The 129th running the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America is coming on Monday, April 21. This is arguably one of the biggest races in the country, with a competitive time cutoff to register. But of course, that begs the question… is the Boston Marathon on your race bucket list?
The Boston Marathon Is A Dream Race For Many
From the start line in Hopkinson to the finish after the famous left on Hereford, right on Boylston, the Boston Marathon is the race of so many people’s dreams. The course is super challenging with twists and turns and all the hills. And of course, the field is full, welcoming more than 30,000 runners each year. It’s been a triumph for women runners, with Bobbi Gibb hopping on to the course from the bushes in 1966 and Katherine Switzer registering without using her first name in 1967. And of course, no one will ever forget the tragedy of 2013, which led to a renewed sense of strength, power, love, and community.
What Makes The Boston Marathon Unappealing To Me
There are a few things that make Boston pretty unappealing to me. Of course, there’s the legacy and the hype, which is super exciting, but beyond that… The start time is soooo late. I am an early morning runner, and even 8AM feels late to me. The idea that I wouldn’t cross the start line until after 10AM is unfathomable. I’m also terribly unprepared for the hilly course. There’s just nothing to compare it to here. And while I could easily throw down a 5K or 10K in those conditions, 26.2 miles is daunting. Finally, I’d be so nervous about missing the cut off at the finish line. We all know I’m not super speedy, and it would be hard to get out of my own head.
But Let’s Be Honest
The truth is that I will most likely never qualify for the Boston Marathon. I also don’t want the pressure of fundraising for a charity bib. And the idea of running another 26.2 miles isn’t really super motivating. But. If a bib did come my way, I wouldn’t turn it down. No matter how much I trained, it would be a challenging day with a late morning start and winding through the streets of Boston, but I would totally be in.
I Did Manage To Get A Unicorn, Though
That’s right… I may not have gone up Heartbreak Hill or through the Wellsley Scream Tunnel, but I did run a few of the Boston Marathon’s iconic streets at the BAA 10K in 2019. Running my favorite distance on the streets of Boston to claim my very own unicorn medal was an incredible experience and it definitely scratched the Boston itch for me!
Is the Boston Marathon on your bucket list? Have you run it before?
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Running Boston was on my radar from the moment I registered for my first marathon. When I told my guy friends who I trained with that my husband’s company (Digital) was a sponsor and that I could possibly get a family pass to run it, they told me, “Absolutely not, you only run Boston if you earn a spot.” They also told me that they felt that I could run a qualifying time at my first marathon, that fall’s Marine Corps Marathon. I trained hard at the track with the guys, ran all other runs 100% alone, and qualified with less than a minute to spare.
Over the years I qualified 20 times and ran Boston twice, my first and last time qualifying. It truly is the granddaddy of them all.
I forgot to add how fun that you got to run the Boston 10K and get a unicorn medal! That that’s a great picture of you!
I mean… one way or the other, I got the unicorn! It was a really fun event – huge and felt very Boston with the blue and yellow.
I agree that it is a late start. I like races that start early.
Same. I need the ones that start at 6:30AM