Unlike such sports as college football, road racing is not a sport steeped in tradition. Boston is one of the few exceptions. I've heard all kinds of reasons put forth as to why this was a good idea, and if you go to your popular running message boards you'll see a lot of people complaining about the change. From race management and promotion standpoints, I see the plusses. From a personal standpoint, a big minus is I can no longer watch the whole thing from my neighborhood sports bar (and even for a guy like me, knockin' 'em back in my own living room at 9:30 AM seems a bit extreme). No one has mentioned how this will change the traditional Red Sox game.
What I have seen precious little of is sober, reasoned discussion of the time change from the viewpoint of either a fan or a runner. I did Boston once, and a 10:00 start might have helped me keep a more normal pre-race ritual, but overall I was there to be part of one of our sport's greatest spectacles more than anything else.
Anyone care to chime in with a cheer or a jeer?
Tags:
Posts
1 comment:
About the only tradition worth saving in this change is the interaction between the Red Sox game and the marathon. The question "what time will the buses leave" is one I haven't seen answered, but then again I haven't looked too closely. I'm sure the BAA have clever minds working on that solution.
Post a Comment