By Ben Starr, Special to Boston.com I hadn't planned to run another Boston Marathon until I made aqualifying time, but when offered a number this winter by adirector of a charity organization that had received only two of this precious commodity, I gladlyaccepted the opportunity to donate and raise money in exchange. I came within a few minutes of qualifying in recent years, but thenew qualifying times made my quest to qualify less likely. But thatwasn't why I accepted. The ripple of backlash against the charitycomponent of the race from qualifiers and running snobs that arosewhen the BAA entry process was oversubscribed in the fall of 2010brought out the long-lost populist in me. Not only does the program raise well north of $10 million annuallyfor local charities (and more than $120 million since its inceptionin 1989), but it was through this program that I first enteredBoston in 2005 and quickly caught the marathoning bug. I've now run10 total, including six marathons across the country that need usmore mediocre runners to fill their fields and their host cities'hotel rooms and restaurants. On the eve of this year's event I was reminded of the scarletletter us non-qualifiers carried in a heat advisory email from theBAA, "It is our recommendation that anyone entered in the marathonwho has not met the qualifying standards for their age and genderstrongly consider not running ..." Harrumph. But as I muddled through the hottest marathon I'veattempted and, like fellow runners, focused on the water/Gatoradestops, I noticed that many of the overheated volunteers spreadacross the eight communities that make up this logistically uniquenightmare of a marathon wore shirts or hats indicating the charityfor whom they were affiliated. Tufts University, the LiverFoundation, Griffin's Friends and many more. I had previously failed to realize that the charities did so muchmore than raise money. They were part of the backbone of the marathon, a benefit to allrunners, qualifiers and non-qualifiers. Ben Starr, 45, is a veteran marathoner who lives in Beacon Hillwith his wife and two children. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Led High Bay Lamps , China Wall Washer Led Lights, and more. For more , please visit High Bay Led Lights today!
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