The qualifying time is not like the BQ Time. It is not a guarantee. In fact every year I had the QT I did not get in. I waited and submitted my time and got rejected still meeting the time. The caveat is you have to run it on a NYRR course and then you are good but the caveat to that is those races like the Brooklyn half are just as hard to get into as the NYC marathon.Long story short. I got lucky and knew a guy and got to run NYC. Worst marathon IMO also. BQ and run Boston, much more enjoyable.