Boston Marathon Question

Quoted message said:

Hi, everyone,
A classmate told me that she's running on April 17 in the Boston
Marathon. But she said she does not have an official number because she
does not "qualify." How could she still be running on that day? I
looked at the official website and it did not answer my question: can
you run the 26 miles on April 17, but not be "official"?

Under the rules you can still run the race as a representative of a
charity. The following is from http://tinyurl.com/fs489.

"There are eighteen official charities particpating 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."

--
Phil M.

"Phil M." <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hi, everyone,
A classmate told me that she's running on April 17 in the
Boston Marathon. But she said she does not have an
official number because she does not "qualify." How could
she still be running on that day? I looked at the official
website and it did not answer my question: can you run the
26 miles on April 17, but not be "official"?

Under the rules you can still run the race as a
representative of a charity. The following is from
http://tinyurl.com/fs489.

"There are eighteen official charities particpating 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."

Yeah, but she said she doesn't have an official number. Charity
runners get numbers.

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Mark Hutchinson said:

Yeah, but she said she doesn't have an official number.

Right.

Quoted message said:

Charity runners get numbers.

Then she'll have a number. What's the problem? I'm missing something
here. ;-)

--
Phil M.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Hi, everyone,
A classmate told me that she's running on April 17 in the Boston
Marathon. But she said she does not have an official number because
she
does not "qualify." How could she still be running on that day? I
looked at the official website and it did not answer my question: can
you run the 26 miles on April 17, but not be "official"?

Bandits are not encouraged but if you can get to the start and you line
up at the back of the pile where sign says bandits you can run unimpeded
and that includes using all the aid stations. They don't even care if
you cross the finish line because it is chip timed and you don't cause
any problems.

The real question is one of morality. Bandits are not often appreciated
and many feel it is stealing, etc. I have never played the bandit
because I was always been lucky enough to qualify. Even if I did not
quality I would not run. Different people have different values.

-DF

btw doug, what's your boston pr?

An unofficial runner is called a bandit.
They're tolerated to some degree in most races,
and in others forcefully expelled.
They're somewhat disdained by registered runners
because they are stealing resources in the race.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Then she'll have a number. What's the problem? I'm missing
something here. ;-)

Yup, you are. The OP said her friend was running *despite* not
having a number and wondered how that was possible. She didn't
ask how her friend *could* get a number. The info you provided
was correct, but it wasn't an answer to the question asked. The
real answer is that her buddy plans to run as a bandito.

You're probably correct. Sometimes my naivete gets the best of me. I just
like to think that people will do the right thing.

--
Phil M.

"Phil M." <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Mark Hutchinson said:

Yeah, but she said she doesn't have an official number.

Right.

Quoted message said:

Charity runners get numbers.

Then she'll have a number. What's the problem? I'm missing
something here. ;-)

Yup, you are. The OP said her friend was running *despite* not
having a number and wondered how that was possible. She didn't
ask how her friend *could* get a number. The info you provided
was correct, but it wasn't an answer to the question asked. The
real answer is that her buddy plans to run as a bandito.

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<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

btw doug, what's your boston pr?

As best I can remember 3:07:nn at age 44 or 45. Back then I needed to
run sub 3:10/15 to qualify. It's now 3:20(40-44) and 3:30(45-49). Even
you should be able to qualify. 😉

-DF

I am still 50/50 about running as a bandit. So there is a section for
bandits at the start?
If I do run as a bandit, I plan on placing friends along the course
with h20 and goo.
I am training as if I will run, still a bit nervous-- about the whole
bandit idea.

Quoted message said:

Hi, everyone,
A classmate told me that she's running on April 17 in the Boston
Marathon. But she said she does not have an official number because she
does not "qualify." How could she still be running on that day? I
looked at the official website and it did not answer my question: can
you run the 26 miles on April 17, but not be "official"?

Quoted message said:

So there is a section for
bandits at the start?

Oh sure! It's right at the front of the pack, right in front of the
Kenyans.

Quoted message said:

I am still 50/50 about running as a bandit. So there is a section for
bandits at the start?
If I do run as a bandit, I plan on placing friends along the course
with h20 and goo.
I am training as if I will run, still a bit nervous-- about the whole
bandit idea.

If this is your first officially bandited race, it's normal
to be nervous. After a few times of banditing a race, I think
it should get better and you won't feel nervous anymore.

jobs

Running as a bandit is as daring as most of these mouth breathers ever
get.

Thanks, everyone, for replying!

My friend is *not* running for an official charity. In fact, I was
trying to convince her to run for an unofficial charity that is
involved with alleviating problems in Sudan. It didn't sound like she
was running as a bandit--otherwise, I think she would, ahh, point out
that what she was doing was illegal or something.

It sounded like to me that she had to run within a certain time
(adjusted to her age and gender) in order to "qualify." It sounded like
someone had to record her time. If she ran within that time, the next
time she would get a number. Does that make any sense?

btw, do any of you know if it's very rare for people to run for
unofficial charities?
-Mimi

Phil M. said:

Quoted message said:

Hi, everyone,
A classmate told me that she's running on April 17 in the Boston
Marathon. But she said she does not have an official number because she
does not "qualify." How could she still be running on that day? I
looked at the official website and it did not answer my question: can
you run the 26 miles on April 17, but not be "official"?

Under the rules you can still run the race as a representative of a
charity. The following is from http://tinyurl.com/fs489.

"There are eighteen official charities particpating 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."

--
Phil M.

Quoted message said:

My friend is *not* running for an official charity. In fact, I was
trying to convince her to run for an unofficial charity that is
involved with alleviating problems in Sudan. It didn't sound like she
was running as a bandit--otherwise, I think she would, ahh, point out
that what she was doing was illegal or something.

Not illegal, just not within the Boston Marathon rules.

Quoted message said:

It sounded like to me that she had to run within a certain time
(adjusted to her age and gender) in order to "qualify." It sounded
like someone had to record her time. If she ran within that time, the
next time she would get a number. Does that make any sense?

Yes, a runner has to qualify by meeting the standards as set forth by the
Boston Athletic Association - http://tinyurl.com/dw8eb. This is done at
another official marathon event that is within the proper time frame.

--
Phil M.