Are you planning to Run Boston?

Edit: Yes I am.  I'll be running Boston April 20, 2020!!!   

Thank you Gate City Striders!

I live in New England and if you mention a marathon, everyone assumes you’re going to “Run Boston”. The race is iconic in the region, and over shadows every other regional marathon.  It’s pop culture in these parts. I remember watching highlights of the race as far back as I can remember.

Anytime I tell someone I’m a runner, the question of am I going to run Boston always comes up.

The short answer, not very likely.

There are two ways to run in the Boston Marathon. Complete a marathon in what is referred to as a “qualifying time” (minus 5 mins), or apply for a charity bib.

Completing a qualifying time would likely require years of training for me. Running coaches and even more time away from my family. A charity bib requires a year(or less) of fundraising that would take on the appearance of a second job, or a financial situation that makes writing a $5,000 check seem like nothing.

Boston has such a history, and is in many ways the goal of so many runners. I have a hard time believing that running the race can live up to anticipation and expectation. I have heard many runners say in September or December, the last time they ran was Boston. I joked if the roads of the race were made of rainbows, and the water stops served chilled unicorn juice, maybe just maybe the race could live up to my internal expectations.

All that doesn’t even take in account the winter training. Which I admit I am learning to love.

There is ONE reason I would push to run Boston. If my best friend asked me to run it for her. She was there in 2013. She was hurt in the explosions, but she stayed calm and helped others that day. If she asked me to run for her, I’d figure out how to make it happen.

Just to put this in perspective, a qualifying time for my age (40) is 3 hours and 45 mins, but if I want to guarantee I get a bib, I need 3 hours and 40 mins or better.  That means I average for the qualifying race around 8 mins and 20 second per mile. If I wait until 2022, I get 10 more minutes added to my qualifying time. My last reasonable long run had an average pace of 13 minutes and 07 seconds(I don't count the 13:34 but the sidewalks were snowy ice and I was trying to levitate).

It is possible that someday for fun, I’ll go run the Boston Marathon route with a friend or two. But not this year.

All that said, my best running friend is running Boston and fundraising for Impact Melanoma, please consider donating on her page to help her and the charity out.