This Craigslist ad shows the lengths runners go to just to get Boston glory

In the days leading up to a major marathon, there are often times numerous Craigslist advertisements posted online related to the buying and selling of race numbers. The Boston Marathon, set for Monday, April 18, is no exception.

A quick search on Craigslist, a classified advertisements website, with the key term “Boston Marathon bib,” gives five results since April 15 relating to race number purchases. Included is one rather strange post.

“I have a marathon bib for Monday but my recurring case of tendonitis is flaring up horribly,” the post reads. “I still want to run those last six historic miles (that I trained so long for) but I can’t go the distance. Would any females be interested in running the first 21 miles (32K), then meeting me so I can take my number back and run the final six? Please do not hesitate to contact me.”

The poster wants someone to run much of the race in exchange for money. The culprit is willing to offer US$100 for a runner to run the first 32K, hand off the race number, and peel off the road.

Because the race is a point-to-point course from Hopkinton, Mass. to Boston, the exchange zone would, in theory, take place just before Heartbreak Hill though the runner would miss Wellesley College, an all-girls school notable for its students lining the road during the event.

Since Boston is an exclusive event to those who meet the qualifying standards, demand is often high because runners may have missed the entry deadline, be too slow to qualify, want to make a quick buck or suffered an injury. The Craigslist poster in question suffered from the latter citing tendonitis, a recurring injury in which muscles become inflamed.

RELATED: Buying and reselling race numbers: Road running’s dirty little secret.

According to the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), the event’s host organization, one’s “bib number may not be altered or copied in any way and may not be transferred to another participant or another B.A.A. event.” Violators are removed from the race if found to be in breach of the no-bib-exchange rule.

RELATED: Runner banned from the Boston Marathon for falsifying her qualifying time.

Do you think this particular case is bad? Check out what went on during the lead up to the New York City Marathon as people attempted to scoop up last-minute race numbers to partake in the 42.2K event.