Looks like new qualifying standards…
I don’t think so. I already started a thread about this:
I think that’s an April Fool’s joke isn’t it? However to be honest those times are not all that far off from what they should be.
Has to be a joke, although I think they could switch to these “new” times as this years race filled so quickly.
I had read in my last running mag that new standards for 2011 were coming since the race was now filling up way too early. Wow, looks like about 10 minutes off per AG. I would have to work my butt off to get a BQ now. :o(
And they made the field down to 15,000
.
Holy Crap - I was seriously bummed one I first saw that.
I just qualified 2 months ago for the first time (after missing by a minute 20 years ago) and I didn’t have
10 minutes to spare!
.
Did you see the lead news story on that site’s front page? Very well done…
i dunno… 10 minute changes doesn’t really seem like that great of an april fool’s joke, esp. since the times do change - and perhaps should change, if the race is filling up so early.
Since I read the article from the RD that they were going to have to make changes, and lowering the standards was one of them, who knows what is going to happen. I guess we can look tomorrow to see.
I did not expect to hear anything answers until they open for 2011 registration, but faster times would be a fair expectation. Lower the field size, I would expect them to raise it some based on his comment on this.
Just when I thought you couldn’t get any more dense…
You should quit thinking. :o)
Finally the page says " Happy April Fools" No way would they lose $1 million on entries! Good con though!
Still fun to send to friends and watch their reactions.
Since you fooled/embarassed me on this topic. How does qualifying work? As I said in your thread, this is the first time in my life I have thought about trying to qualify.
What’s the qualifying “period” for the next year’s race? If lots of people run qualifying times early in the year and apply, can it fill up if I am running later in the year? How does qualifying work? Run the time, send them your results and pay the fee then?
I was thinking of running the Bay State marathon in October to qualify for next April, is that going to work?
For next year’s race qualifying times have to be run after September 27, 2009 (last year). So once they open registration you sign up and tell them where you ran a qualifying time. They do supposedly verify all the times somehow. Registration for this year opened the first week of September and closed before the end of November. So you’d probably be ok trying to qualify in October for next April’s race. However, the race has been filling earlier and earlier so no guarantees as to how quickly it will fill for next year.
For next year’s race qualifying times have to be run after September 27, 2009 (last year).
Next year meaning 2011? So basically an 18 month span from when you could run a qualifier 9/27/09, until the race, April 2010?
Registration for this year opened the first week of September and closed before the end of November. So you’d probably be ok trying to qualify in October for next April’s race.
So registrationg for the 2010 race opened in September 09 and closed in November 09? Enough people ran qualifying times in that 2 month span, or had previous times that they submitted during that two month span?
Those two sentences are confusing me.
For next year’s race qualifying times have to be run after September 27, 2009 (last year).
Next year meaning 2011? So basically an 18 month span from when you could run a qualifier 9/27/09, until the race, April 2010?
Registration for this year opened the first week of September and closed before the end of November. So you’d probably be ok trying to qualify in October for next April’s race.
think of it this way. i ran the philly marathon in 11/09, and ran it fast enough to qualify. this made me eligible for the 4/10 race, but i couldn’t enter because it was already full. it also made me eligible for the 4/11 race, which i can register for once registration opens.
does that help?
So registrationg for the 2010 race opened in September 09 and closed in November 09? Enough people ran qualifying times in that 2 month span, or had previous times that they submitted during that two month span?
Those two sentences are confusing me.
think of it this way. i ran the philly marathon in 11/09, and ran it fast enough to qualify. this made me eligible for the 4/10 race, but i couldn’t enter because it was already full. it also made me eligible for the 4/11 race, which i can register for once registration opens.
does that help?
Ha, kind of. It’s the rolling nature of the system that is confusing me, I thought it was more like Ironman Hawaii. So there are some people who are already registered for the '11 race? People who ran a late marathon in 2009 (too late to get into the 2010 race) and people who have already run qualifying times this year?
Is there a way to see how full it is getting?
Do you think a mid-October race this year would get me in the 2011 race?
What’s funny is that those times look more like the original requirements. I think when I was first a runner, men were 3 and masters men 3:10, Looks like the first few years they had stds, there was only one each for M/F:
“The original standards, in 1976, specified that men had to have run a marathon in the preceding year in three hours or less. For women, it was 3:30.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/health/nutrition/24Best.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2