Boston Marathon Part 1 - Pre-Race Tips

There is so much to say about the Boston Marathon that I'm going to split it into two separate posts. This post will be on the pre-race details - the expo, getting to the start, athlete's village, etc. The second post will focus on actual race and how it went for me.

Resources

There are many websites and forums out there with tons of useful tips from very experience Boston Marathoners, so be sure to check them out (I list a few in my previous blog post).

The official BAA website has a lot of good resources too, like the Participant Information page, Pre-Race Information page, and Spectator Guide.

Hotels And Rental Options

Once you've been officially accepted to the Boston Marathon, it's time to book a place to stay. There are many hotels right near the finish line which are super convenient but be warned they can cost $300 or more per night, so you might want to look for other options. I found the AirBnB website very helpful, and ended up booking a furnished suite for $150/night which was only 1km from the finish line.

Here are a few rental websites for Boston:

• AirBnB.com
• Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO)
• BedAndBreakfast.com
• Rentals.com

Training Tips

During the months before the marathon make sure you become familiar with the race route and elevation. It is not a typical marathon in that it is a point-to-point race and a net downhill elevation change. So make sure your training includes some downhill workouts, otherwise your quads will probably give out on you long before the finish.

If you really want to geek it out, you might also enjoy reading some tips on Boston Marathon Race Strategy to help keep you focused on how to perform your best on race day.

Weather and Packing Tips

As the big day approaches, make sure to follow the weather forecast to have some idea of what to expect on race day. One big uncertainty about the Boston Marathon is often the weather. Since it is in April the weather can be anything from snow to extreme heat. This year (2012) it was HOT - 25-30 degrees (a record I think). So unfortunately this makes the race much harder as well as the planning, and you have to bring a lot of extra running clothes to be prepared for anything.

Transit

For transit (bus and subway) information while in Boston, visit the MBTA website to plan out how to get to various parts of Boston, like the race expo, pre-race dinner, etc. The subway has many different lines running through downtown, and to get you to/from the airport.

Be warned that the subway will most likely be PACKED the whole weekend. I found it very slow, and often couldn't even get on the first train that arrived because it was already full. So expect your trips to take longer than what the MBTA website says.

Race Expo (Friday - Sunday)

After you've arrive in Boston you'll most likely want to go to the Race Expo as soon as possible. It is a 3 day event which takes place all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This is where you pick up your race number (**make sure you bring your race number pick-up card to the expo!). The expo is huge as you might expo, so plan on spending many hours there. There are lots of good deals (like $50 for a pair of shoes) and way too many people, so go to the bathroom before you get there. If you want to go to the pre-race or post-race dinners, this is where you pick up any extra tickets for friends and family who aren't in the race. Tickets for participating athletes are in your race package. As mentioned above the transit was pretty slow the whole weekend, especially getting to and from the expo. What should have been a 20 minute trip took an hour for me.

Sunday (5K, Mile, Pre-Race Dinner)

On the Sunday (the day before the race) the BAA 5K race takes place right downtown starting (and finishing) on Boylston Street at 8am. The Invitational Mile happens at the same location at 9:30am.

All entrants get free entry into the Sunday Night Pre-Race dinner. This year it was held at the City Hall at 4:30pm. There was a long lineup, but it moved quickly. The food was pretty basic but still tasty - 3 kinds of pasta, salad, rolls, water, pops, and a goodie bag containing some chocolates and snacks. The Mayor and Race Director both gave speeches (while we waited in line before getting our food), and warned us not to race because of the heat! Naturally we ignored the warnings... There were tons of 8 or 10 person tables set up, so we sat down and were joined by some other runners who turned out to be from Vancouver! Small world.

Race Day (Monday)

All participants are told to take the School Buses from along the Boston Commons (Tremont side) between 6:00 - 7:30am. Check out the Pre-Race Info for full details.
Be warned that it will take about 45 minutes to wait in line to get on a bus, and then about another 45 minutes for the bus to make its way out to Hopkinton to the Athlete's Village near the start line. But don't worry, there are a TON of buses, so you'll get on one eventually.

Athlete's Village

Here is a list of some of the things I brought (or considered bringing) to Athlete's Village:

• Sunscreen
• Hat or sunglasses
• Disposable blanket/tarp/garbage bags to put on the ground on the grass or dirt
• Ear plugs or mp3 player to drown out endless announcements
• For males - an empty wide-mouthed bottle for last minute pee
• Toilet paper in case the port-a-johns run out
• Disposable clothing if cold - bring or wear old sweatpants, sweatshirt, jacket, gloves, toque, etc to keep you warm before the start. Any clothing you don't check and don't want to keep will be donated to charity. When you leave the village, there will be volunteers everywhere with garbage bags to collect clothing/blankets etc.
• Your official bag check bag (which you get when you pick up your bib number) with all the stuff you might want at the finish line:
  
  • Post race food/drink (At the finish I got a water bottle, protein drink, banana, and some energy/protein bars)
  • Money
  • Cell phone
  • Change of clothes

The Village is just a school (actually 2 schools), so you'll be outside on the grass. A tarp or blanket is a really good idea if you get there early and want to lie down. There is loud music and announcements, some food/drink, and lots of toilets. I found the line-ups for the port-a-johns were very short (2 minutes) when I first arrived around 8am, but got longer and longer nearer to the start time. This is why I suggest above to bring a empty gatorade bottle to use in case you need a last minute pee and the line-ups are too long!

There is also quite a bit of shade if you want it. I put down my blanket in the shade behind one of the school buildings, and lay on the ground for an hour listening to music to relax.

Bag Check & Walk To Start Line

When your wave and corral are called (usually about 40-50 minutes before your start time), it is time to start walking down the the start line (about 1.1km away, maybe 15 minutes?). As you leave the Village you will see tons of the same Yellow School Buses in the parking lot. This is the bag check area - each bus is clearly labeled with a range of Bib Numbers. So find the bus that matches your bib number and give them your official bag check bag (the same bag that contained your bib number that you got at the expo).

Because it was such a hot day I kept a long sleeve white shirt on as I walked to the start line (I tossed it to a volunteer just before the race started), and also carried a water bottle with me. There is some shade at the start line, so I waited under a tree for about 20 minutes before moving into place near the front of my 3rd corral.

That about sums up my pre-race experience. The next blog post will cover the race and post-race details.