Reflections on Boston Marathon 2011

Mutai ripping off a 2:03:02!!

Trimming the field right move for Boston Marathon*

The people who run the Boston Marathon form a type of cult.
They're a bunch of energy bar-fueled, short short-wearing, Gatorade-infused, lithe superhumans.

Or are they?

Recently, the Boston Marathon has been bombarded by joggers. You know, the more regular people. They eat real food, wear longer shorts, occasionally drink soda, and would be better titled simply "runners."

True, they do decide it would be fun to run 26.2 miles fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon, which is more than a little crazy, but they're normal. Ish.

If time parameters would help you to better categorize "superhuman" and "runner," a "super elite" might run consistent five- or six-minute miles (or, in the case of this year's winner Geoffrey Mutai, consistent 4:42 miles) while a "runner" might run consistent eight- or 10-minute miles, depending on their age.

Don't scoff at these "runners"; they train crazy amounts and are fantastic athletes. They do a seemingly superhuman thing: jog at a relatively fast pace for 26.2 miles (or a few hours). They just don't run for a living.

This abundance of "runners" has caused problems for the Boston Marathon. This year, 24,338 people ran the race. Countless more people qualified for the marathon but didn't get in because registration sold out in eight hours and three minutes. Yep, that many people wanted to run the Boston Marathon.

And there aren't that many superhumans out there qualifying; it's the more-normal "runners" who fill the spots.

These "runners," and this year's quick sellout, have caused a change in Boston protocol; starting in 2013, all qualifying will decrease by five minutes. For 2012, registration for the marathon will not be first-come, first-served like this year; it will be a fast-runner, fast-serve. So the runners with the fastest qualifying times will get first priority.

Oh, the hullabaloo - many "runners" are upset. It's even harder to get into the Boston Marathon now.

I think the change is a great idea. It ensures that Boston remains an exclusive cult ... er, club. It keeps the Boston Marathon as an elite-runner event - not entirely composed of super-elite distance runners, but definitely just elites and the fastest "runners."

I think raising the bar is a good thing; it gives people something to strive for. I mean, I'm not the one running 26.2 miles, so I wouldn't know what it feels like to qualify but not run the Boston. But this procedural change will capture the magic of the Boston Marathon - it's elite.

*with credit to the "Phillyburbs.com"