Steroids anyone?


If you haven’t already heard, on Wednesday the qualifying standards for the Boston Marathon changed. Now the bar is so high I don’t just need a ladder to reach it — I’m in the market for a rocket launcher.

Quick summary — in 2012 qualifying times stay the same, but registration is rolling giving priority to people who made their qualifying times by 20 minutes or more, then ten, then five. In 2013 qualifying times are made faster by five minutes and the rolling registration stands.

What’s this mean for me?

I turn 35 in June. I’m not being negative, just realistic, when I say I’m more likely to qualify for the Olympics (granted these ones ) than run a 3:45:59 in Toronto this May. My goal was to sub-four hours and it still is.   That brings me to 2013 and beyond. For the next five years, I need a 3:40:59 to qualify for Boston, but  3:20:59 to guarantee myself a spot.

Let me remind you my marathon personal best is 4:28:08. Yikes!

Now, I get it. Boston is a marathon for top-marathoners, so the best of the best should be given priority.  Nevertheless, I’ll be honest, when I first heard the news I was disappointed.

It’s crazy really: when you think that less than a year ago even the idea of running Boston was more ludicrous to me than well, this picture of Ludacris.

But post half-marathon and post Dr. Stevil, it seemed plausible (at least before I turn 40).  So the new 3:20:00 guaranteed qualifying time was, at first, crushing.

But here’s the thing – after a pep talk by Dr.Stevil and a wee bit of thinking, I’ve decided I’m not ruling Boston out. Uber-positive Stevil says the new times are great news because “now we can become even more focused on our work outs!”.  Seriously — he needs to lay off the Happy Pills.

I’m not quite so pysched about upcoming grueling workouts, but really why stop now?  I want to be a runner for life. So if it takes me five years or twenty-five to get to Boston it doesn’t really matter — I’ll do it.

See you there.

P.S. In the meantime, I plan on carbo-loading and helping a good cause. This Saturday night I’ll be at the Australian Canadian Association’s Australian Floods Fundraiser.  There will be food, wine, great entertainment and lots of prizes — I dare say the perfect prep for a  Sunday morning long run. Join me! Find out all about it at www.yaca.ca

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