I am registered to do Boston this year and up until a few weeks ago, the wife and I were all ready for it. We have a room reserved, we were going to come out 4 days early and stay a 2 extra days just to see that sights, take in a RedSox game etc. However, with some financial problems now on the immediate horizon, my wife is for sure not going and I am looking at the very real possibility I may not get to do the race at all either. I have found that I can fly out from Seattle on Sat night, arrive Sunday morning, stay in a questionable hotel in Danvers? and leave at 7pm on Monday for around $600. I am still debating this because I really want to do the race. Is this stupid?? Is it worth it?? In 1999 while visiting NYC I didn’t want to wait in line to go to the top of the WTC and figured I would go next time I was there… Nothing is guaranteed. I may not qualify again. I might get hurt, just not make it etc…
It sounds like a no brainer not to go, if the finances are that much of an issue. What does your wife say about you going and her not going? Is she hinting at why your trying to go so badly?
Seems like a no brainer to put your athletic needs aside and focus on shoring up the finances.
Eta: who cares if you don’t ever go back, when your actual life is sorta hit with what is likely an immediate issue like finances. Are you cool with putting your family $600 more dollars in the hole? That should be the decider not some athletic achievement goal.
I had an entry in the 100th Boston Marathon back in 1996. I was buying my first house that year and didn’t have the extra money to travel up there. I even sent in my cancellation letter to the B.A.A. in order to get my $60 back. For years I regretted that decision. But, when I finally got up there and did the race in 2013, I no longer thought about missing the 1996 race.
So, what I’m saying is that the Boston Marathon will always be there. Don’t do it if you feel guilty about being there. Do to it when you can fully enjoy it.
Good Luck
If you don’t, the terrorists win. RUN!
I may be the wrong one to advise since I always waanted to qualify for Boston but never had any desire to actually run it. I would advise not going this year and concentrating on the finance issues. I had to totally redo my last year goals due to family issues of another kind but in the end it was the right thing to do.
No. Run a marathon closer to home. A race is a race.
If you really want to go you have a few months to “save” $600.
If you go out to lunch DON’T. If you buy a starbucks DON’T. If you drink at a bar DON’T. If you drive less than 5 miles somewhere RUN. etc.
If I truly needed to save money I could do so without making my spouse suffer or even notice. Don’t make your wife suffer with 1-ply toilet “sand” paper so you can run Boston!
Monetarily it should be possible, but I am very bad at interpreting female-speak so you have to assess whether even if the trip was paid for by your fairy god mother your spouse would still be unhappy.
I think Boston as an “experience” is overhyped. It won’t be some life transforming event. It’s not that different than any other marathon I’ve raced. I didn’t sit around the start in Hopkinton thinking, “wow, this is the promised-land of runners.” $600 for “the jacket” is a lot of money.
Having said that, not sure the magnitude of “financial problems.” If you know they’ll be ephemeral, then I’d “save” the money and go. If there’s any uncertainty, then I’d take a pass. There are a lot of other marathons and you’ve likely got time to qualify again.
The fact that you started this thread says “save the bucks and stay home”.
If it was a lifelong dream to go and you barely qualified and might never get there again, then go. But otherwise… meh. Because of the sheer numbers, it’s not like it’s really a true elite race anyway. It jsut weeds out the average and below average runners.
The talent, training, drive and dedication it takes to BQ isn’t anywhere close to what it takes to KQ for example. Though Boston isn’t nessesarily set up as a world championship race.
Plus, why Boston? Can’t we move it to Hawaii, San Diego or some place I’d actually want to take my family on vacation? Screw all the history and crap.
Do you have kids? If not, then go - you’ll find a way to recover $600, even if it means eating nothing but ramen noodles for a few months. But I would not put my kids in a position of personal sacrifice to cater to my hobby. The race will be there next year, if you’re able to go back then. If not, you still would have done the right thing.
Have you seen the jacket this year? That should be enough proof to convince anyone not to go.
I think Boston as an “experience” is overhyped. It won’t be some life transforming event. It’s not that different than any other marathon I’ve raced. I didn’t sit around the start in Hopkinton thinking, “wow, this is the promised-land of runners.”
I agree that it is not a “life transorming” event (why should it be?). It is, after all, just a race. BUT, for me, the experience was not overhyped. It was totally different than any race I had ever run. The welcome from the city and spectators was amazing. Making the turn down Boylston street is an experience I will never forget.
Running is a hobby. Real life is more important.
If it was a lifelong dream to go and you barely qualified and might never get there again, then go. But otherwise… meh. Because of the sheer numbers, it’s not like it’s really a true elite race anyway. It jsut weeds out the average and below average runners.
The talent, training, drive and dedication it takes to BQ isn’t anywhere close to what it takes to KQ for example. Though Boston isn’t nessesarily set up as a world championship race.
Plus, why Boston? Can’t we move it to Hawaii, San Diego or some place I’d actually want to take my family on vacation? Screw all the history and crap.
One could ask the same question about the Ironman Championship. Why does it have to stay in Kona? We are moving the 70.3 Championship. Wouldn’t it be fair to move the 140.6 Championship so that those that qualified in cold races would have a chance?
The answer is, it won’t move because it is Kona.
Boston won’t move because it is the Boston Marathon run by the Boston Athletic Association. There are marathons everywhere but only one Boston.
If you qualified and were accepted I would bet that you can do it again many times so that you can do it when it works for you. I backed out of Boston last year due to family reasons, qualified again and will be running this year. I have no regrets and would back out again if necessary.
Boston will always be there, wait until your stars align.
This April will be my fifth Boston Marathon. In regards to you situation I have to say, if you have not done Boston before, then go ahead and do it. If You have done it before and or have lots of speed available to you (i.e. you are a really fast marathoner) then blow off this year and come back at a later date. Life is short and fickle, this may be as good as it ever will get for you. Tim
If my financial situation is where I’m debating whether $600 will break me or set me back to a place that I don’t want to be, I’d defer the plan to another time.
Boston is a neat and unique experience for people, like me, who’ve spent a long time trying to qualify, but it’s not neat enough to go into the financial hole for.