Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Apr 27, 2024

Boston Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Boston Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.6

Organization 4.6

Spectators 4.9

Number of comments: 418 [displaying comments 61 to 71]

More Comments: [ < 1 .. 5 6 7 8 9 .. 42 > ]

Dr. Kevin Felton from Hopkinsville, Kentucky (5/8/2011) "I'll be back!" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Boston Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The 2011 race was perfect. Even the weather was perfect for once. Also, the Boston Marathon has been called the "People's Olympics," so I commend the BAA for taking steps to keep it that way! Concerning the 2013 standards, I think the BAA was trying their best to be fair. Besides, the Boston Marathon has always been the race to run for a reason. Kudos to them.
M. S. from Stockholm, Sweden (5/6/2011) "Thank you, Boston (and Massachusetts)" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Boston Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I'm from Sweden, so I wore a Swedish shirt and planned to count the number of utterances of "Sweeeeden!" along the way, but soon gave up. The organization was top-notch, and the people along the roads were totally awesome! Being a bit smaller than London, New York and Berlin, three races I had run prior to Boston, the organizers don't have to plan for something like of a military operation, and the whole experience of Boston was more pleasant than any of those marathons mentioned above.This was THE marathon for me, and I hope to be back one day.
D. L. from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (5/1/2011) "Great Crowds, Superb Organization" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Boston Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Aside from the history, Boston is all about the people and the cheering crowds. They are truly special, obviously very proud of their Boston Marathon, and they really make you feel an important part of 'their' famous marathon. The Newton Hills are harmless and totally manageable, with or without hill training. Simply follow the advice to not go out too fast on the downhills, and you'll breeze up the baby hills. The organization is faultless, absolutely exceptional. Good job Boston. Take a bow, and see you again soon. One tip to BAA: The start placement (wave/corral) for charity runners MUST be based on verified time - as for everyone else. They cannot be permitted to hamper the flow of faster runners by starting too far forward based on a projected time. Runner congestion and slow charity runners will cause runners to trip and fall. I saw it happen.
J. L. from Kansas City (4/27/2011) "Boston - great, but getting too big..." (about: 2011) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Boston Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 6th Boston and just as fun as the previous 5. The personal satisfaction of having hard work pay off never loses its luster. The event is well-organized and is classy throughout. I am happy about the tightening of qualifying times because the crowd is too large; 27,000 people is way too many, especially considering all are experienced and the congestion doesn't ease. I have never seen so many bandits in my life. I actually saw one bandit grab a medal - how do you live with yourself doing that? Thanks to Boston for giving me the honor of participating.
P. J. from Hood River, Or. (4/26/2011) "Outstanding all the way" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Boston Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Just a real privilege to run. A real highlight of my running years and 60-year-old life.
J. M. from Atlanta, GA (4/24/2011) "Nothing like it" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Boston Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The key to enjoying the Boston Marathon is realizing that (elites aside) this is one place where you don't really need to be fixated on your time. Other courses are flatter, less crowded, held at a time of year more conducive to a heavy training schedule, and therefore more likely to a result in a PR. So that shouldn't be your goal. Don't ever lose sight of the fact that just participating in the Boston Marathon is your reward for qualifying somewhere else. Relax, and soak it in! I'm not saying not to run hard. But if you tire early it doesn't diminish your accomplishment and shouldn't tarnish the experience. To me, three things make race day in Boston different from any other large race. First, the runners themselves. They're more polite and supportive to one another than you see elsewhere. Second, the volunteers. They're much better trained (and more numerous) than in any other race I've run in. Third, the crowd: Not only are they incredibly boisterous, but most seem to be cheering on ALL the runners, not just watching for someone they know. In other cities people are pissed off about street closings or constantly try to dash across the path of the race. Very little of that in Boston. They're genuinely proud to host this race. Can't wait to come back next year. I did pretty well this year and hope I do again - but if not, it'll still be a treat that I'll savor for a long time.
r. f. from Hong Kong, SAR China (4/24/2011) "Must do it at least once in your life time" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Boston Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Thought I ran my worst time in my last 6 marathons, this is a must-do.
J. P. from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada (4/23/2011) "celebration of life... exemplary race of mastery" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Boston Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Awe-inspiring, humbling, intimate, electrifying... all of which lead to feeling grateful to run a legendary route with point-to-point, extraordinary support. What an epic adventure in my memory. The aftershock from start to finish of this magnificent race is so powerful, inexplicable, incomprehensible that it leaves me unable to depict its beauty unless you physically run it yourself.... Split a cab with runners to Boston Common for the bus out. It moves so robotically; I was impressed at how efficient they moved so many buses in and out continuously. Roughly an hour drive out to village. Hearing the runners share their stories about getting here was a gem. I walked a few hundred meters into the village from drop-off to a massive field of runners, whether lining up for food, drink, or washroom, with a few hours to spare (3). There I absorbed the atmosphere and totally morphed with the high enthusiastic energy of Boston mortals.... This is a wondrous opportunity to drop all of your stress, reflect on how far you have come, and cherish the experience with thousands of others who share in the same passions that you embrace! There are 24,000 runners; please realize what you've signed up for if you wish for things to be different because Boston couldn't have it more right!!! Only a 20-minute wait for coffee and washrooms...! Baggage drop was smooth - too many volunteers for it to be otherwise...! The .7-of-a-mile walk to the corrals was another sublime undertaking... nerves, anticipation, curiosity, intrigue, you name it. I loved this moment.... Treasure it. Impeccable organization. Smooth, accessible corral systems, split into 3 waves. I was in corral 1, so my positioning allowed for a more favorable opinion on this subject. However upon leaving the village 10 minutes after my corral call, I still managed to walk effortlessly to find my area within minutes, through thousands of runners, to line up just behind the elite men. There's a generously wide path alongside the corrals to enter in and out accordingly. They don't lock them down either, so you could leave the corral to warm up on the side streets! I entered with 8 minutes to start! The national anthem was spectacular. The entire crowd was silent, transmitting a powerful aura in the air. The start was a thrill. Rolling terrain throughout the first 1-2 miles. There are several hills throughout. Adjust your leg turnover rates accordingly, focusing on overall maintenance of effort and cadence (not pace!), and the course allows for blistering speeds... given that the net drop is roughly 450 feet!!! Shorten your strides up, and lengthen on the down. Breathe consistant and controlled, deep from the belly. This is what makes Boston such a great race in my mind. It forces you to train hard, to conserve wisely, and to give the marathon respect. If you do follow these guidelines, you could earn a fast finishing time, as I did, with my 7 minute PB. If you don't follow these rules, this course will make you pay. I flew by a number of runners either walking or puking on the Newton stretch. The Newton hills are undoubtedly challenging, but also highly manageable - perhaps your companions even (ha!) given the potential to gain some momentum and speed on the downhills. Conserve the ups, honor the grades, crush the downs. To do so, you have to incorporate hill training into your routine. I mixed in a ton of ups and downs into my tempos, intervals, and long runs in my program. From miles 21 to 26 you have a brilliant chance to cruise to the finish, with gentle, downhill, flat, and wide streets. i stayed downtown, which was as expensive as a Bahamas vacation; however, it was stress-free. Subway is efficient, with tons of lines throughout city. Two dollars (US) for a one-way adult ticket. A 15-minute ride from Hynes to City Hall. Amazing. If crowds and congestion are your weakness, the expo was a little bit of chaos mashed into one room, but if you can find humor and remain light on your feet, it's painless. The pasta dinner was the only singular disappointment of my adventure. The organization and gathering was overall smooth and executed brilliantly; however, the food was salty and tasteless. Three types of pasta, but each one was horrendous. Green salad with a tiny piece of cucumber and tomato. It probably depends what you're used to ingesting, I assume. I am a runner who chooses to power his body with easy-to-digest, nutrient-dense foods that provide me with as much strength as possible. I would opt out of this meal if I ran it again... keeping off your feet or resting is so imperative. Why run Boston? There were 93 represented countries, 24,000 humans who share the same passion. The honor of qualifying drew rich concentrations of competitive yet humble attitudes. The point-to-point fan support ranges from local retirees to exuberant students to the Wellesley girls to the average Bostonian who is equally as proud to be a spectator as the runners themselves, to a profound vibe that cannot be described. I came to Boston hoping to celebrate the largest, most historically rooted race on the planet. What I quickly and overwhelmingly understood, in conclusion, was a celebration of life and existence in itself. Thank you, Boston. What a wonder!!!
m. s. from Mansfield, TX (4/23/2011) "Do whatever it takes to qualify for this one!" (about: 2011) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Boston Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is the top of my list (out of 54) for the most memorable and awesome experience. Crowd support is awesome, especially the Wellesley girls and Boston College guys. Heartbreak Hill is not that tough and the finish line experience is the best. DO THIS ONE!
C. T. from Albany, NY (4/22/2011) "AMAZING!!!!!!" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Boston Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 One of the most amazing experiences of my life. This was my 10th state and it was truly incredible. As the Nike commercial says, "JUST DO IT!!!!" Organization from the expo, to the water stops, to the shuttles, to the crowd support and electricity in the city... was AMAZING!!!

More Comments: [ < 1 .. 5 6 7 8 9 .. 42 > ]

Become an Advertiser

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Become an Advertiser

© 2000-2024, All Rights Reserved by MarathonGuide.com LLC

Privacy Policy Refund Policy Terms of Use