I know there is probably no CIM equivalent for chasing an OTQ in the spring...but does anyone have any opinions on the best spring race for OTQ hopefuls?
I know there is probably no CIM equivalent for chasing an OTQ in the spring...but does anyone have any opinions on the best spring race for OTQ hopefuls?
Probably wait until June and run Grandmas.
Napa
Houston
I'm going again in June at Grandma's. Barely missed at CIM.
Chisholm Trail Marathon
Grandmas is good, but concerned about the chance of hitting a warm day!
fastmarathon wrote:
Chisholm Trail Marathon
That marathon looks interesting! Will 2019 be its first year?
Eugene has potential if people would commit to it
If you want to wait for late summer, the Marquette Marathon has significant elevation drop.
http://marquettemarathon.com/2016website/course-maps-and-elevation-profiles/
Though to be honest, its such a significant drop that I fear the quads would be shot once the course levels out.
Fall option: Whistlestop Marathon is a nice gradual downhill the entire way. Though I suppose at that point you mine as well wait for CIM. Sorry I cannot think of any spring ones, other than Grandmas which was already mentioned.
Runnerchx44 wrote:
If you want to wait for late summer, the Marquette Marathon has significant elevation drop.
http://marquettemarathon.com/2016website/course-maps-and-elevation-profiles/Though to be honest, its such a significant drop that I fear the quads would be shot once the course levels out.
Fall option: Whistlestop Marathon is a nice gradual downhill the entire way. Though I suppose at that point you mine as well wait for CIM. Sorry I cannot think of any spring ones, other than Grandmas which was already mentioned.
That marathon is not eligible for an OTQ, way too much elevation loss.
lorde wrote:
Eugene has potential if people would commit to it
Eugene was actually one I was eying. All the turns on that course scare me a bit.
Pittsburgh also is one of the more competitive spring marathons, but the course isn't the easiest.
lorde wrote:
Pittsburgh also is one of the more competitive spring marathons, but the course isn't the easiest.
Great scenery, awesome city vibe, challenging course, hills are either up, down, steep or rolling will have you questioning, "this is my OTQ?"
Go to grandmas. I’ll be shooting for sub 2:19 there as well. The more the merrier.
What is confusing is that for a marathon to qualify someone for the marathon trials, it must be certified AND sanctioned by the USATF (or the IAAF for international events). There have been several cases where someone ran what they thought was a qualifying time only to learn the event they ran was not sanctioned. For example, I live in Michigan and the Detroit Marathon a couple of years ago had a couple of women who thought they ran qualifying times in the 1/2 marathon only to learn afterwards the course was certified but not sanctioned. I do think they were able to successfully petition the USATF so they could still run the trials. It would be nice if there was a list of US marathon that were certified and sanctioned, but I don't see one on the USATF web site.
Runnerchx44 wrote:
If you want to wait for late summer, the Marquette Marathon has significant elevation drop.
http://marquettemarathon.com/2016website/course-maps-and-elevation-profiles/Though to be honest, its such a significant drop that I fear the quads would be shot once the course levels out.
Fall option: Whistlestop Marathon is a nice gradual downhill the entire way. Though I suppose at that point you mine as well wait for CIM. Sorry I cannot think of any spring ones, other than Grandmas which was already mentioned.
You realize downhill marathons with a significant enough elevation drop are not OTQ legal, right. And the goal of a course "like CIM" is to have many people to run with not to win by 20 minutes.
Houston isn't really a "spring" marathon given that it's in the middle of January. That said, it's a PR course for half and full provided you get great weather like this year (e.g. Huddle HM record). Usually it's closer to 60 and humid af.
Mountains 2 Beach could be good. It's in Ventura, CA Memorial Day weekend. Uphill for 2+ miles, then 24 miles downhill, about 900 feet total, to the beach.
Course:
https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2060653192
Event:
swrn33 wrote:
Houston isn't really a "spring" marathon given that it's in the middle of January. That said, it's a PR course for half and full provided you get great weather like this year (e.g. Huddle HM record). Usually it's closer to 60 and humid af.
Mountains 2 Beach could be good. It's in Ventura, CA Memorial Day weekend. Uphill for 2+ miles, then 24 miles downhill, about 900 feet total, to the beach.
Please people, stop wasting everyone's time with courses that are not record legal due to the excessive elevation drop and have no depth of competition which is what the OP is after.
Boston! Net downhill, just a gamble on the weather. Plenty of support and it should have a few groups going out in 1:09 through the half...
Am I living in the twilight zone? The Boston Marathon weather was terrible!
Des Linden: "The entire sport" has changed since she first started running Boston.
Ryan Eiler, 3rd American man at Boston, almost out of nowhere
Matt Choi was drinking beer halfway through the Boston Marathon
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