Run The Marathon To Support Cycling

MassBike got its hands on some Boston Marathon entries, which means you can run the marathon to support MassBike!

From MassBike:

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The John Hancock Non-Profit Marathon Program has generously awarded MassBike with non-qualified runner entries for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Each April, thousands of accomplished runners descend upon Boston to participate in the legendary Boston Marathon, one of the most prestigious and renowned road racing events across the globe. As these runners take on the daunting physical challenge of the historic 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon, they will also each raise a minimum of $5,000 each to support MassBike’s work.

Starting today, MassBike will be accepting applications for 2 available team slots for the 2016 Boston Marathon for runners to join our team, Running to Ride.

The fundraising by this team will fuel efforts to improve conditions for bicycling in the Bay State. Working with lawmakers, schools, police, business leaders, and municipalities, MassBike is the voice for bicyclists throughout the state. With 4,000 members and growing, MassBike helped elevate Massachusetts in national bike friendly rankings to the number four position. Our runners will help Massachusetts climb to the top spot, making us a healthier and more prosperous place to live.

Want to help support MassBike while running the 2016 Boston Marathon? Submit an application no later than November 11th to be considered.

APPLY HERE

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Boston Marathon Update

Got word from the MassBike facebook page, that if you want to do the morning marathon ride you have to leave the finish line in Hopkington by 7:15, so get your ass out there in time, or you wont get to ride the entire course.

Get up early folks!

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Boston Marathon Bike Rides!

Its almost that time again, time for the annual boston marathon bike ride. Get up really early, leave boston well before 7am, when you get to the start line turn around and bomb back, you will be greeted with a totally open race course, no cars, no traffic. Its a great time, and I recommend everyone do it at least once in their life. You can read about me doing it a couple years ago here, and more about past rides here and here (a lot of these happen every year).

There is also a Midnight Marathon ride, that leaves boston the night before the marathon and rides back in the dark, also fun, but a totally different experience.

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Boston Marathon Rides

For those of you not in “the know” it is a grand tradition among cyclists to ride out to the start line of the Boston Marathon, and then ride back into town ahead of the runners.

Its become such a popular thing over the years that there are regular organized rides that have been going on for years.

Some basic stuff you need to know about the Boston Marathon rides:

• If you are leaving from Boston, leave early, you need to be out to the starting point WELL BEFORE the first group goes out.
• The first group that goes out are the mens wheelchair racers. These guys are wicked fast, I hear they average 15mph+ for the entire route.
• Its important to know how fast the guys behind you are, because if you ever fall far enough behind that anyone from the race catches you, you will be removed from the route and the shame of riding home a different route will live with you forever. All the good roads home are closed because of the race so this really is a pain.
• The route will be open to traffic on the way out, but by the time you leave it will be closed to traffic, so you get a nice 26.2 mile ride back into the heart of Boston car free!
• You can beg gatoraid off of the side lines people, but I would highly highly suggest you bring your own food/drinks. For me its often a 60+ mile ride (depending on where I start from), with the later half done at a higher speed, you are going to need some fuel.
• You most likely will not make it all the way to the finish line unless you leave very very early. They close down the last part once all the media and people get there. Last year I made it about two blocks from the finish before they booted me.
• Train tracks, potholes, etc. For being one of the most famous footraces in the world, they don’t really do too much to make the route friendly, beware road hazards.
• That first big hill out of the start is FANTASTIC, bring a bike that coasts just to enjoy that nice downhill. I have hit 40+ mph on the decent easy.
• Heart break hill isn’t so bad on a bike, but you might be tired at that point, bring some snacks.
• Go with a group, have fun!

So far I have gotten word of two rides for the marathon (listed below), but there are dozens, if not more. Mostly people just meet at some spot out near BU and ride out as a group ass early in the cold cold morning. Then you make the turn, pee, and scream home, its a glorious day of riding usually followed by lots of eating.

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Boston Marathon Midnight Ride
(more here)

Sunday, April 17 at 10:30pm – April 18 at 3:00am

Not tough enough to run a 26 mile marathon, but awesome enough to bike it the night before? Then join the Boston Midnight Marathon Bike Ride, hosted by Greg Hum and BostonSOS!

Since the start/finish lines and fancy mile markers will be set up, you’ll feel just like you’re running the marathon, except without all that silly cheering, and on a bike! If you don’t have a bike, you can rent one from a place like Urban Adventours (http://www.urbanadventours.com/)

Put in for your vacation day at work NOW!

Itinerary:

1. Arrive at South Station with bike and bring bike with you on 11pm Commuter Rail from Boston South Station, arriving in Southborough at 12:01. (Commuter Rail Schedule: http://bit.ly/9Thmlo)
($6.75 for ticket from South Station to Southborough)
2. Ride 3.2 miles from Southborough Station to Boston Marathon Starting Line in Hopkinton, Ma. (about a 20 minute ride)
3. Ride 26 Miles, 385 yards to Finish Line in Copley Square, Boston Ma. (Depending on your group’s pace, this could take you anywhere from 2 to 3.5 hours)

Point A: Southborough Commuter Rail Station
Point B: Starting Line in Hopkinton
Point C: Finish Line in Copley Square

Official Course Map:
http://bit.ly/bLrPwZ

Even though we’re “organizing” this event, Please know that you will be responsible for:
-Your own safety (please keep this in mind)
-Directions (Print and bring the map/cue sheet)
-Flat repair preparedness (It sucks to be stranded, so at the VERY LEAST, bring a spare tube/patch kit. If you have them, bring some tire levers/pump or plan to stick with a friend/friends who has one and knows how to change a flat!)
-Water/snacks (Bring at least a bottle of water)
-Spreading the word and bringing friends! (The more, the merrier!)
-Meeting us with your bike at South Station/Starting Line
-Getting Home (please figure out how you’re getting home since the T doesn’t start till after 5am)

Last bits:

Weather: It’s up to you whether to come out or not.

Cost: your commuter rail ticket. This ride is being informally organized as just another awesome idea that begs to be spread, so come prepared to ride and have fun!

Pace: As fast or fun as you please. Bring your friends so you can ride with them! 26 miles is a lot to run, but easily doable in three hours on a bike if you’re used to riding everywhere. Most of the route (except for that hill towards the end) is slightly downhill.

Sticking together: This is a group ride, but naturally, people will split because of pacing. Last year over 50 people showed up with bikes ranging from road bikes, fixed gears, and dutch three-speeds, so you can expect several paces to choose from.

BRING A SPARE TUBE. In the event of a flat tire, you’d be doing yourself a huge favor by stopping by your favorite bike shop picking up the right size tube for your tires, just in case. You don’t want to be stranded with an unusable bike at 2 in the morning!

You are welcome to meet up with us anywhere along the way and part ways wherever and whenever you please.

Want email reminders or to be notified of other off-beat events? Register at our website, http://www.soscities.org/

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Hal’s 26th Annual Marathon Monday Ride

It starts early, really early, at the steps of the Boston YMCA (Huntington Ave) at 6am (arrive 15 minute early)and rides all the way to the start line and back (52 miles). It is a fun ride. By the time riders turn around (before the wheelchair class starts) the roads are all closed for the race and the barriers are up. No traffic, and lots of fans on the sides of the roads cheering you on to the finish line. There was about 100 people who showed up at the start last year and another 30+ or so that joined us at Coolidge Corner.

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Marathon Monday Ride!

There will be TWO count em TWO marathon Monday rides this year! For thous of you not in the know the Boston Marathon is tomorrow. Its a Boston cyclist tradition to get out to the start line before the race and then ride back to Boston on the nice closed off route!

The first ride will be TONIGHT (Sunday) at 11pm, this is the midnight marathon ride, you can find more info about it on the Facebook.

In case you don’t have Facebook see info below.

Not tough enough to run a 26 mile marathon, but awesome enough to bike it the night before? then join the Boston Midnight Marathon Bike Ride! Since the start/finish lines and fancy mile markers will be set up, you’ll feel just like you’re running the marathon, except without all that silly cheering, and on a bike!

Itinerary:

1. Arrive at South Station with bike and bring bike with you on 11pm Commuter Rail from Boston South Station, arriving in Southborough at 12:01. (Commuter Rail Schedule: http://bit.ly/9Thmlo)
($6.75 for ticket from South Station to Southborough)
2. Ride 3.2 miles from Southborough Station to Boston Marathon Starting Line in Hopkinton, Ma. (about a 20 minute ride)
3. Ride 26 Miles, 385 yards to Finish Line in Copley Square, Boston Ma. (Depending on your pace, this could take you anywhere from 2 to 3.5 hours)

Route/Cue Sheet: http://bit.ly/do9mby
Point A: Southborough Commuter Rail Station
Point B: Starting Line in Hopkinton
Point C: Finish Line in Copley Square

Official Course Map:
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/CourseMaps.pdf

Even though I’m “organizing” this event, Please know that you will be responsible for:
-Your own safety (please keep this in mind)
-Directions (Print and bring the map/cue sheet)
-Flat repair preparedness (It sucks to be stranded, so at the VERY LEAST, bring a spare tube/patch kit. If you have them, bring some tire levers/pump or plan to stick with a friend/friends who has one and knows how to change a flat!)
-Water/snacks (Bring at least a bottle of water)
-Spreading the word and bringing friends! (The more, the merrier!)
-Meeting us with your bike at South Station/Starting Line
-Getting Home ( please figure out how you’re getting home at 3,4,5am beforehand)

Last bits:

Weather: It’s up to you whether to come out or not. keep posted: http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/02215

The only cost is the commuter rail ticket. This ride is being informally organized as just another awesome idea that begs to be spread, so come prepared to ride and have fun!

Pace: As fast or fun as you please. Bring your friends so you can ride with them! 26 miles is a lot to run, but easily doable in three hours on a bike if you’re used to riding everywhere. Most of the route (except for that hill towards the end) is a slight downhill.

Sticking together: This is a group ride, but naturally, people will split because of pacing. Last year 30 people showed up with bikes ranging from road bikes, fixed gears, and dutch three-speeds. If the same thing happens this year, you’ll have several paces to choose from.

BRING A SPARE TUBE. In the event of a flat tire, you’d be doing yourself a huge favor by stopping by your favorite bike shop picking up the right size tube for your tires, just in case.

Urban Adventours Rents Bikes, but you might have to pay for two days if you rent from them for this ride: http://www.urbanadventours.com/

You are welcome to meet up with us anywhere along the way and part ways wherever and whenever you please.

This ride looks pretty fun, but if you want to get the real race day feel you can do the Monday morning Marathon Ride. Groups will be gathering all over Boston at all sorts of times, I think I am going to try to catch the group leaving Cleveland circle around 6am (no later than 6:30am!!!!) Basically you ride the route out to the starting line, take a piss, take a picture, then leave before the Wheel Chair racers take off, you HAVE TO STAY AHEAD OF THE WHEELCHAIR RACERS! You do not want to get pulled off the course by a race Marshall. If you leave early enough you shouldn’t have a problem, but be aware that the wheelchair men go pretty damn fast, so don’t dawdle.

Here is some info about the route, and other details (like when the wheel chair racers leave).

Cleveland Circle 7-11 (open 24 hours)
2002 Beacon St, Brookline, MA

Meet @ 6, ride 6:30 SHARP

Bring some food and water

Have fun out there tomorrow the weather looks like it might shape up so cross your fingers!

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