Ideally one running a marathon wants there to be enough people running nearby so that she is not alone for an extended stretch but not so many that running comfortably is difficult.
The question: How crowded -- too many, too few, just right -- have the marathons you've run been? Not overall, but where you were running; so we need the pace. I'm particularly curious as to where in the big city marathons the pace is such that there are too many people.
For me: 2006 NYC, 2:48: just right.
I had to start in the second wave of nyc this year and had to fight through thousands with ipods on, etc. Pain in the ass. Took a ton of energy out of me, esp when it narrowed to 2 lanes around mile 9. I think there should be other times taken into consideration when seeding
road rashed wrote:
I had to start in the second wave of nyc this year and had to fight through thousands with ipods on, etc. Pain in the ass. Took a ton of energy out of me, esp when it narrowed to 2 lanes around mile 9. I think there should be other times taken into consideration when seeding
What was your qualifying time? Did you have an HM time significantly better (quality-wise) than your marathon time?
I think if you can run 2:48, any major marathon should good. I qualified for Boston with a 2:53 in one of the biggest years and had great "position". I think 3:05+ is going to start getting pretty crowded, 3:30 is probably crazy in a major marathon. 4:00-4:30 you're going to be walking big chunks of the early going.
Also 2006 NYC, 3:11 after ~1:30 first half - just right. If I'd really been dead set on going out way too hard in that first up-the-bridge mile, it would've required some extra effort weaving through the crowd.
Next Saturday I'll run a 42k on the other end of the size spectrum: the "Reggae Marathon" in Negril, Jamaica, which should draw fewer than 200 runners. Hopefully they don't drug test - ganja and I really don't get along but I'd hate to be DQ'd for failing to toke up.
Out of the 6 times I ran a marathon, only 2 of those times were "big city marathons", and it was also in NY each time, 2007 and 2009. Both times in NY I lined up between 3:10 and 3:15 and I had the opposite problem of getting sucked out in going to fast.
In 2007 I blew my race because I didn't have the right head to pull my pace back.
In 2009 I made very conscious effort not to go out too fast and still was about 15 seconds per mile faster than I wanted in the early miles; and I was still being passed by 3:30 pace bibs.
I know I was lined up correctly each time and made no efforts to get as front as I possibly could, while I saw others squeezing through as much as possible in the corrals.
I'm always within a few minutes either side of 3:00, and once the race starts, I've never had any real crowding issues. I just bide my time if there's some congestion, since it'll thin out soon enough.
My problem with the big marathons I've run (NYC and Boston) is the hassle of getting to the starting line and the crowds at the start, which definitely takes something out of me. I strongly prefer the smaller races (NJ Shore, Wineglass) for this reason.
BayState Marathon. 3 hours. Just right.
Atlanta Marathon, 3:37. Perfection for us sort-of slowpokes; only about 1000 people in the race, but no walkers (5 hour cutoff time was brutally enforced).
5 hour cutoff time was brutally enforced
"Brutally" or "mercifully"?
half full or half empty? wrote:
"Brutally" or "mercifully"?
Brutally for those foolish enough to run slower than a 5 hour pace, since they weren't picked up unless they asked for it. The organizers didn't drag anyone off the course, but had the "sag wagon" remove all the cones, water stations, and course marshalls as they drove at around a 12 minute/mile pace. There weren't even any sidewalks to run on there; just worn, uneven grass on one side and crazy Atlanta drivers on the other.
I ran Chicago twice. Out in about 1:28-1:29 both times. The first time I started at the front of the open and weaseled as far forward as I could. The second time I was in the A Corral and rolled with the 3:00 pace group.
Both times it was congested the first 3 miles or so as you wind your way around downtown, but was fine after that.
The last 7 miles felt really congested the first time I ran it, but that's just because I was getting passed by everyone.
I'm giving this a bump.