Ok, I’m a little slow on the uptake, I just want to make sure I have it correctly. I want to qualify for next year’s Boston Marathon, and I am now 44 years old, and I’ll be 45 in January. If I understand it correctly my qualifying time is based on the age I will be at NEXT year’s Boston Marathon, correct? Not the age I am at the qualifying event?
So, I have to run a 3:30 this year at the Columbus Marathon, not a 3:20! That’s a huge difference. I was thinking all along that I had to run a 7:37 pace, which I wasn’t so sure about. 8:00, I can do (I’ve done it already).
3:15.59, there is a date in Sept or Oct after which your chip time is good until Boston 2009. If you turn 40 before the race date in 2009, then you qualify for that age group, as opposed to 35-39, good luck.
California International Marathon (CIM). This is a very well run race, has a gentle drop of 375’ and is relatively easy to get to. The early December date should give you plenty of time to rest and prepare for Boston.
How about any races this winter? I am doing IMC week after next, then 70.3s in early Nov, then a little downtime so I was looking for something mid January to early March.
I’m going for a BQ in Las Vegas in early December. I’ve heard mixed feedback about the race itself, but I like the early-winter timing and the flat course. And if I mess up, I can try again in a few months! (I won’t mess up).
Well, there is always the “Last chance for Boston race”. It is a dead flat 1 mile loop, ran 26 times, certified, in Dublin, OH in early March I think if you miss in Dec.
Otherwise, the Disney is flat and easy and a good family destination and in Dec I think.
B&A trail marathon and 1/2 marathon in Severna Park, MD. Flat and fast (other than a 1/2 mile hill at mile 7). Most people run the 1/2, so the actual marathon field is relatively small (about 300 or so). Put on by the Annapolis Striders. It’s in mid-March. Well run, great food afterwards, really nice awards (placed in the 1/2 mary. for my AG this year). I’m debating about trying to go for a sub-3 there next year.
well, for easy qualifying - there was a post here a few weeks ago about a point-to-point marathon, I think in North Carolina. Sounded like it was straight downhill.
The other thing to consider - my understanding is that qualified or not, Boston does sell out, so qualifying in March is kinda risky if you want to race it in '07 (but not an issue if you’re deferring).
I qualified at the Tampa Marathon, easy to get to, mid-Feb (I think), small but VERY well organized. Start is 6am so heat is not remotely a problem, very flat, I think you run over two small bridges. Clocks at every mile, can’t go wrong.
