And then what do we do? Sit back and “hope” the race goes well, leaving our finish time to chance because we haven’t studied the course itself?
I won’t let that happen to you.
The Boston Marathon is an important race for anyone – especially if you’ve worked hard for months to earn your spot on the Hopkinton starting line.
And what is it about the Boston Marathon – why is it considered the “Holy Grail” of marathons? It could be the hundreds of thousands of screaming fans giving you that rock star treatment. Or the strict qualifying standards.
But either way, the world’s most prestigious marathon requires a smarter approach. The course itself is more technical, leaving under-prepared runners struggling up the Newton Hills, only to have their legs beaten on the final downhill miles toward Boylston Street.
Running a fast, enjoyable, and injury-free Boston Marathon means you need careful preparation. You have to know the course (even if you’ve never run Boston before).
A smart race strategy specific to the demands of the Boston course could be the difference between running a new PR – and having a ton of fun – or setting yourself up for a slow shuffle past the famous Citgo Sign.
Introducing: The Boston Marathon Course Guide
To help you learn the intricacies of the Boston course, you can download the Run Your BQ Boston Marathon Course Guide – an exclusive guide to the Boston Marathon, Athlete’s Village, and Expo.
Rather than writing it myself (as of this writing, I haven’t run Boston yet), I hired Adam Fitzgerald. So, who exactly is Adam?
He has a marathon PR of 2:25:30 and has run four Boston Marathons. A collegiate cross country All-American, Adam is also the 2002 New England Division 3, New England Small College Athletic Conference, and All-New England champion in the 10,000m with a PR of 30:53.
Needless to say, he is fast and knows what it takes to study a course to help you run a personal best! Having an extremely competitive marathoner with deep knowledge of the course write this guide has its benefits:
- Since Adam is so fast, he pays attention to the details of the course that influence his finish time
- His singular goal is to run the fastest time possible – so everything about the course that can help you run fast is included
- The Expo and Athlete’s Village are amazing, but they have drawbacks. Adam will show you what to avoid.
The Boston Course Guide includes:
- Directions for how to use the guide
- The #1 mistake to avoid at the marathon expo
- What to expect the morning of the race
- An “insider’s look” into the Athlete’s Village: where the best bathrooms are and when it’s ideal to do your warm-up
- A play-by-play of the marathon course – where the least known uphills (and downhills) are so you can be prepared
- Which sections of the course will be easy to run fast – but should be run conservatively
- A lot more…
This short guide focuses on the specifics of making your Boston Marathon experience as enjoyable as possible.
There’s no “rah rah” cheerleading to help you across the finish line. Just the nitty gritty details of what a sub-elite marathoner looks at when he studies a marathon course.
You can use these insights to better plan your marathon – to run faster, mentally prepare for the technical course, and find a less frequently used porta potty in the Athlete’s Village (my personal favorite!).
Download The Boston Marathon Course Guide for just $5.99 – and good luck with your Boston Marathon!
Note: This guide is free with a Run Your BQ membership. If you’re a member, download it from your dashboard.
Not a member? Learn more about Run Your BQ here.