SPECTATOR TIPS FOR BOSTON

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Permalink Reply by Don Garber on April 14, 2011 at 3:18pm

You may not like the answer, but if you are using public transportation, my wife (she is pretty good at marathon spectating) has found that is is hard to see people at moe than one place on course and then again in the last mile or so

You can take a train to about mile 16 (I think that is Ashland but not sure) or a different train to Boston College (about 19). Either of these are crazy crowded both going out and coming back

Email me if you want and I will get her to add anything she can

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Permalink Reply by John Snider on April 14, 2011 at 3:40pm

Thanks---

 

Stealing a bike is looking better all the time...

 

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Permalink Reply by Chris on April 14, 2011 at 8:28pm

I thought this article in Runner's World was pretty good. Part of interest is about half way down the page.  http://www.runnersworld.com/events/boston06/Mag_bestof.html

 

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Permalink Reply by Gary Hearn on April 15, 2011 at 2:44pm

Rather than steal a bike is there anyplace you could rent one? Trying to catch a person on the course using a car or public transportation will probably allow only one viewing unless your first encounter was early in the race.

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Permalink Reply by Run Happy on April 17, 2011 at 7:39am

John, if you post to "Zeke"  on www.marathonguide.com, he will give you all kinds of ways to see your runner.  There is a good chance folks have already posted over there and you will find what you need.

 

Run Happy

(heartbreak hill?  nothing compared to the 6 Newton hills)

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Permalink Reply by John Snider on April 20, 2011 at 8:40am

If I had a chance to do it again--there is the potential to catch a 340ish runner multiple times ---but you have to be flawless.  I rented a bike from urban outfitters in Boston.  Were I to do it again, I would double the rental cost and get the Giant Defy Road Bike and bring my shoes, vs. clunking around on a 45lb hybrid. 

 

The Iphone is a wonderful thing---but navigation on the fly is difficult.  A highlighted Queue sheet with some applied math would make things better.  Also--remember to bring your actual backpack vs. a Steamtown Track bag, as the strings will dig into your shoulders in the 40+ miles of biking it takes to cover 16 miles of the course. 

 

Thanks for the tips...it was an experience even from the wrong side of the fence!

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Permalink Reply by Run Happy on April 20, 2011 at 12:17pm

John, sounds like a great story... how about writing it up and submitting it to Miles & Minutes. 

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Permalink Reply by John Snider on April 20, 2011 at 1:24pm

I didn't know that the publication had lowered it's literary standards, but I have always wanted to get published so I would be happy to take a stab at it!

 

I also plan on developing the "South Boston Marathon"--it is run in South Boston, is a boston Qualifier, if you have qualified for Boston you cannot run, on course nutrition is RC Cola, Moon Pies, and it is followed by a pig roast.  You can deduct a minute from your net time for each post race beer, with style points awarded for karoke!  And the Jacket is made by Carhartt and comes in brown duck or Mossy Oak camo!

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Run Happy on April 20, 2011 at 6:51pm

Hey, What will be the runner limit?  With bear, moon pies, pig roast and Carhartt, you are going to get everyone and maybe even some farm animals!

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Don Garber on April 21, 2011 at 9:22pm

wait...it think you have an issue with the food on your South Boston race.....I saw no pork rinds, boiled peanuts or moonshine (after all, Rocky mount is not really that far away)

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