jonahsdad wrote:
TropicPlace wrote:
VGT wrote:
jonahsdad wrote:
Banditing Boston is not like banditing most other races. The Boston marathon limits field size due to its ability to only handle a certain number of runners. ((I think is has been stated that the limitin factor is the size of the starting area). Thousands of people qualify for boston but are still unable to get a spot. Every person who bandits is indirectly stealing a spot from one of the people who qualified. This is really no different than if 100 people parked they bikes on the pier at kona and bandited the race. 100 less legitimate people would be able to race kona because their spot was taken by a bandit.
Not quite sure you understand what banditing is.
I was scratching my head on this logic as well. With respect to IM races (e.g., Kona), I imagine the bib stealing would be a bit more difficult to do since there are assigned spots to park your bike and transition bag locations.
I completely understand banditing. Let me try again.
At the boston start line there is only enough room for a certain number of people. If a bandit is standing there he is taking up space and preventing the race from allowing a legitimately qualified person from registering and running the race. Boston race directors look at the starting line see it is full and realize 'we cant let any more people in next year". They might like to let 10000 more people in but it would be logistically impossible. All those bandits in the race are being taken into account when the boston directors decide how many people can run.
At the kona pier there is only enough room for a certain number of people. If a bandit parks his bike there he is taking up space and preventing the race from allowing a legitimately qualified person from registering and running the race. Kona race directors look at the pier see it is full and realize 'we cant let any more people in next year". They might like to let 100 more people in but it would be logistically impossible.
See, same situation. Yes, spots are assigned at kona and not boston but the concept is the same. A bandit is taking the spot of someone who would like to be doing the race.
Article here discussing that Boston's field size is limited by the amount of people Hopkinton will allow to squeeze into its streets.
Ah, I see what you are getting at. I agree with Boston, but less so for Kona just because of logistics of getting your bike into transition. IMWI was pretty strict about identifying people entering transition (wristbands and numbers). Again, I am not saying it is impossible to pull off. But, the logistics would prevent any sizable number of people from doing it in the same race.