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Boston Marathon – Major Emotional Bummer

I got the following email from someone a few minutes ago.

I’ve been a reader of your blog for some time now, but will follow it no longer. Even though I don’t understand why someone would want to do it,sliding in the back door to run the Boston Marathon they way you secured your number is your business - you have to live with yourself. Bragging on your blog that you are using your influence, and the influence of your friends to essentially buy a place in that race is demeaning to you, and the great race itself, and this is why I’ve lost respect for you. I know many people who have dedicated years to their running, have not met the qualifying standard, but don’t have the money or know friends who can help them buy their way into the race. Trust me – these are the kind of people that don’t have the resources to build a “treadputer,” nor would they want to. But they are the kind of people who truly understand what the Boston Marathon is all about, and would not go unless they met the qualification standard.

If you read this before you line up, I hope you take a look around on the starting line and really take a look at the people surrounding you. The overwhelming majority of these individuals made the sacrifice, did things the right way, and deserved to be there. You can learn quite a bit from them, Brad. If you are reading this after the race, I hope you realize where you fit in on that starting line.

You are a young man, and certainly should be able to qualify the right way. You are not doing this the right way, but I have a hunch you know this. If you are willing to accept and go ahead with this short cut, I no longer have respect for you as a professional, or as a person.

Having spent the last few days getting my head into the idea that I was about to run 26.2 miles on the oldest marathon course in the US, in a city I lived in for 12 years, for a charity that I’ve supported, this really bummed me out. I took a deep breath and wrote the following response.

I’m sorry you feel this way.

I have enormous respect for the Boston Marathon. Having lived in Boston for 12 years, I’ve followed it my entire adult life. I have always known about the qualifying time and never expected to run Boston – I’m a slow runner (PR of 4:05) and I expect that – while I could qualify now that I’ve turned 40, I’ve decided instead to have a goal of running a marathon in every state by the time I turned 50.

I was pleasantly surprised on my 40th birthday by a friend who sponsored me by contributed to a charity affiliated with the race (Michael Listnow Respite Center). I’ve subsequently contributed to the charity, as have some of my friends. I expect you are aware of the relatively new tradition of charity runners at the Boston Marathon (and other marathons.)

I don’t believe this is a backdoor thing. I have an official number and am an invited part of the race (rather than a scab running without an entry.) I didn’t use any special influence - anyone can raise money for the charity to be part of the race – it’s not a matter of “buying a number”, but committing to raise a certain amount for the charity.

The Boston Marathon officially supports this as you can see on the web site “There are eighteen official charities participating in the 2006 Boston Marathon. The charities have fund-raising requirements and give a limited number of runners an opportunity to run Boston while benefiting a locally-based charity or chapter.”

I’m proud to run and contribute to a charity that is affiliated with the race. I have several friends who have qualified to run this year – they have all actively encouraged me to run even though I didn’t qualify by time. Finally, the marathon now segments the start. Charity runners are automatically put in the Second Wave which starts at 12:30. I’ll be lining up in the back so I don’t clog the way for any faster runner.

Again – I’m sorry this has caused you to feel the way you do. We live in a free country so you of course can feel anyway you want. However, I was surprised and saddened to get this email as I didn’t feel like my commentary on my blog about the marathon was disrespectful in any way. In fact, this is the first negative comment or lack of encouragement from anyone that I’ve interacted acted with – including many runners I don’t know – who have encouraged me, including my coach, Bobby McGee, who has coached numerous Olympic and world class runners.

As John Bingham says, “Waddle on, friends.”

April 14th, 2006 Categories: Marathons

http://www.vell.com Dal Coger

Brad, I have to concur with all of your other readers in opposition to that one guy who found fault with using a charity to get a number; I feel that is a GREAT way to get a number and I have thought about doing that a number of times; Actually it is better than the traditional way since you benefit other people, notibly the charity recipients, instead of no one but yourself by raising money for the charity. That guy must have a chip on his shoulder or something; does he feel that the BAA should elimiate the charity runners and thus eliminate a sizable source of charity money for many eminantly worthy charities? Get a life, buddy!!!

Dal Coger
Medford, MA
Len

I scanned the blog and have mixed feelings about how people respond to those running the marathon who didn’t meet the qualifying standard. This includes bandits and charity runners. For such a great race (I’ve yet to run it) does it seem fair to deny someone the experience? Do the bandits and charity runners cheapen the experience for those who have “earned” it? I’m going say “no”. I’m in my 40s and posted a 3:18 and change last year to get into the big show. Sure I trained, quite hard actually. I did my 20 milers staring at 5:00 AM on Sundays, etc. etc. and ran a good race at my qualifier on race day. I got in primarily because God gave me a body suited for running and kept me healthy when needed. It was hard work from me as well. However, there are others who have work harder and longer than I do at running that have not yet qualified and may never do so. It’s definitely not because of their dedication to the craft. Perhaps it’s valid for them to cry “not fair” to me when I train for 6 months, run my first marathon and then qualify. I say let the bandits have their fun at Boston. As long as they don’t take a finishers medal at the end there really is no harm. Charity runners are doing something much more productive for society than I am and I welcome their participation at all events. I think they’ve earned their finsiher’s medal ten times over.
John

I am going to get flamed for this, but I have to say my peace.

Brad, you didn’t run the Boston Marathon. You just paid for the privilege of thinking you did. Running the Boston Marathon means sacrificing months and months of free time and working really hard to get one’s body in shape to qualify for the standards required to QUALIFY for the race…yes, it is a race, not stroll through the park (they keep time for a reason).

I don’t have a problem with charity runners per se. I think their philanthropy is noble. I just have a problem with them being at the Boston Marathon. In fact my issue isn’t with charity runners themselves. It’s with the B.A.A. who, in my opinion, is prostituting the race’s elite reputation to attract thousands of wannabes to pay for undeserved honor of saying they “ran the Boston Marathon”.

So good for you and all the money you’ve raised over the years for some worthy charities. I just wish you would stay away from the race I literally give my blood, sweat and tears for every year, until you truly deserve to be there.
Andrew

Searching the web for an easy qualifying marathon besides St. George and Steamtown, Google showed this blog string by mistake, but nonetheless, some of the comments captivated me, sufficiently for me to participate in such conversations for the first time ever…and probably the last. I will not come back again to see what else may be written, nor will I offer further comments.

Boston is a unique experience. All runners qualified or not are awed by the quality of the field, and there is only one Robert Cheruiyot who won both 2006 (course record) and 2007. Negussie, who won in 2005, wore no. 6 this year and was found disoriented on the course; he did not finish due to the effects of hypothermia. Aside from the very few elite runners who win prize money, or the women this year for the championship, what do all the participants get out of the race?

BAA has the answer, and that is in the question and message that is posted in all the literature and throughout Boston; it is about the “promise”, whatever it is the goal that each runner sets for himself or herself to participate in this road race (or any other race).

As long as a runner understand his “promise”, it really doesn’t matter how fast he runs, or whether or not he qualifies. I train runners to go 26 miles to benefit a local charity, and we have Boston experience and participants on the verge of BQ (that is why I was seaching the web for easy BQ marathons), as well as folks who tax their limits just to do a half. The effort that goes into training and qualifying can not be understated, and it is heart breaking to see a runner missing BQ just by one second. For everyone in our group, a marathon is between the runner and himself, against his own clock, pitted against his own goals and objectives, the BAA “promise”.

At the same time, we are trying to apply to be an official Boston charity although we are not hopeful of our chances since BAA has historically accepted only local charities rather than from out of state. We would love to receive the ten waivers that would probably mean about $30,000 of pledge commitments to our cause.

With that said, I must say that I have not met a Boston marathoner who ran on a sponsor or charity waiver ever tried to hide that status. In fact, I have encountered apologetic clarifications, and that may be the powerful force that drove a friend to finally qualify at age 70 after having run Boston three times in his earlier years from the back.

BAA has it figured out as the current marathon is actually three races in one: the first wave with bib numbers to 10999 consisting of largely sub 3:30 runners, the second wave of slower runners which at 3:30 would start to come in at race clock 4 hours after most first wave runners have already finished, and waiver runners in corral 20 in the back.

As a post script, Boston times are typically slower than qualification times anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes for the average runner.
Andrew

It just goes to show some people really have alot of time on there hands Brad. I think it's great what your doing and I use to be a very competitve runner in my days and I can tell you it take guts, courage, and dedication to run no matter how fast or slow you are. this is a life changing experience that you will never forget. The Boston Marathon is a special event. The BAA invites charaties for a reason and there apart of the event. As a matter of act Bill Rogers is running for a charity this year it goes to show you that running is a family no matter who you are.

To the loser that wrote you this e-mail get a life.

http://intensedebate.com/people/bfeld Brad Feld

Andrew – thanks for the kind (and accurate!) words.

http://everestfire.net Michael Brown

I have been trying to qualify for the Boston marathon for the last eight years. I just made it this spring 2009 with a 3;20.33. I qualified by 27 seconds. I am also Forty years old. I think you running the marathon for charity is absolutely fine! every runner knows that charities are a huge part of running. Helping people is a hell of lot more important then these extremely difficult qualifing standards. As Brad is looking around at all of us "Serious: runners he can pat himself on the back for contributing to a worthy charity. I say welcome aboard. were proud to have you.

http://intensedebate.com/people/bfeld Brad Feld

Thanks! And congrats on qualifying – awesome!

Boston Marathon – Major Emotional Bummer

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