My sister just qualified for Boston at Chicago. She asked my to run '05 Boston with her. I know that there are races which I could train for and run to qualify. But there small first time local marathon near me on Halloween. I did my last race yesterday after a summer of training and racing 8 or so olympic tris and some dus. I was about to take a break, but I am wondering if I should try to qualify (3:10) and run with my sister in April. I will not run Boston on an exemption and really don’t have the time to do a team in training thingy. The marathon is not really my race, and my main goal would be no to get hurt (as opposed to qualifying). I am thinking that I run a 20 miler this week to gauge my fitness, but I am wondering if my summer/fall tri and du training is the kind of base that can get me by. Any experience or words of wisdom? I need to decide by weeks end or will not be able to register. My gut tells me not to push it.
Well, since you did not help me yesterday… just kidding! 
Congrats for winning 30-34 in a tough field! It’s the first time I go top 10 overall and not place in my AG - not many times you see 4-5-6 overall all 34 years old.
Back to the mary - it all depends on your weekly running mileage so far!
I’d say 30-35mpw is enough for a decent marathon w/o risking injuries. The 20 miler would be a good way to find out where you are…
There’s a mid-Febr. marathon in Columbus (http://www.premierraces.com/LastChance/lastchanceraceinfo.html) you could try in case you want to qualify for Boston in the last moment.
I am running Marine Corps Marathon off of tri training, but for me that was an average of 8.5 bike hours/7.5 run hours per week average since June 1. I also run long just about all the time. Lots of 1:30 to 2:15 runs. If you don’t have a lot of runs longer than 1:30 then the marathon might be a tough one for you. It also depends on how fast a 3:10 is for you. If you are a 2:30 marathoner then 3:10 should be a breeze, but if you have never run 3:10 then you might want to hold off and prepare for it better.
Another post-er mentioned there are other races all the way up to mid-Feb. that you can qualify at for '05.
Chad
Sorry about yesterday - I lost third about a mile or two into the 10K. The guy was too strong - and my run is somewhat weak now. This being my virgin year of tri/du, I put less focus on the run and more focus on the other disciplines. That is the main reason I am skeptical about a marathon on my base. The post above this makes the most sense and I will probably avoid the Halloween race. I like to run too much to risk it. Thanks for the feedback. Hope to meet you at a race some time.
No problemo señor! 
Those top 3 guys are regularly the fastest runners in MI multisport events. I saw you trying hard to catch Ryan but he was running well too…
Are you doing the Polly Ann Trail Duathlon? I might come outthere for fun (if I can get somebody to lend me a MTB).
I’m planning to do a 1/2-marathon in the following weeks - and I’m looking at this one (http://portlandrunningclub.homestead.com/PRRhalfMarathon.html) at the moment.
I am not going to do the Mt. Bike race - although it would be fun. You could use my mt bike although it is probably not the best race bike and you would have to go way out of your way to get it.
You planted a seed as to the 1/2 marathon - and it turns out the Grand Rapids Marathon (10/31) also has a half. I signed up moments ago. I was told this first time event is going to fill up (max 750 runners) this week.
Thanks for the offer - Polly Ann would/will be only for fun (I don’t feel like puting away the bike for the winter yet) - so I’m planning to get a friend’s beater.
I’m glad you found a HALF-mary closer to you - I’ll have to drive almost 2 hours to Portland, good thing is it starts at 1:30 P.M.!
Detroit Turkey Trot is on my schedule too…
Polly Ann would/will be only for fun (I don’t feel like puting away the bike for the winter yet) - so I’m planning to get a friend’s beater.
I’ll be shooting the Polly Ann race, so try to look like a tough MTBer when you see me. Maybe grimace and smear some mud on your face, bloody scratches on your knees, elbows, big motocross gloves and full body armor…
LOL! Hope you’re not wearing that aero helmet on this one.
-Zo
Trianthes, I just completed this experiment on Sunday at my local marathon (ottawa fall colours marathon) and qualified for Boston. My last Olympic tri was only two weeks ago. Since May 1, I had done 8 runs of 2 hours as part of my half Ironman training. Over the summer, I raced 4 half Ironmans, two olympic tris and the Muskoka LC tri (2K swim, 55K bike, 15K run). I had lots of tri fitness under my belt. Thee weeks ago, I jumped up to a three hour run to guage my ability to do a marathon, and I suffered from 2:15 to 2:50 in that run. I was averaging about 50-65K per week of running. I had two weeks with no running in July and I had two 100+K weeks in Sep while I was still racing tris and ramp some mileage for the marathon.
On Sunday, I was strong of 2 hours as anticipated and struggled badly in the cold and wind from 2 hours to 2:50 or so. The first half was 1:27 and second half was only 1:39 for a 3:07. It was a tough hilly course that beat me up and my lack of runs over 2 hours really showed. I plan to train properly over the winter and shoot for another sub 3 in Boston like in 2002 (2:59.52). You should go for it.
Zo,
I could try to show up w/ a cyclocross bike… than the Prologue would look good, right?
I’ll make sure you notice me if I can get the MTB!
I’ll PM you regarding the pics - thx again for all those nice shots.
Dev,
Congrats for your mary.
That’s a lot of miles you had in your legs (big weekly volumes too) and still had some tough times during the mary… I think TODD is playing carefull/smart by not risking injuries and preparing well his qualifier. He definitely has the speed & endurance - just not enough long runs in the legs…
I should also amplify that I pretty well stopped running last winter and started running in April.
Realistically, there were a few reasons for a tough marathon:
-
Very cold 7 degree super windy day
-
two half Ironmans and one olympic tri since Sep 4th and then a marathon this weekend (ie, legs still had some deep muscle fatigue)
-
lack of long runs
I knew I would suffer due to items two and three, but really, this was my only chance to get a Boston Qual time this year. All my training buddies are heading to the Kiawah SC marathon in Dec to get their Boston times. I can neither go to that race (time and money) nor do I want to as I will be in full blown XC ski race training. As such, I just tacked on this marathon to the end of my season with no huge expectations but to run sub 3:15.
I had no control over item 1. I expect to be able to cruise through the first half in 1:28 and a second half in 1:40 without working. In the first half I did not work much at all doing a 1:27.42, but with the wind picking up in the second half, I really had to work just to run 1:39. I really did not want to take it easy as I felt that there was a risk of “sliding into the comfort zone” and having that 3:07 turn into a 3:17 in the final 10K ! It truly felt like an Ironman for around 60 min (vs the 5 hours or so of pain in an Ironman)
To make myself feel better, I do know that Ironman Wisconsin winner Dave Harju who won the half marathon in 1:17, was 4 min slower than at the ING Ottawa Half Marathon (www.ncm.ca) in the spring, where I was the 1:30 pace bunny and did a 1:29 pacer run off a 90K training ride.