We’d been wondering what Wellesley would do with the 20 Boston Marathon numbers it has been allotted for being one of the main towns along the 26.2 mile course. Sounds like the Board of Selectmen has decided to let runners apply for the numbers in an effort to raise money for the Fund for Wellesley, which supports efforts such as suicide prevention and senior services, and another outfit called Miles for Miracles .
Applications will be available at town hall: Runners will need to pay the $250 BAA fee, plus raise $2,500 for charity (10 numbers for the Fund for Wellesley, 4 for Miles for Miracles). A lottery will be held Jan. 19 to select the winners. Wellesley residents and employees will be given priority.
Two numbers each will also be doled out to the police, fire department and other town employees.
The BAA, which organizes the marathon, has been at the center of controversy in light of many qualified Boston Marathon runners being shut out from entering this year’s race because the field filled up so fast. The BAA recently said it was distributing some additional numbers to towns along the course. Qualified runners have complained that too many numbers are being given to slower runners who get in simply because of who they know or work for or because they’re good fundraisers.
Wellesley’s portion of the Boston Marathon course goes from a bit before Mile 12 to around Mile 16, and passes the infamous Scream Tunnel of Wellesley College students around Mile 12.
