Bike the Boston Marathon?

[JoesInBoston]

So I've found out that there is a group that leaves from Copley at 6AM every Patriots Day and bikes out to Hopkington and back by 10AM. Does anyone here participate in that ride? I was thinking of doing it but would like to know what to expect. Does anyone have any past experiences to share?

[slugman]

I haven't done that ride but did ride out and back on the course after the marathon a few years back. The past couple of years I've settled with just running the race on foot, so make sure you cheer a bit after riding.

[spokenword]

must be a nice ride out to Hopkinton...

I haven't done the Marathon day ride specifically, but I've ridden the route a few times and it is quite nice. There's some high-traffic ghetto-tasticness on 135 in Framingham, and everything between Copley and Cleveland Circle is ... well ... urban, but aside from that it's mostly posh suburbs with moderate vehicular traffic.

It's also generally flat (cycling-wise). Heartbreak isn't nearly that bad to hit on a bike, and if anything, I tend to be more respectful of the rollers when riding to Hopkinton rather than any climbing on the approach to Newton and Boston.

[Jakedatc]

now if you WANT some hills extend it through hoptown another 5-6mi down 135 to the Upton town line ;)

[tinydr]

edited by author to remove content

[slugman]

So did anybody do it? If so did you go faster than me on foot? :) My first sub-3 though we didn't have traffic lights to worry about. We did have a lot of foot traffic to work around so couldn't open up my stride for a few miles and the water stops every mile were an adventure.