CHANGES/IMPROVEMENTS

If you could change one thing about the race, what would that be?

Hi,
I think you folks did a great job at the 2007 Boilermaker. The crowd was great and the party was fun. However, a change I would make to the race is to add more tables or pit stops with sport drinks towards the middle and end of the race. I was a hot day and though the water was nice, I think the length of the Boilermaker and the July weather warrant the sugar and electrolytes. I was quite dehydrate at the end.
Thanks

i've run the boilermaker since 2003 and it has become my favorite weekend of the year. the only thing that i would change is to somehow make the area just past the finish line less congested...it takes a long time to get from the finish line to the post race party.

Tim, the one change I'd make is to get runners into the correct coral to clean up the start. The volunteers do a good job organizing runners by color into their corals, but no proof of time is required. Based on the number of slower runners - and walkers even - that are encountered in the first two miles as a 7:30 pacer, I would guess entrants are perhaps a bit too optimistic when they fill in their entry form. Other than that, this is a terrific race and an annual favorite. Thanks.

ctrunner
Tim, the one change I'd make is to get runners into the correct coral to clean up the start. The volunteers do a good job organizing runners by color into their corals, but no proof of time is required. Based on the number of slower runners - and walkers even - that are encountered in the first two miles as a 7:30 pacer, I would guess entrants are perhaps a bit too optimistic when they fill in their entry form. Other than that, this is a terrific race and an annual favorite. Thanks.

Ditto on this - I did have to work my way through fewer slow pokes and walkers at the start this year than in the past few races. If there is a better way to sort out the slower runners from the faster, it would be great. I don't know if it is possible to use the previous year's time versus a submitted time by the runner. I don't mind having a grey number, if I don't have to pass as many yellow and orange numbers along the way.

Guys: Thanks for your comments . in regards to honesty in declaring times, it's an age-old problem that happens with virtually all races. What makes it frustrating for our runners is the congestion point at the start of the race magnifying the problem as you pass countless runners. Unfortunately with 10,000+ runners participating in the event the ability to get a personal record is very very tough. I have often told local runners to run it another day and see how you would have done; just watch the traffic!
in some respects the getting to the post race party is somewhat the same problem. The street that leads to the back of the brewery is pretty narrow so when the bulk of the runners arrive (it's like a bell shaped curve) things get congested fast. I'm going to look at the map to see if there are better alternatives.
Thanks,
Tim

this was the first time i have done the race since 1999 .. i ran it 8 times from 1989 to 1999 and i always had a good experience .... I really liked the race and was so glad i decided to run it ..... I decided very late to run it ... actually i sent an email to the race director (Jim DeSaitis) on Monday of race week and he actually called me about 20 minutes after i sent the email .... he allowed me to register late ... he even faxed me the registration form .... i'm so glad i was able to register late ...

As for changes for improvements ..... the only thing i can really think of is what others have mentioned : the starting line ..... the corral system they have now should work .. but .. well ... let's face it .. people don't line up like they should ... what about starting people out in waves ? Maybe that could reduce the congestion at the start ... I know the Virginia Half Marathon does that ...

also ... do as much testing as possible to ensure that the chip timing system works ...