While I would still prefer to run a different marathon, I can’t really afford to travel very far and I do have a beef to settle with Boston. It is my slowest marathon to date. My plan is to make it my fastest after the next Patriot’s Day has passed.

For the past few years, I have been running one marathon in the Spring and one in the Autumn. I have run 8 total, so far, in 8 different states. Eventually, I would like to run a marathon in every state (plus D.C. and a few other countries) and running Boston for a second time will not really help me towards that goal.

I should have a few friends running their second marathon there, so I will have some company. That is another bonus to running in Boston. I could not find any Spring marathons in New Hampshire, and Rhode Island does not have a lot of marathons to begin with. The rest of New England I have already covered.

I am planning on getting to Boston a few times for unrelated reasons over the next few months, so maybe I will get some running time in on the course, as well.

Here’s my official welcome letter (pending my NYC Marathon results) from the B.A.A.:

Dear Blaine Moore,

This is to notify you that your entry into the 111th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16, 2007 has been accepted, provided that the information you submitted is accurate.

You can verify your acceptance into the field by searching the 111th Boston Marathon “Entrants” database on the B.A.A. web site, www.baa.org/2007/cf/Public/EntryLists.cfm. Additionally, an “Acceptance Card” will be mailed to you via US Postal Service mail.

In early April 2007, an official Number Pick-up Card and extensive information regarding the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and related race week activities will be mailed to you via US Postal Service first class mail. If you do not receive your Number Pick-up Card (required to claim number) and brochure by April 7, please contact our Registration Office at 508-435-6905 for further instructions. All registration related inquiries may be directed to the same telephone number. All other inquires should be sent to [email protected].

Note that bib numbers will not be distributed on Race Day. Your travel arrangements should take into account picking up your number at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston on Friday, April 13 from noon to 6:00 p.m., or Saturday, April 14 or Sunday, April 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you in April!

Sincerely,

Boston Athletic Association