Pretty sure they're talking about the Vaporfly / 4% shoes. And yeah they're popular because they have been quite widely anecdotally and empirically proven to be faster for the marathon. No brainer for someone spending thousands on a Boston race anyway.

With regards to the blowups, I agree the weather is what most people underestimated. It seemed like sixty degrees and humidity in the high nineties. Hard to run in that if you've been bundled up for all of your training leading up. I had a pretty good day out there but i treated it like a B-race and didn't really pick up the effort until I was toward the end. I definitely saw the suffering on the course after mile 20 (i'm on the left):

Well given they cut down BQ by 5 minutes, what does that mean if there is no cushion? Do they start to go above the BQ times? or is it just a smaller race?

fwiw, I doubt this will happen because more downhill marathons are appearing everywhere. Everyone will take the easy way in. I'm hoping Derek can post an analysis of runners who BQ'd at these downhill races and their actual performance.

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

Damn I’m beginning to wonder if anyone else besides me had a perfect race. It was my first Boston (had a corporate bib) and all I needed was 3:25 to qualify for next year. I nailed everything perfectly. I Prepared for the hills and the rain and the heat and the cramps and the nutrition. Ended up at 3:24:52. I think I enjoyed it too much with all the high 5s and cut it a bit too close.

My only question is even though I officially qualified will it be enough to get in next year considering not everyone that qualified this year got in ?

everyone who qualified this year was using the old times with a 4:52 cut-off. The times changed for next year's race so who knows whether there will be a cushion or not. I'm still not sure what happens if not but again, I think there will be a small cut-off anyway with all the downhills gaining popularity.

I assume you are 50-54?

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

Well, I'm actually 49 (turn 50 in November). But I believe the rule is your qualifying time is based on your age at the time you run Boston in 2020 when I'll be 50. Right?

Age on race day. I was just checking since I wasn't sure if you were referring to 2019 BQ times or 2020 BQ times. I myself am 35 next year and absolutely need those 5 minutes...

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

Yea me too. I could squeeze out another 5 minutes if I absolutely had to, but it would take more training then I'm willing to put in at this point.

Red bib whose day went pretty much according to plan. I was targeting sub 2:40 and ended up 2:41:47. The conditions weren’t conducive and probably ended up costing me a couple minutes. Boston is one of those races discipline pays huge dividends. Most of the red bibs are used to running more individual marathons and end up jockeying for position early thus the carnage.

This was my first time to run Boston. BQ'd last year with a conservative race plan (goal was to BQ, wasn't concerned with where I placed).

Was well-prepared and coached heading into the race. Race plan was 3:20 (I am 55).

Guessed correctly on what to wear; nutrition was spot on during the race and stayed hydrated.

Wasn't prepared for the heat that hit me around Wellsley.

Went from "running my plan" to "back down and lock down a BQ for 2020" to "Just finish this @#$%^ race and find a new hobby" as my body shut down on me at 20.

Ended up at 3:50 and am reminded that I must prepare for electrolyte replacement in marathons as I do for 70.3 events.

What's this Red Bib nonsense?

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Guy ran a 3:59 and was in wave 1 corral 5?? Paging marathoninvestigation.com...
4.5.5

Looks like he was wearing a fake belly.

It took me 2 glances to see he is running as Donald Trump w/ his buddy as his "advisor" (I'm not sure who he's acting as)?

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Elizabeth Warren.

I passed these guy walking to the start line. On his back, he had a sign that read "Google Trump Tennis"

In terms of people that had a good race, mine went pretty well. Qualified w/ a 3:04:10 last year at Carmel on just about perfect cool and cloudy day. A goal was 2:55, with a B goal of sub-3. Considering the course and weather for the day, I was happy with my 2:59:22 which included 1 pee stop; good enough for a 4.5 min PR. For me, the sun coming out after heartbreak was tough. Mile 25 to the finish was a challenge and going through that underpass at the end was brutal.

I qualified at Chicago a year and a half ago with a 3:06:xx. So, I was barely a red bib person this year. I figured I was in about 3:10 flat course shape, which I thought would probably translate to 3:15-ish at Boston.

I wound up running 3:16:27, so I was pretty close. Already qualified for next year, so hopefully I can work hard and get under 3:10 then.

I had a perfect day as well. Almost even splits. This is my 3rd year and the first two attempts ended in walks/shuffling to the finish. I took the approach this time that this was a training run with some "character building moments". I finished in 2:58, by no means an amazing time, but so many people don't pay attention to the 16 miles of downhill stress on the quads which is then re-introduced for the last 5 miles after heartbreak. Everyone is worried about the hills of Newton... Guess what??? They are not really that difficult. It is the rest of the course that breaks you. I used a Stryd power meter and it worked great. Ran within a power range and finished the race with a 6:20 final mile (my fastest split). I saw so many folks starting the "shuffle" after heartbreak and knew what they were going through as I had experienced it in the past. I also think most did not take in the humidity. I used probably 18 of the 26 water stops. Took one cup to dump on head and drank the other. In the end, super happy with the outcome and excited for the rest of the season ahead!

Red bib here. I noticed the same thing.

I started at the back of the wave (corral 8) and ran what felt like a good race. I was very surprised to finish in the numbers about 3000 below mine. All the way I was wondering why I saw so many red bibs in trouble. Lots of people walking and throwing up once the sun showed up from Newton to Boylston St.

Before entering the race, I was guessing the same people who worked hard to get there (3h07 for a red bib this year) would be well prepared for the course and its possible range of weather conditions. I guessed wrong.

What do you think your time would have been on a flatter course in your current fitness or really what I'm asking is how much slower did you run the first half or 16 miles than you would have on a normal course? I run a course that is similar to Boston around my home town and still struggle to figure out correct pacing for the hilly 2nd half of the race.

I think if I would have ran the same race/effort I would have been around 2:55. It wasn't that I held back the first half it was more that I was more focused on form (leaning forward and using the downhill as much as I can and minimizing the pounding). I am not a downhill runner, so this course has always been a challenge. I think so many people had issues due to the terrain as well as the heat/humidity. The day before they were still telling people to be prepared for rain and think that many did not adjust to the sudden change.

If they don't fill the race, registration stays open until it does fill. 20 years ago I registered in January with a qualifying time from a race in October. It was only about 10 years ago that it filled on the first day and they had to implement the current registration process.

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The first time man split the atom was when the atom tried to hold Jens Voigt's wheel, but cracked.