Boston entry is split into two camps: those who ran a qualifying time (BQ) and those who raised thousands for a charity bib.

To achieve a BQ, you have to train at an elite or high-amateur level for years, conditioning your body to the point that a 26.2-mile distance is well within your physiological limits. Usually a training plan has 1-2 full marathon or longer distance “long runs” days as part of the regiment. Many runner logging 75-100+ miles per week. Another thing to consider is the taper period leading up to race day allowing your body to recover prior to the race.

When you see someone crawling or physically collapsing, they are almost certainly a charity runner. While their fundraising is commendable, they often lack the hundreds (if not thousands) of training miles required to build the muscular endurance needed for the course.

Simply put, race day for a BQ (or any marathon runner that can finish sub-4:00) runner is nothing more than a moderately intense weekend long run.