The Battle for Boston

Thanks to everyone who participated in the third installment of Chase the Throne Boston. Congrats to our winners Tammy Hsieh and Clare Franco on the women’s side and Ben Bosworth and Josh Coakley on the men’s side (still can’t believe we had ties for the win on both sides!) and thanks to Tracksmith for their continued support. Can’t wait to run it back for year four in 2024!

2023 Boston Segments

The Opening Round will require runners to do TWO loops of Jamaica Pond going clockwise: https://www.strava.com/segments/807997
The second round segment is a simple loop of the Common. You should start and finish at the northwest corner and you should run the loop clockwise. Run the full loop (starting and finishing at the same point) and stay on the outside path (close to the road) for the full loop. This is the closest Strava segment I could find: https://www.strava.com/segments/16795471 (but as you will see this segment does not complete the full loop and the line goes all over the place). If you have any questions about the course, please ask us before you run.
For Round Three, runners will complete one of the classic loops on the Charles River, starting and finishing at Harvard Street, and running down to Western Ave, crossing the Bridge there, and returning back to the starting point. The route can be found on Strava here: https://www.strava.com/routes/3032399218966112666?v2=true
The final round is a single loop of the Chestnut Hill Res going counterclockwise: https://www.strava.com/segments/8582811

FAQs

How Do I Record and Submit My Run?

All runs must be recorded with a GPS watch or phone and synced via Strava or Garmin. All runs must be recorded on “Race” mode or must show elapsed time (as opposed to moving time) and then emailed to run@trialsofmilesracing.com. Our team will verify all results to ensure accuracy.

Can I Run the Segment Multiple Times?

During the competition window you are free to run the segment as many times as you choose. We will not consider the time “FINAL” until you have emailed it to run@trialsofmilesracing.com or you indicate to us that it is a final/submitted time. Please keep in mind that once you email us your time, that time is final and we can (and likely will) publicize that time. If you think you may attempt the segment again later in the week, do not submit!

Can I Run the Segment with a Friend or a Pacer?

Competitors are free to run their segments alone, in groups, or with a pack of pacers. As long as you complete the segment on your own two feet, within the required time period it will count.

What Happens if My GPS Data Gets Messed Up? How Do You Prevent Cheating?

Virtual racing is not perfect. People's data is going to get screwed up and times are going to be slightly off. We've done this enough times to know how to deal with these issues and keep things fair. Rest assured, these fields will be incredibly deep and nobody is going to be able to cheat their way to victory. Throughout the competition our team will also make whatever tweaks are necessary to ensure the integrity of the competition.

How Do You Make the Brackets?

There is no seeding in this competition and placement in the brackets is done using an online randomizer. As a result there is quite a bit of luck in terms of how far you can go in this competition. Please also keep in mind that most people aren't super fit in January and a lot of people plan to use these segments as workouts. Even if you're going against someone significantly faster than you, if you run hard you might be surprised by the result. Strange things happen in these races!