Boston marathon 2019

Glencarraig · 06-09-2018 6:47pm #1

Just a heads up that GFA registration opens on Monday September 10th at 15.00 Irish time for those lucky enough to have a qualifying time (run after September 16th 2017) that is 20 minutes faster than their age group qualifying time. https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/enter/registration

Itziger · 08-09-2018 9:50am

Just realised I'd be able to make the date next year which normally doesn't suit. Smack in the middle of 2 week holiday! Never done this and even my not great Valencia 2017 time is 23 minutes under the age QT!!

Glencarraig · 08-09-2018 4:15pm

Itziger wrote: »

Just realised I'd be able to make the date next year which normally doesn't suit. Smack in the middle of 2 week holiday! Never done this and even my not great Valencia 2017 time is 23 minutes under the age QT!!

Should be elected on the first count so.

Limpy · 11-09-2018 11:41pm

Applied, how long does it take to process?

purelike · 12-09-2018 8:14am

Limpy wrote: »

Applied, how long does it take to process?

Nice stuff, Limpy. You’re in for a treat!

Last year I applied on the 13th of Sept and was accepted on the 17th.

Glencarraig · 12-09-2018 12:13pm

purelike wrote: »

Nice stuff, Limpy. You’re in for a treat!

Last year I applied on the 13th of Sept and was accepted on the 17th.

The entry fee was taken on my credit card on Tuesday, not sure if it is just to verify the card or its a good sign !!!

Glencarraig · 12-09-2018 3:11pm

Glencarraig wrote: »

The entry fee was taken on my credit card on Tuesday, not sure if it is just to verify the card or its a good sign !!!

I'm in, just got the confirmation email.

bonaparte2 · 12-09-2018 4:27pm

just entered

Limpy · 15-09-2018 5:15pm

I'm in, hotels are expensive all the same lol

tommykb · 17-09-2018 10:03am

Congratulations! Still waiting, entry went in on Friday afternoon so should get the news early this week

Limpy · 17-09-2018 10:46pm

I'm sure you'll all get in. I booked an apartment (Free Cancellation) 1 T stop from Boston College, (south Street) for me and herself. Everything else is crazy money. The only issue is getting in to the city on marathon morning to get the bus. Its 45 minutes on the T.

Open to suggestions as I have never been to the city.

thomas anderson. · 18-09-2018 9:42am

Applied on the 12th with a >13 min QT in the 35-39 Cat. Transaction is pending on the CC.

Still havent heard anything

tommykb · 18-09-2018 9:47am

Got my email/place last night - now the saving starts!

bonaparte2 · 18-09-2018 10:35am

thomas anderson. wrote: »

Applied on the 12th with a >13 min QT in the 35-39 Cat. Transaction is pending on the CC.

Still havent heard anything

same here

thomas anderson. · 18-09-2018 10:54am

bonaparte2 wrote: »

same here

And now we are 2 :cool:

pgmcpq · 18-09-2018 4:17pm

thomas anderson. wrote: »

Applied on the 12th with a >13 min QT in the 35-39 Cat. Transaction is pending on the CC.

Still havent heard anything

bonaparte2 wrote: »

same here

thomas anderson. wrote: »

And now we are 2 :cool:

The registration re opened again yesterday so anything -5 or better is in (barring an extraordinary surge of late BQ-5 registrations). The time taken to send a confirmation is entirely random. Lsst year it look over a week after I registered. This year I had the confirmation on Friday. It varies by race and I suspect is generally slower for races outside the US. There was reportedly a tweet from BAA that "a small percentage" from week 2 registrations would be accepted. Also reportedly a rejection for BQ-2.57 has been seen. (Letsrun being the source for this info)

Limpy · 18-09-2018 4:33pm

pgmcpq wrote: »

The registration re opened again yesterday so anything -5 or better is in (barring an extraordinary surge of late BQ-5 registrations). The time taken to send a confirmation is entirely random. Lsst year it look over a week after I registered. This year I had the confirmation on Friday. It varies by race and I suspect is generally slower for races outside the US. There was reportedly a tweet from BAA that "a small percentage" from week 2 registrations would be accepted. Also reportedly a rejection for BQ-2.57 has been seen. (Letsrun being the source for this info)

See is your name on the entry list.

I read some lad put in his half marathon time. He got in but has since been found out.

AAD · 18-09-2018 4:58pm

Am I right in thinking this is the GFA registration that is open at the minute, and that it will be a lottery for everyone outside of the GFA regulations??

Murph_D · 18-09-2018 6:18pm

There is no general lottery for Boston. If you don’t have a GFA, you need to go the tourist route. Marathon Tours International should be able to sort you out.

AAD · 18-09-2018 7:13pm

Murph_D wrote: »

There is no general lottery for Boston. If you don’t have a GFA, you need to go the tourist route. Marathon Tours International should be able to sort you out.

So GFA or get ripped off by a travel agent.

purelike · 19-09-2018 11:06am

This is the Boston Marathon, so it should be thought of as BQ, not GFA in my mind.

One thing to remember is that getting you’re BQ doesn’t guarantee you entry, you would want to be 4 minutes faster than it to be sure. For more details read here; https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20861865/2018-boston-marathon-cut-off-time/. I suspect that the cut-offs will be more forgiving this year, as lasts years race was slow.

bonaparte2 · 19-09-2018 5:41pm

purelike wrote: »

This is the Boston Marathon, so it should be thought of as BQ, not GFA in my mind.

One thing to remember is that getting you’re BQ doesn’t guarantee you entry, you would want to be 4 minutes faster than it to be sure. For more details read here; https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20861865/2018-boston-marathon-cut-off-time/. I suspect that the cut-offs will be more forgiving this year, as lasts years race was slow.

https://mathematicalrunner.com/2018/09/11/what-you-thought-the-boston-marathon-cutoff-will-be/

other peoples hunches

Glencarraig · 19-09-2018 9:34pm

Does anybody have any experience of the situation with the T on race day. I have a hotel booked with free cancellation but it's about a 25 minute trip to Boston Common and the station is 15 minutes from my hotel. I have heard that the T runs early on race day but does it run early on all the lines and from how far out. The alternative is to book an Air B&B a bit closer to downtown but prices have gone a bit mad since the acceptance emails started going out. I have been told that you need to be on a specified bus to the start depending on your corral number. Any advice/suggestions welcome.

Limpy · 19-09-2018 10:35pm

Glencarraig wrote: »

Does anybody have any experience of the situation with the T on race day. I have a hotel booked with free cancellation but it's about a 25 minute trip to Boston Common and the station is 15 minutes from my hotel. I have heard that the T runs early on race day but does it run early on all the lines and from how far out. The alternative is to book an Air B&B a bit closer to downtown but prices have gone a bit mad since the acceptance emails started going out. I have been told that you need to be on a specified bus to the start depending on your corral number. Any advice/suggestions welcome.

I checked most of the Airbnb myself before entry. Prices still high and locations not great. Best bet is a 3+ room apt split between a few people.

I booked a hostel which was booked out when rooms became available few months ago. Think it was 300 from Friday to Tuesday. 1 bed in 4 bed dorm near Boston Common. But I'm going with herself now so needed a normal place. If someone on here wants it I can ask mail them to change name.

Murph_D · 19-09-2018 11:48pm

AAD wrote: »

So GFA or get ripped off by a travel agent.

Well I wouldn’t even consider the tourist route yet. Boston is relatively easy to qualify for. Good luck!

purelike · 20-09-2018 10:15am

Glencarraig wrote: »

Does anybody have any experience of the situation with the T on race day. [...] I have heard that the T runs early on race day but does it run early on all the lines and from how far out. [...] I have been told that you need to be on a specified bus to the start depending on your corral number. Any advice/suggestions welcome.

The T starts running before the buses start leaving Boston Common. It’s very easy to use. You can get like a 5 days T pass which is very cheap, like $15 or something.

You don’t need to be on a specific bus. You are told to be waiting to board at Boston Common between certain times depending on your wave, that said, last year I was late for my bus wave and was left on the next no bother.

The bag drop situation is different there. You drop your bag for after the race just after the finish line, then you walk to Boston Common and go through security to get to the buses. You are allowed to bring another bag with you here to Hopkinton. I think this bag has to be clear for security reasons.

Limpy · 22-09-2018 11:05pm

purelike wrote: »

The T starts running before the buses start leaving Boston Common. It’s very easy to use. You can get like a 5 days T pass which is very cheap, like $15 or something.

You don’t need to be on a specific bus. You are told to be waiting to board at Boston Common between certain times depending on your wave, that said, last year I was late for my bus wave and was left on the next no bother.

The bag drop situation is different there. You drop your bag for after the race just after the finish line, then you walk to Boston Common and go through security to get to the buses. You are allowed to bring another bag with you here to Hopkinton. I think this bag has to be clear for security reasons.

Also what you take to hopkinton stays in hopkinton, unless you want to run with it. It's a shame that bag situation is like this. Is the logistics involved to much or is it purely a reaction to 2013.

Glencarraig · 23-09-2018 8:37pm

Limpy wrote: »

Also what you take to hopkinton stays in hopkinton, unless you want to run with it. It's a shame that bag situation is like this. Is the logistics involved to much or is it purely a reaction to 2013.

Well there the final resting place for my "Ron Hill Tracksters" then and I'm sure I have a rag of a long sleeve tee in the back of a drawer somewhere.

PaulieYifter · 23-09-2018 8:50pm

Hello all. I'm in again - 7th year in a row (although I missed 2 with injury). Anyway, I'm a bit of a fanatic for this race so any queries be happy to recount my experiences to date - was there for the 1st time in 2013 but thankfully since then the only curve balls have been weather related.

WithCheesePlease · 25-09-2018 6:04pm

PaulieYifter wrote: »

H...so any queries be happy to recount my experiences to date...

Hey, I might take you up on your offer if you don't mind!

I've signed up for next year, can't wait. I'm curious about race day logistics... From brief googling I can see waves could have one starting any time up to almost noon (I'm in the 35-39 bracket with a BQ time of 2:58). I'm curious, once you cross the finish line, is it quick enough to make your way through to grabbing your medal and all the way to collecting your dropped bag and away? Or is that all a bit of an ordeal with crowds and security? I'm all for soaking in the atmosphere and enjoying the occasion and the experience, but at the same time, I booked myself on the Aer Lingus flight back on the Monday night at 21:30 for a reason that seemed logical at the time, but I'm now starting to wonder if I've made a giant mistake! Any thoughts? I'm sure it's going to be doable, but just wondering if there's anything particularly nutty about the post-race experience that I should be aware of?

bonaparte2 · 25-09-2018 6:58pm

I've signed up too. I was in Boston as a spectator in 2017 . It was pouring rain, a terrible day altogether as you may recall. The next day I was doing the tourist stuff, the MFA and a bit of Harvard as well as the city centre. I saw the runners everywhere, on the trains especially.
I think the next day to be walking around the town allows you to savour your achievement and to bask in the admiration and perhaps envy of those that did not run. Getting out of Dodge with your medal asap would not be my choice though I understand people are limited by time or money or other obligations.

Boston marathon 2019

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