For runners who don’t fall into the 10 percent of marathoners able to meet the qualifying standard for the , representing a charity is the only way to get a bib. This year, in response to the April bombing, charities associated with the the race聽are receiving unprecedented numbers of applicants and upping the fundraising minimum requirements.
“After what we here in Boston鈥攁nd really everyone around the world鈥攅xperienced on April 15, 2013, there has been a strong desire to respond,” Executive Director Tom Grilk of the said inort, “to show strength, to show resilience, to show that people won’t give in.”
The demand for bib slots for the 2014 marathon after the bombing and. Interest in joining started the day of the attack and applications for 35 slots reached 190鈥攗p 115 from last year. The Boston Athletic Association has already increased the field size of the 2014 race by 9,000 slots to 36,000 to accommodate the spike鈥3,000 of which will run for charity.
The 138 official charities associated with the race are asking runners to raise more than the $4,000 and $5,000 fund-raising minimums set by the and sponsor , respectively, the reports. The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary won’t blink at an applicant who can’t commit to raising $7,500 or more. is asking runners to raise $10,000 with a whopping $7,500 commitment fee up front鈥擜 $2,500 increase from last year’s race.
Would-be runners are sending out applications to multiple charities. To weed out the competition, many are pledging to raise more than the required minimum. The creativity of the applicants shows no bounds, Susan Hurley, the founder of, a group that helps charities select and train runners, told the Globe.
鈥淪omeone took a screen shot of the scene on TV when the bombs went off and circled a picture of herself right there and wrote 鈥楳e,鈥 Hurley says. “Someone sent in a picture of a black collie mix with a sign in its mouth: 鈥楳om wants to run.鈥欌夆