Dallas White Rock Marathon Concern

I was curious about this too. I know they changed the half course from last year. Before, they merged around the 21 mile mark. So, it has definitely improved. I'm hoping there will be cones dividing the two courses. I'm also hoping that passing a bunch of slow people will keep me motivated to run hard to the finish. Who knows? Best of luck to you!

I ran last year came in at 3:26. It was a logjam when we merged at 21 miles, but we also got a bit of a charge out of the bigger numbers and the chance to go flying by - it made us feel fast all of a sudden! Streets are wide last couple of miles - shouldn't be a big problem. Can't wait to run next week, good luck.

weather sounds like its going to be very cold and windy according to extended forecast.

not always true wrote:

weather sounds like its going to be very cold and windy according to extended forecast.

Cold sounds good. I could do without windy, especially around the lake, but I think it's always windy around the lake.

A weather forecast 11 days out in Texas is as good as a cup of piss. You'll get a semi-acurate forecast maybe 4-5 days out...maybe. Besides, the weather channel says the day before the race (10 days out is the most they go) it's supposed to be partly sunny and 60 degrees. not bad.

BigDHopeful wrote:

A weather forecast 11 days out in Texas is as good as a cup of piss. You'll get a semi-acurate forecast maybe 4-5 days out...maybe. Besides, the weather channel says the day before the race (10 days out is the most they go) it's supposed to be partly sunny and 60 degrees. not bad.

I definitely agree on that one. I won't start taking the forecast seriously until about Thursday. It tends to be windy around the lake regardless of the weather in the rest of Dallas, though.

It's starting to look bad for Sunday. The forecast is saying high of 80. I guess by Friday we'll have a more accurate forecast. Here's hoping.

I'm worried. Not only hot, but humid and a south wind 15-25. I've never run a marathon before, but that sounds rough.

BigDHopeful wrote:

The White Rock half is sold out...big numbers. The full marathon starts one hour before the half, yet the two races merge and run the final 2 miles together. This sounds like a recipe for disaster. You will have 3-3:30 marathoners getting mixed in with 2-2:30 half marathoners.

I've not run this event before...does anyone know if this causes big logjam-type issues? Or, do they have the races split the road, keeping one race to the right and the other to the left? If you are trying to BQ and you get trapped behind a bunch of 10-minute mile runners, does it make it impossible to keep the pace?

HUGE logjam issues. Marathoners have been telling the race organizers for years to seperate the half and full courses. They finally half-way listened. Instead of merging at 21 miles as in past years, they will merge at 24. Better, but still not good. In past years, the last five miles was TOTAL CHAOS for anyone trying to run sub 3:30. Let me repeat, TOTAL CHAOS. Nothing like trying to hold onto goal pace late in a marathon while having to nagivate through countless obese team in training types walking 5 and 6 abreast while listening to their ipods.

DEast wrote:

I'm worried. Not only hot, but humid and a south wind 15-25. I've never run a marathon before, but that sounds rough.

Fall/winter weather in Texas is a TOTAL crapshoot. Prepare for anything. Tuesday is still WAY too far out to be able to tell what the weather's going to do on Sunday.

Bump

I am hoping to run sub-2:25. Anyone out there looking run this pace or maybe a little faster? I know they bring in a couple of kenyans for prize money.

The weather last night in Dallas said the cold/wet front would be hitting in the middle of the marathon.

good luck

bump