The Running Thread - 2018

[croach]

I know a lot of elites will drop out if they are no longer in contention, but looking at the top 10 on each side it seems like a crazy high percentage of runners who were in the lead groups dropped out. Other than the leaders and Americans who were in those groups it doesn’t seem any bothered to finish.

23 DNFs from elite field

 

[Jules76126]

The weather is rough. We were at mile 26.1 and were soaked. My BIL ran it in 2:45 and had to go to the med tent for hypothermia as it’s so cold and wet. We saw Des come by which was cool but glad to back inside.

 

[Chaitali]

It was so hard to find a live stream of the race! I found a random Facebook live channel I was able to watch on and caught the end of the women's race. I was so happy to see Des Linden win! She's amazing and seems so down to earth in interviews.

As for today's QOTD, I'm going with Tokyo because it seems the most bang for your buck if someone else is paying the costs

Coffee... I only have one cup in the morning at work but I'm trying to wean off that too since coffee has been bothering my stomach lately and I'm switching to tea.

 

[Barca33Runner]

23 DNFs from elite field

I don't know enough about it to say I have full context for that number, but it *seems* high. I know it's win or bust for most of the elites, I was kind of postulating that the weather may have exaggerated that motto on the day.

 

[NurseRunner]

QOTD: If you were to get free entry into a World Marathon Major race of your choice (including airfare and hotel), which one would you choose? Is this a race you've run before or one you'd be running for the first time?

Bonus QOTD (continuing with our beverage theme): Coffee. Let's talk coffee. Do you drink it? How much? How often? What's your favorite coffee?

I’d probably pick Chicago, but mostly because ailing parents would be able to see me race.(They live there). It would be a first, as I have not completed that distance.

Coffee...yes. I’m in healthcare it is a staple of our diet. I wouldn’t say I have a favorite, but I do stock up every time I’m at Disney from the Joffrey’s store, and grind it myself. I do not like Starbucks however.

 

[ZellyB]

ATTQOTD: London for me. I love London and running through there would be amazing.

I drink coffee everyday in the mornings, but don't really have a favorite per se. I'm not that big of an expert, so just plain ole coffee for me most of the time.

 

[McNs]

NYC all the way for me! Love that city!!

Coffee - at home I’ll have a French press with no milk. We have a grinder and the bean selection at our local supermarket has a good range of locally roasted beans.

If at a good cafe I’ll get a flat white - an antipodean creation (NZ and Aus fight over who made it first) which is kinda like a latte cappuccino blend. Made well it is sublime. If at a mall it is often Starbucks but like @jennamfeo only the foo foo drinks - their regular coffee is terrible!

At work we have a machine that does a pretty good americano so that’s my go to there!

 

[gjramsey]

I don't know enough about it to say I have full context for that number, but it *seems* high. I know it's win or bust for most of the elites, I was kind of postulating that the weather may have exaggerated that motto on the day.

Do Elites get paid appearance fees for Boston? if so, hopefully they give it back if they dropped out. Too bad the weather sucked. Most of the rest who qualified to run are going to go the distance.

 

[Miranda]

Do Elites get paid appearance fees for Boston? if so, hopefully they give it back if they dropped out. Too bad the weather sucked. Most of the rest who qualified to run are going to go the distance.

Some of them surely do... I think they have to actually start the race though, so Jordan Hasay probably didn't get paid. I'm not sure why the others would give them back though if they started and ran... they did what they were paid for, they appeared.

 

[FFigawi]

Good morning (or whenever you're reading this), runners!

As most of us know, today the state of Massachusetts is celebrating Patriots' Day. While Massachusettsians remember this day as the start of the American Revolution, for runners, Patriots' Day means something else entirely - it means the running of the Boston Marathon.

Little known fact: us Mainers celebrate Patriot's Day too. As an extra bonus, federal tax returns for MA and ME residents are due tomorrow thanks to today's holiday.

QOTD: If you were to get free entry into a World Marathon Major race of your choice (including airfare and hotel), which one would you choose? Is this a race you've run before or one you'd be running for the first time?

London. The only want I want to run Boston is if I qualify, as highly unlikely as that is to ever happen. London's lottery is vastly oversubscribed, which means being given a free entry is probably the only way I'll ever get in.

Bonus QOTD (continuing with our beverage theme): Coffee. Let's talk coffee. Do you drink it? How much? How often? What's your favorite coffee?

No coffee for me

Tokyo, no question. London is my least-favorite foreign city, and I’ve been to Berlin once and don’t really feel the excitement about doing a marathon there.

I’m actually planning a 2020 trip to Tokyo for the Olympics, so maybe I just have Tokyo on the brain.

A group of us here are planning on running Tokyo next year. It's one of my favorite cities to spend time in, so I'm really looking forward to going.

 

[Miranda]

Little known fact: us Mainers celebrate Patriot's Day too. As an extra bonus, federal tax returns for MA and ME residents are due tomorrow thanks to today's holiday.

Technically they are due tomorrow for everyone because of the holiday in DC. The tax returns don't go to Andover anymore, so the Patriot's Day holiday doesn't push it back for us anymore.

 

[PrincessV]

First...

DES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been a big fan of hers for a long time - it was just amazing to see her finally get her Boston win!

A 13 second pit stop nonetheless.

Seriously, that HAD to be a world record. At least an American record?!

ATTQOTD: Any of the international ones, really, but Berlin if I really have to pick only one!

 

[GreatLakes]

QOTD: If you were to get free entry into a World Marathon Major race of your choice (including airfare and hotel), which one would you choose? Is this a race you've run before or one you'd be running for the first time?

Bonus QOTD (continuing with our beverage theme): Coffee. Let's talk coffee. Do you drink it? How much? How often? What's your favorite coffee?

Berlin. I would never, under any circumstances, run Boston without qualifying. I personally think no one should be able to buy a way in. Even the charity runners should have to meet the qualification standard in my opinion.

I drink a lot of coffee, always black. I really like African beans.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Do Elites get paid appearance fees for Boston? if so, hopefully they give it back if they dropped out. Too bad the weather sucked. Most of the rest who qualified to run are going to go the distance.

I’m not sure but, as has already been mentioned, I’d think some of them are paid appearance fees. I’d also lean to the side that those fees are paid to drum up anticipation for the event and are earned before the first step has been taken by any of the runners.

As I understand it, and this may not be the case anymore, many elites have huge incentive bonuses tied to not only their placement but their times at major races so this would have been a very disappointing race for many runners depending how their sponsorships work. That’s neither here nor there as to the ethics of a DNF, but could explain some of the thought process behind dropping out and focusing on the next possible race rather than putting forth a huge effort for something that won’t materially benefit them.

 

[PrincessV]

Forgot the bonus QOTD: Gevalia, brewed at home by me. I go through phases - I've been going strong on the Dark Gold Coast roast for a while, but shook things up today with an Espresso brew. I brew it dark and strong, microwave a half-cup of milk, froth the milk, then add coffee. Add a teaspoon of Sugar in the Raw and I've got something beautiful in hand.

 

[SarahDisney]

Little known fact: us Mainers celebrate Patriot's Day too. As an extra bonus, federal tax returns for MA and ME residents are due tomorrow thanks to today's holiday.

I did not know that Maine celebrates too. Cool.
Also ... I think most people's taxes are due tomorrow, if not everyone. My brother does taxes across a few states (he works for an accountant and they have clients with tax returns for several states) and he's still doing taxes tomorrow.

 

[gjramsey]

I’m not sure but, as has already been mentioned, I’d think some of them are paid appearance fees. I’d also lean to the side that those fees are paid to drum up anticipation for the event and are earned before the first step has been taken by any of the runners.

As I understand it, and this may not be the case anymore, many elites have huge incentive bonuses tied to not only their placement but their times at major races so this would have been a very disappointing race for many runners depending how their sponsorships work. That’s neither here nor there as to the ethics of a DNF, but could explain some of the thought process behind dropping out and focusing on the next possible race rather than putting forth a huge effort for something that won’t materially benefit them.

I was being a touch snarky. The elites are special athletes and running is their daytime job so I do (kinda) understand appearance fees (especially track and field events), but they are sometimes coddled a little too much. In Houston about 5 years ago, when the temps were about the same as Boston and raining and windy, the common athlete had to be in the corrals about 40 minutes before the start of the race, and the elites got the hide indoors until about 1-2 minutes before the start of the race.

I guess I didn't realize that they might get incentives based on time, but that does make some sense.

 

[Miranda]

In Houston about 5 years ago, when the temps were about the same as Boston and raining and windy, the common athlete had to be in the corrals about 40 minutes before the start of the race, and the elites got the hide indoors until about 1-2 minutes before the start of the race.

I really feel for the people who have to be in the normal people corrals at Boston on a day like this. I know they have to be on the buses to the start line hours before their corral and there can't be enough tent space for everyone to wait under.

 

[GreatLakes]

Little known fact: us Mainers celebrate Patriot's Day too. As an extra bonus, federal tax returns for MA and ME residents are due tomorrow thanks to today's holiday.

All Federal Tax returns are due tomorrow regardless of your state of residence. Prior year IRA and HSA contributions are also extended when the Federal Tax filing date is extended.

 

[gjramsey]

I really feel for the people who have to be in the normal people corrals at Boston on a day like this. I know they have to be on the buses to the start line hours before their corral and there can't be enough tent space for everyone to wait under.

Yeah, I can't wait to hear from the 3 folks I know who ran today to see how bad it was waiting for the start (not to mention the race itself).

Here is one of them from around mile 20 still wearing his trashbag.