Once again a major American marathon has filled its field in record time. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced that it topped out at 45,000 in just 31 days. This comes after new qualifying standards were announced for the 2012 and 2013 Boston Marathon after they blitzed through registration in a mere 8 hours last fall.
Even with the emphasis on self-directed healthcare, are we flirting with elements of the dot com and housing bubbles? Is it possilbe we could see a radical downsizing of the market? Just asking. Besides, how long can it go on like this?
25-30 years ago you might have impressed somebody ‘s drunken uncle with tales of your marathon exploits. Back there were only a handful of marathon finishers nationwide. Gaunt men, generally, given to thick glasses and thin chests. But now after an entire generation of baby boomers traded pharmacological zeal for endorphin overdosing, who, really, wants to slog alongside some flower-power hold over who’s wheezing like an aging cocker spaniel for 26 godforsaken miles? Where’s the Kevorkian aid station when you need it?
