Spring Marathon for OTQ?

Toledo, OH for the Glass City Marathon.

It's similar to Carmel, In. marathon (previously mentioned). Some of it is on the bike path, it's not huge, but there are a decent # of runners. It's flat. And it's in late April so it's typically cool (though it was hot this past year).

Wrightsville Beach?

There's a surprising lack of good spring marathons to OTQ. Every year in the qualifying cycle someone makes a thread asking about this:

I'm surprised no one has stepped up to organize a marathon that would be a good qualifying attempts. Groups like Sound Running and Trials of Miles have done a lot on the track, xc, and some smaller road races - could they set up something on a fast course focused on people trying to OTQ?

OP, I'm in the same boat looking for March-ish marathons (it's how I found this thread). If you drop your email address I'm happy to reach out and coordinate.

Money isn’t in OTQ. It’s in bobsled downhill courses so you can pad your social media resume with aided course times. RNR could facilitate a great race. But they’re more into tutus and cover bands.

I also encountered this problem. My initial plan was to go for Glass City, but I think I have decided instead to go to Europe for a truly competitive and fast race. Looking at Rotterdam on 4/16/23 as of now

Rotterdam is awesome -- both the race & the city. Recover with a few days in Amsterdam or head south to Belgium.

I’m actually thinking the same

No. It is point to point and this last year there was a headwind almost the entire first half and part of the second. Also, the second half loops around a lake and runs generally a lot slower than the first half, regardless of the wind. And an OTQ for a man would be a solo effort, and possibly for a woman as well.

Wanted to bump this thread instead of making my own.

Has anybody decided a spring marathon other than Boston?

I am entertaining several options, including going overseas, but am a bit worried about throwing off my routine. Trying to find something with decent competition, if in the U.S. (Considered Napa Valley, but the road camber is a bit unsettling)

I'm not looking to OTQ, but something sub-2h30 would be nice.

There a lot of good options listed already. One that hasn’t come up is the Bayshore Marathon in traverse city, Michigan. Nice course… running 2:30 you won’t have much company though.

Have you run Napa before? I've done it twice and the road camber isn't that bad for most of it.

Probably doing the one I listed above. Looks like a good race, the $$ will bring in good comp

suggestion: NCR trail point to point. shaded, flat, cool.

Vermont isn't fast and flat, it's now 2 laps with two significant hills plus the usual undulations. It's a good 900ft. Slower than Boston and a weaker field. Boston isn't that fast but at least you get a strong field.

What about Sugarloaf in Maine? Net down hill, one big pull up, then down hill for the last 16 miles.

I'm thinking Sugarloaf or Buffalo (600ft). There's not too many fast flat courses in New England, especially in the Spring.

How late can one typically wait to sign up to still get in Grandmas.

Napa is hella fast and phenomenal weather, dont worry about the road

Bump - any updates on where OTQ hopefuls are racing this spring?