parade.

In the event of temps over(75?80?)The call could be----- it's a fun run

no times will be recorded

no prizes awarded

It is suggested that you don't race the event

run at your own risk.

I'm reminded of last year when 13.1 did not cancel their race in Chicago on a very warm day in June, and a young, well-trained man collapsed and died near the finish line. It's not just the inexperienced people that should be discouraged from running. The warm weather conditions are especially dangerous when they occur in the spring because most runners have not had the opportunity to do any training in the heat.

Personally, I think there should be a disinterested third party that makes the decision of whether to cancel a race. Both the participants and the race director have too much incentive to ignore the warnings about the heat and let the show go on.

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

This pisses me off because I plan to run my first Boston next year. I shouldn't have to compete to get an entry with even more people who maybe qualified 3 years before (if they qualified at all).

Stop bitching and start training. Qualifying is not that hard.

I did qualify. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the registration process. Not everyone who qualifies is guaranteed an entry because it can sell out fast. The more people scrambling to register, the sooner it sells out.

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

agip wrote:

holy cow - with a few thousand deferments and the usual stampede, a boston # will be a tough ticket next year.

This pisses me off because I plan to run my first Boston next year. I shouldn't have to compete to get an entry with even more people who maybe qualified 3 years before (if they qualified at all). It's not BAA's fault the weather will be hot. It's not something anyone can control, so why act like it is? This only works to their advantage having the no refund policy and covering themselves from being sued. How does it really help the participants this year or next year? If you don't want to run it, don't run it, but don't take away others' chances to run it next year. Besides, isn't there a waiver that covers inclement weather, etc?

Even though I'm benefitting from the deferments (couldn't run anyway because I'm injured but now my qualifying time is good for next year) I think you're right. When you sign up it's made very clear that there are no refunds or deferments for any reason. I'm surprised that they're going back on that.

Wes Mantooth wrote:

Does anyone run in the summer? It's warmer everyday than it will be on Monday. Grow a pair!

If the race were at the end of summer, with a summer's worth of hot training behind you, your point might be valid.

The heat issues is bigger for people are coming from areas where the hottest it's been is in the 50s or 60s. Rude awakening.

If you are fast enough you can register first. I believe registration opens exclusively to runners who qualify by over 20 min. Then there is a second opening at greater than 10 min qualify. Then open to all qualifiers. If you are good enough for one of those you will get in. If not, get a faster QT before 2013 registration. I think that is pretty fair.

Back to the heat. Yes, we all run in high 80s at some point in our training. However even a decent training run doesn't compare to a 26.2 mile race. I wouldn't mind if they moved the start up by 1 or 2 hours. If not I'll be adjusting my pace.

How hot was it for Wanjirus Olympic record?

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

Not everyone who qualifies is guaranteed an entry because it can sell out fast.

It'll be a different situation next year. The new (faster) BQs will be adhered to in 2013.

If there a lot of deferrals from this years race, I could find myself going faster and just meeting the 2013 standard but losing out to someone who was deferred and just met the 2012 standard (assuming age groups are the same)

It seems pointless to try for 2013 if this is the case.

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

I did qualify. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the registration process. Not everyone who qualifies is guaranteed an entry because it can sell out fast. The more people scrambling to register, the sooner it sells out.

So you think dropping the criteria will not help with that? Maybe they have the staggered entries again. Go out and train harder. Run faster and sign up on the day. You're online all the time anyway. Hence, you have no reason to bitch.

That would be maddening. Hopefully the BAA will accept ALL who meet the 2013 criteria, plus those who opt for deferral. BTW the deferral policy does not apply to charity runners, and anyone else given a comp bib this year.

AlmostBQ wrote:

If there a lot of deferrals from this years race, I could find myself going faster and just meeting the 2013 standard but losing out to someone who was deferred and just met the 2012 standard (assuming age groups are the same)

It seems pointless to try for 2013 if this is the case.

^This. I qualified with the new standard, but now they're saying that people who qualified with the old standard can defer the race to next year. Does that mean guaranteed entry and less entries available for the rest of us? They get an extra year to register, whether they're still qualified or not, just because of the non-controllable weather? What if the weather is bad next year too? Will these same people be able to defer to 2014? Sounds like a mess. If you want to skip this year and run it next year, just make sure you're still qualified, whether you like the new standards or not.

Get over it already. It's friggin' Boston Marathon. Let's stop treating it like he Holy Grail. If you qualify and don't get in, there are hundreds of other races you can go to for Christ's sake.

Stuff happens. People carrying on like Boston is the end-all, be-all. You think Trayvon Martin would give two-cents about Boston deferrals? Have some perspective already.

Wes Mantooth wrote:

It's not going to be cancelled. I ran in 2004 when it was just as warm and we started at noon rather than the sissified time of 10 am.

If the race wasn't cancelled for the horrific weather in 2007 then they're not canceling it this year. Does anyone run in the summer? It's warmer everyday than it will be on Monday. Grow a pair!

Yes, people run n the summer. Though smart people don't run marathons in the summer.

Wes Mantooth wrote:

How is this acting tough? People are talking as if an impending disaster will occur on Monday. It's going to be hot. So what? You slow down your pace a little and keep running. Just like you do when it's 90 degrees and humid in the summer.

When it's 90 degrees and humid in the summer, I don't race marathons.

Magic 8 Ball wrote:

Get over it already. It's friggin' Boston Marathon. Let's stop treating it like he Holy Grail. If you qualify and don't get in, there are hundreds of other races you can go to for Christ's sake.

Stuff happens. People carrying on like Boston is the end-all, be-all. You think Trayvon Martin would give two-cents about Boston deferrals? Have some perspective already.

The BAA policy in plain English at registration was no deferrals - period. The race goes on rain or shine.

What ticks a lot of folks off is now the BAA is reversing itself (probably out of concern for unqualified inexperienced charity penguins) and saying "deferrals will be allowed" and guaranteeing those runners a slot for next year. There shouldn't be any of that, it should be, "don't want to run, okay we will send you a qualifier certificate in the mail".

The BAA wanted less people to run in this heat, they needed to offer runners some reason not to run. As for me, I trained long and hard for this race and just qualifying wasn't easy. There would be no way I didn't run. That being said, I am going to try and run smarter and just requalify for next year. But I agree with others who are upset having less new spots open for 2013. Race director had said in the past that they couldn't keep adding more people because the small towns couldn't handle it

Muebele wrote:

The BAA wanted less people to run in this heat, they needed to offer runners some reason not to run. As for me, I trained long and hard for this race and just qualifying wasn't easy. There would be no way I didn't run. That being said, I am going to try and run smarter and just requalify for next year. But I agree with others who are upset having less new spots open for 2013. Race director had said in the past that they couldn't keep adding more people because the small towns couldn't handle it

I don't know why they need to offer a deferral though. If runners don't want to run it out of concern for their health in regards to the heat, they are free to make that decision. Just like how if someone gets a nagging injury in March, they make the decision to not run on that same basis.

Boston should just hand out finishers medals (yes, I know that it isn't right to do) at the expo to the qualified runners and not offer any deferments. This just about kills my interest in trying to hit under 3:10 at a fall marathon.

AlmostBQ wrote:

The BAA policy in plain English at registration was no deferrals - period. The race goes on rain or shine.

False. In 2007 race directors had all but canceled it due to a storm that produced lashing rain, sleet, and gale force winds marathon weekend. The decision to not shut it down was made at dawn Patriot's Day morning just before the first transport buses rolled into Boston.