AlmostBQ wrote:
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.
They don't NEED to, but imagine how big of a disaster it'll be if they have hundreds of back of the pack-ers collapsing with heat stroke. Bad PR for the race, and potentially multiple deaths, are things they really don't want to deal with.