2006 BAA Marathon: Final Instructions

Congratulations and welcome to the 110th Boston Marathon! By now you've received your confirmaton with your bib number, along with some marathon details and merchandise information. Please follow the official instructions (pdf) you received with the Boston Marathon materials. Here are a few additional race day details.

Changes in 2006

New this year is the two-wave start. You can read event director Dave McGillivray's description by clicking here. The traditional start at noon will include the first 10,999, runners. Thirty minutes later, the remaining runners will start. The faster runners will be the first wave and will wear blue bibs. Race walkers and slower runners will wear red bibs and will start in the second wave. The second wave includes all competitors numbered 11,000 and greater.

Dave estimates the second wave will take nine minutes to cross the start. Therefore, if you crossed the start at 12:24 last year, you can expect to cross the start at (roughly) 12:38. Your marathon finish will be based on your net time, or "chip time."

Also, note the course has changed slightly near the finish. Just before Hereford Street, at mile 25.4 on Commonwealth Ave, runners will be directed under the Massachusetts Avenue overpass. The courses will dip 13 feet 3 inches and rise the same amount. It may not be much of a conciliation, but going under Mass. Ave. shortened course slightly.

Before the race

Wear you bib number and "ChampionChip". Plan on taking the bus from Boston out to Hopkinton on race morning. The buses will whisk competitors with bib numbers from Boston to the high school in Hopkinton in approximately 50 minutes. Use the "T" (MBTA), to get to the buses.

Bus loading will take place at the Tremont Street side of the Boston Common in Boston’s Back Bay area. Bus loading areas are color-coded to match the bibs. Buses will begin loading at 7:00 A.M. and continue until 9:00 A.M. Each bus will leave as soon as it is full. The BAA suggests the bus loading time is according to the table below:

If you're driving to the start, note that all streets in Hopkinton, will close at 8:30 A.M; the roads between the start and the high school close before 6:00 A.M. Shuttle buses will be available for runners dropped off at either the Industrial Park on South Street (just off of Route 495) , or the Hopkinton Start Park.

Baggage that you want at the finish line, may be placed in the baggage buses which will be set up outside the Athlete Village by the high school.

Buses from Boston will drop you off at Hopkinton High School, where you will be directed to enter either the blue section or the red section of the Athletes’ Village. Most of the competitors will wait, before for the race, at the Athletes' Village at the high school, anxiously sipping cups of coffee. The high school has been reserved from volunteers and officials. I have arranged additional accommodations that I hope you can take advantage of.

You are welcome to meet the rest of the racewalkers and friends, prepare your feet, use the W.C., keep warm, and relax at the home of Doug, Carol and Eric Pratt. You may arrive as early as necessary.

The Pratt's home is located a less than 1 kilometer from the high school, and one-half kilometer from Hayden Rowe Street. Their address is 5 Kerry Lane, Hopkinton, MA 01748-1800 (phone 508-497-8884). For those of you who race walked the Boston Marathon last year, the Pratt's home is directly across the street from the Braga's.

The high school is at the intersection of Grove Street and Hayden Rowe Street. There is a GULF gas station on Hayden Rowe Steet. Walk down Hayden Rowe Street and take the first right onto Robbern Road. Stay on Robbern Road, walk past the first intersection, and continue to the end of Robbern. Then, take a right onto Eastview, walk approximately 50 meters, and take a left onto Kerry Lane. The Pratt's home is the third house down on the left. It's a tan ranch with a colorful mailbox.

I've included a computer generated map with this notice. E-mail users may double-click on the attachment or open the map with a web browser. I also posted the map at the New England Walkers's web site:

Runners at the Athlete Village will head to their corrals according the this table:

During the race

During the race, your family and friends can follow all the excitement and action as these you perambulate the 2006 Boston Marathon. Your split times at the 10K, Half, 30K and Finish points will be e-mailed while the race is in progress. From those times, your family will know when to expect you at the finish. Go to www.bostonmarathon.org to register. Note: save your emails. The finish line will remain "officially" open until 6:30 P.M. If you do not get recorded at the finish line, the results system assumes you did not finish and your results, and splits are purged.

After the race, you can meet the baggage buses on Boylston Street. You should plan on picking up your baggage by 7PM. Baggage not picked up by that time may be locked in the BAA office and will not be available until the following morning.

Changing areas will be available. Be sure to remove the "ChampionChip" from your shoe and return it to the appropriate person. (Consider this before you lace the chip onto your shoe.) Volunteers will assist you if necessary. Family members can meet you at the finish at the area at the Family Meeting Area located on St. James Avenue and Stuart Street from Berkeley Street to Clarendon Street beyon the finish area exit. Look for the alphabetically lettered and posted signs that match the the first letter of your last name.

Those with enough energy may proceed to the official Boston Marathon post race party which includes dancing and entertainment. Light refreshments will be served. It's open to official runners and guests. Tickets are required. (Tremont House Hotel/Empire Ballroom, The Roxy and Matrix.) Free, continuous shuttles will be provided to and from the post-race party from the Westin Hotel, Marriott Copley Place, Back Bay Hilton, Park Plaza Hotel, The Radisson, Mariott Long Wharf, and Swissotel.

Please call me if you have any questions or concerns on the Marathon, housing, transportation, etc.

Bib #	Competitor	Group	City ST
19603	Maureen L. Danahy	F49	Brookline MA
19574	Beth Katcher	F52	Newton MA
19801	Ole R. Holsti	M72	Chapel Hill NC
20114	Doug Pratt	M50	Hopkinton MA
19887	Bill Harriman	M59	Tewksbury MA
	Bob Keating	M59	Nashua NH

Contacts

Before and after the Marathon, you may reach me at home at 617-731-9889, my mobile phone at 508-878-5040 or weekend evenings at work at 781-774-5410, or by FAX at 617-731-9082. My address is 39 Oakland Road, Brookline, MA 02445.

In the event of an emergency, you may call New England Walkers member Priscilla Frappier (781-891-0519.)

TIME	BIB#
7:00 a.m.– 7:30 a.m.	8,000 – 10,999; 19,000+
7:30 a.m. –8:00 a.m.	6,000 – 7,999; 16,000 – 18,999
8:00 a.m. –8:30 a.m.	3,000- 5,999; 13,000 – 15,999
8:30 a.m. –9:00 a.m.	1,000 – 2,999; 11,000 – 12,999

WAVE 2 (red bibs):
11:45 a.m.	Corrals 11–16
11:50 a.m.	Corrals 17–22

Boston Marathon 2006:
Final Instructions

Racewalkers,

Changes in 2006

Before the race

During the race

Contacts

Links

Boston Marathon 2006: Final Instructions

Racewalkers,

Changes in 2006

Before the race

During the race

Contacts

Links

Boston Marathon 2006:
Final Instructions