Category Archives: Running

Planning to Address: What to Do When Problems Arise During Marathon

In the midst for training for my marathon, with ambitious (and possibly unrealistic) time goals, I am looking ahead for formulating my official Race Plan.  As a wise man once said, running a marathon under a certain time is just a goal; what you do between the start and 26.2 miles is the Plan.

And of course, while you may hope all goes well, there’s bound to be at least one or more issues that arise during the race.  I’m talking about problems that can hurt your overall finish time or possibly even prevent you from finishing the race for which you’ve spent months training.  These are the types of issues that can derail your goals and dreams.  Fortunately, most every problem has a solution, so long as you plan ahead for all eventualities.

So, here are some of the potential obstacles, in order of what I worry about most, as well as potential solutions for the problems I’ve gleaned through research and consultation with marathon veterans:

Continue reading →

Running the Ben Franklin Bridge: Scenic and Uncrowded

View of Campbell Field in Camden from Ben Franklin Bridge

On a given sunny and relatively warm day in Philly, the main running trails are packed with runners, walkers, cyclists, dogs on walks, and others.  One trail that is immune from crowds is Ben Franklin Bridge (yes the bridge).

For those who’ve never run it, the Ben Franklin Bridge is a surprisingly fun run.  You enter the sidewalk entrance at 5th Street at Race and then begin a steady climb to the middle of the Delaware River and the state border.  On the New Jersey side, there’s a subsequent steady downhill run as you cross the river.

Continue reading →

Boston Marathon Qualification: Be Close to Elite or Forget It

The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, dating all the way back to 1897.  It’s also arguably the most prestigious, with its requirement of qualifying times for any non-charity runner or non-overseas travel partner entrant to enter the race.

Even qualifying for the race is a major accomplishment for any runner.  Now, it’s about to become even harder or downright impossible for the non-elite runner.  The Boston Athletic Association announced major changes to the entrance process for the 2012 Boston Marathon race and qualification times for the 2013 race and beyond.  While entrance was previously first come, first serve, the B.A.A. is now allowing the fastest qualifiers to register first.  Those who beat the qualifying standard by at least 20 minutes get the first crack, followed a couple of days later by those who beat it by at least 10 minutes, and then a few days later by those who beat it by at least 5 minutes.  Finally, seven days after registration started, everyone else who has a qualifying time can attempt to register.  Considering how this year’s race sold out in about eight hours last year, good luck with trying to get  a spot during open registration.

Continue reading →