SWBKRUN fast, furious, and closed (Page 239)

To answer your question, yes I do think it was fair that Chet and Linda's husband got locked out because they didn't sign up in time.  They knew the rules and they didn't follow them. Too bad. In today's world you have no idea whether or not you can get in until the magic kingdom (ala BAA) tells you that even though you "BQed" you can't run because you actually needed to be FASTER than the BQ to get in.  To me it's black and white, you either met the qualifying time and signed up before it filled up or you didn't. 

Like you said earlier, time to pull the plug on this conversation.  We're like two people speaking completely different languages.

The good news for everyone is I am off for work travel for two days so the topic can die right here.

I agree, to a cerain extent.  There was absolutely no precedent indicating a need to be online within 7 hours of the race opening - unlike many of the WTC events.  I think it took 8 weeks for 2010 to fill.  Given a precedent, as we have for the IM races, or a history of Boston itself filling in hours, many people would have been online at the stroke of whatever o'clock.  We've done it before, made it in to every event we've wanted, and I could have done it for Jeff last year.

I think that this year's plan for Boston was a compromise - they didn't want to raise the standards because the qualifying window was already open, but they needed to make a change.  Way too many people that did qualify, many qith good margins, didn't get in - on the day that it opened.   So start with the fastest runners (as it should be, this is Boston) and give everyone a 48 hour window.

So rather than making it a race of internet speed, or availability on 1 morning 6 months out, it becomes a race for the fastest runners.

I think next year's time standards will solve the problem.  BQ has been raised by 5 minutes, (effectively 5:59 with the cushion being eliminated) and this year everyone who entered within the first 2 weeks, with a time 3:46 slower than that got in.

My .02

I'll stop now, too.

Have a good trip, Suzy - stay out of Argentina, air's not good! 

one of my dogs just farted and it really stinks.  dogs farts are always silent too, good for dog farts.. sneak up on em, just like the baa!

You ask you shall receive!

Wow, BAA, dog farts...I will take the pics of Chrissie any day. They turned out great, thanks for sharing!

Everyone have a great week

http://news.yahoo.com/100-old-marathoner-finishes-race-235239203.html

I hope I can still do stuff like this at 100...

Good Morning everyone! I need to get caught up since I was off line all weekend, but wanted to share my weekend news with my amazing MG.

The Defiance 50k was an amazing training run (race), stairs, steep ascents and descents, mostly single track, and I started coming down with a cold the night before (feel like crap now). It gave me lots of things to work through and once again showed me just how important the mental aspect is. I brought in the sweeper on this one... DFL with a time of 8:16 ish. Ha! Don't feel bad for me though. It was an awesome personal journey. I was completely defeated on the 2nd loop, missed the cutoff, thought I was finished, then the RD told me I could go on and finish the 3rd loop. Given a 2nd chance I found a 2nd wind and finished the 3rd loop 15 minutes faster than the 2nd. More details to follow in the RR

Way to go Roni!!  Sounds like that was a huge 2nd wind with a 15 minute improvement!!

Jayne- Congratulations on the speedy half marathon walk! That is a faster pace than most of my runs these days, ha! I'm so happy that the surgery went so well for you and you are able to do these things without the pain you had in the past. Great job on the amazing recovery and fantastic year of training and racing!

Linda- SO happy to hear you're back at it and getting some great tube changing training in! You are going to ROCK IMAZ! Congrats to Zach too!

Steve- Awesome pics! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing this, George! My daughter sent the article on his sprint records to me, but I hadn't seen his marathon finish yet. Awesome!

Yeah Roni, way to go! Keep on inspiring us!!

Awesome Roni!  Can't wait for the RR.  You are such an inspiration!

Way to hang ni there and get it done!  Certainly sounds like great mental training as well as physical.  Hope you feel better soon!

First Half Marathon done and under my belt now.

WHAT A GREAT EXPERIANCE AND A GREAT DAY.

I also quit my job on Friday. The last 3 months or so have been hell and I have had enough. I found something closer to home 25km drive instead of an 80km drive to work 8 hour work days (ok its engineering never steady 8) But compared to my min 10 hour day with 2 hours commuting. 

More time for my wife and training right? I mean I signed up to do my first Half Ironman distance race for REV3 Cedar Point 2012 and I need training time. So I can't have work getting in the way.

Anyways I hope to get back here more often now once my final two weeks at this job are up. I have had enough of the 65-75 hour work weeks and the 10 hours of driving.

Race Report here. Hope you are all doing AWESOME and had a GREAT summer.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=271796&posts=3#M3726574

Great Job Roni... Weather was perfect for that race this weekend!  Great job getting it done, but dangit... Next time your in this next of woods please let us know... I know a few who like to trail run around here !!!

Way to go man... that is inspiration, slightly insane if you ask me. But amazing non the less.

Just yesterday I swore that I would never run anything longer then a half marathon as I was running my first half marathon. HAHAHA

Just thought I would peak my head in with all this talk about Boston.  I LOVE to talk about Boston.  I believe the NEW system effective for 2013 is fair and needed.  I believe everyone that qualifies on the new standards will be able to get in during normal registration for 2013 (based on this years numbers).  Eventually the times will drop and they have a system in place to reward the fastest runners.  I agree.

My personnel experience has been frustrating because of a few reasons.  

1)  For 2011 I was one of the first ones to submit my application but it would not go through, repeatedly.  I was traveling so by the time I got to try again, it was sold out.  My mistake for not having a backup plan.  Shame on BAA for not having better servers.

2)  For 2012 they changed the process AFTER I qualified.  I injured myself on my last long run but still knew I could run the 3:15 without having run the 3 weeks prior.... barely.  If I knew about the new standards, it would have changed my race.  

3) And finally, both years they could have absorbed every qualified runner with charity spots.  This year there are over 7,000 non-qualified runners.  I say keep the charity spots, but open them up to people with qualifying times.  2,200 people didn't get in this year.  

Thanks Suzy for the heads up.  I hope everyone is doing great.  

Next up for me CIM.  Boston 2013!!!

Chet

why do you hate beer drinkin' firefighter's, kim?

chet!

Congrats on completing your first HM Chris!!

This made me laugh John.  Black Jack Stout after my HIM Saturday.

Hi Chet, thanks for all your help last season!

That comment by John made me laugh too!!!