late May BQ race recommendations?

Mountains to Beach in California is net down hill and considered fast.

The cool thing about this race is the race director allows people to sell their bib number so even though it is full if you can look around you may be able to find and buy a number that someone is not going to use.

Any of those races will probably work. The only problem is that they are all too late in the year in my opinion. Early May/Late April would have a much better chance of good weather. I think they are catering to the fun runners as most are wearing tights and jackets in 60+ degree weather. Too cold is a lot better than too warm for a marathon. Oh well.

Seriously mate? wrote:

Any of those races will probably work. The only problem is that they are all too late in the year in my opinion. Early May/Late April would have a much better chance of good weather. I think they are catering to the fun runners as most are wearing tights and jackets in 60+ degree weather. Too cold is a lot better than too warm for a marathon. Oh well.

oh i know, it's a crapshoot with the weather

first time in 5 years i didn't get my BQ in Boston. i was running easy on Monday due to the weather but still cramped badly and had to limp in to the finish a very slow walk....

have a good fitness base so i should be able to run a BQ unless it's 80 degrees

23timer wrote:

Seriously mate? wrote:

Any of those races will probably work. The only problem is that they are all too late in the year in my opinion. Early May/Late April would have a much better chance of good weather. I think they are catering to the fun runners as most are wearing tights and jackets in 60+ degree weather. Too cold is a lot better than too warm for a marathon. Oh well.

oh i know, it's a crapshoot with the weather

first time in 5 years i didn't get my BQ in Boston. i was running easy on Monday due to the weather but still cramped badly and had to limp in to the finish a very slow walk....

have a good fitness base so i should be able to run a BQ unless it's 80 degrees

What makes you think you can run a BQ in 80 degree weather when you couldn't in 70?

If you want more time to recover/buildup have you considered Grandma's in mid-June? Might be far enough north and on the lake for decent weather, but probably as much of a crapshoot as the rest listed. Very hot last year.

Last year didn't Cleveland get snow/sleet while Vermont City got black flagged for heat a week later? Bayshore was uncomfortable, too. It could just as easily be the opposite this year. Your guess is as good as anyone else's at this point.

KnockKneed Lion wrote:

http://solechallenge24.com/Default.aspx

It also includes a BQ marathon.

excusemaster wrote:

23timer wrote:

oh i know, it's a crapshoot with the weather

first time in 5 years i didn't get my BQ in Boston. i was running easy on Monday due to the weather but still cramped badly and had to limp in to the finish a very slow walk....

have a good fitness base so i should be able to run a BQ unless it's 80 degrees

What makes you think you can run a BQ in 80 degree weather when you couldn't in 70?

because it wasn't a heat-related cramping issue

David S. Pumpkins wrote:

If you want more time to recover/buildup have you considered Grandma's in mid-June? Might be far enough north and on the lake for decent weather, but probably as much of a crapshoot as the rest listed. Very hot last year.

Last year didn't Cleveland get snow/sleet while Vermont City got black flagged for heat a week later? Bayshore was uncomfortable, too. It could just as easily be the opposite this year. Your guess is as good as anyone else's at this point.

Grandma's would be my first choice.. i actutally got a BQ there in 2009 when it was almost 90 degrees...

but i have a wedding that i pretty much have to attend that weekend

yeah, late-Spring weather can be anything...

KnockKneed Lion wrote:

KnockKneed Lion wrote:http://solechallenge24.com/Default.aspx

It also includes a BQ marathon.

17 laps? no thanks... sounds like a nightmare

any comments on Bayshore in Traverse City, MI

How about June 3? http://www.newportmarathon.org

Buffalo, flat course, early start, cooler weather, low cost, most hotels with in walking distance to start and finish, not to big or small, well organized. Great post race party included in your registration. But what really counts is you can run a fast time. Good luck

23timer wrote:

any comments on Bayshore in Traverse City, MI

Really like Bayshore. Organization is great. Decent size. Course is out and back on a peninsula on Lake Michigan. Some very gentle rolling hills...nothing tough, so it's a fast course. Because it's right on the lake, temps tend to be pretty good, though nothing is heat-proof anymore. I'd recommend it...I'm actually running this year. I've also run Green Bay. Not a bad race, but more likely to be hot. Also, the marathon takes a bit of a backseat to the half at GB. Only a marathon at Bayshore.

jsdietsche wrote:

23timer wrote:

any comments on Bayshore in Traverse City, MI

Really like Bayshore. Organization is great. Decent size. Course is out and back on a peninsula on Lake Michigan. Some very gentle rolling hills...nothing tough, so it's a fast course. Because it's right on the lake, temps tend to be pretty good, though nothing is heat-proof anymore. I'd recommend it...I'm actually running this year. I've also run Green Bay. Not a bad race, but more likely to be hot. Also, the marathon takes a bit of a backseat to the half at GB. Only a marathon at Bayshore.

i'm leaning toward Bayshore..

but there is a 10k and a half...

23timer wrote:

so i need a BQ race... preferably either the weekend of 5/20-21 or 5/27-28

recommendations?

considering, inter alia: Ottawa, Fargo, Traverse City (Bayshort), Green Bay, Buffalo, Vermont City, Cleveland

If you can get into Bayshore then that is a great one. Northern Michigan usually is fairly cool and you get some pretty good competition.

I ran Bayshore last year. It was unexpectedly warm (70s temps, 80s humidity i believe). half and 10k are there but have different start times/starting lines so when you take off with the group you're running with marathoners only. It's a nice course, some road tilt towards the lake in parts was annoying, but it's a fast course if the weather is good. biggest con i can think of is it's not super close to a major airport that i can think of if you don't live within driving distance. Beautiful lake views if you look up. Probably similar to Grandma's in a lot of ways but I haven't run Grandma's yet.

The Runner's World editor is doing a sponsored "breaking2" style attempt to run a BQ with the scientists associated with nike and he picked Bayshore for his attempt, if that says anything to you.

David S. Pumpkins wrote:

The Runner's World editor is doing a sponsored "breaking2" style attempt to run a BQ with the scientists associated with nike and he picked Bayshore for his attempt, if that says anything to you.

Bahahahaha! Is he wearing the shoes too? RW really is a huge joke.

Of course he is. I've been following it because it's curious. He keeps getting injured in training, learned he was running his easy runs too fast...the usual.