Next Up for the World Marathon Majors: The Boston Marathon
A passionate running enthusiast in Teaneck, Jennifer Heiner formerly served as a retail director for a New Jersey running company. She currently is an inside sales rep for a small company in North Jersey. Outside of the professional arena, Jennifer Heiner belongs to multiple running organizations including the New York Flyers, the New York Road Runners, and NYCRUNS. Welcoming runners of all skill levels and abilities, these organizations regularly sponsor programs and initiatives to help members in areas that range from marathon training to coached speed work. The New York Flyers have recently provided two different virtual training programs through its Run SMART Project.
Despite its name, during the height of the pandemic, the 2020 Summer/Fall Marathon Training Program provided virtual training for general fitness needs and 5k or 10k speed improvement as well as half-marathon or full marathon completion. The program culminated in an optional virtual half-marathon or full marathon on October 31st. The New York Flyers Run SMART Project also recently offered its 2021 Winter Training Program and Spring 2022 Training Program on a virtual basis. Both of these programs feature a 16-week training plan and ongoing coaching support that includes weekly phone calls and monthly video conference workshops. These programs help runners of all abilities to get ready for everything from 5Ks to a full 26.2, including the Abbott World Marathon Majors. The World Marathon Majors (WMM) (known for sponsorship reasons as the Abbott World Marathon Majors) is a championship-style competition for marathon runners that started in 2006.
A points-based competition founded on six major marathon races recognized as the most high-profile on the calendar, the series comprises annual races for the cities of Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. In addition, each edition of the series recognizes and includes the results of the major global championship marathon held in that year, usually on a one-off lapped course. These races are the biennial World Athletics Championships Marathon, and the quadrennial Olympic Games Marathon.[1]
World Marathon Majors — Wikipedia
Next up in the World Marathon Majors series is the Boston Marathon, which takes place on Patriots Day, the third Monday in April. Many distance runners, including Jennifer Heiner, have the lofty goal of time qualifying for the Boston Marathon. How does one qualify for the Boston Marathon? BAA.org outlines the process here:
Unfortunately, just because you meet the qualifying standards above doesn’t mean you’ll gain entry to the race itself. There are only a limited number of spots, so oftentimes many runners miss the mark when it comes to earning one of those coveted spots for each year’s running of the race.
This year, all eyes will be on Eliud Kipchoge, who is widely agreed to be the greatest marathoner to have ever lived and competed. He currently holds the world marathon record, and is aiming to break the course record at this year’s Boston Marathon.
