You are not less of a Boston Marathoner if you didn’t get in this year!
When registration for the Boston Marathon opens up each year, many of us find ourselves anxiously waiting to see if our qualifying time was fast enough to gain entry into that year’s event. Boston has always been a difficult race to participate in but with the pandemic forcing the organization to limit the race field, we are seeing just how difficult it is to punch your ticket for the fall of 2021.
We learned yesterday that in order to make this year’s events, you must beat your qualifying time by 7 minutes and 43 seconds. In a typical year, 3-5 minutes under your time will likely guarantee you a spot in the field. So what does this all mean? It means this year was a highly competitive race to get into. You are not a failure or less of a runner because you fell short this time around.
Any time you qualify for the Boston Marathon, you should take pride in knowing that you are among the top tier of marathoners in the country. The advice I have given to my athletes who find themselves disappointed is to remember we can’t control whether you were accepted or not but we can control how to respond moving forward. Adversity in sports and life teaches us many valuable lessons. It’s easy to get wrapped up in our frustrations and lose sight in the big picture.
There is nothing wrong with being upset. However, I can almost guarantee that anyone who is strong enough to run a marathon is also strong enough to train harder and smarter this next year to give themselves the best shot at qualifying for the 2022 or 2023 Boston Marathon. This is no time to beat yourself up on what you didn’t do but a great time to look at the ways you can improve for the future. Ask yourself these important questions.
Are you training consistently year round? Are you following a structured training plan? Are you incorporating cross training and strength training into your training regimen? Are you working with a dietitian or have a good nutrition plan in place? If there are holes in your training, consider finding a coach or a structured training plan that will help you take your running to the next level. If you are already within the qualifying window of a normal Boston Marathon time, then, a few small adjustments will be what it takes for you to make the necessary improvements for guaranteeing your spot in future Boston Marathons. Good luck!
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