best spring OTQ marathons?

I might be wrong but isn't Eugene a hilly course? Maybe I'm thinking of Portland or Seattle...

Bay Shore's a good one if you like out-and-back, and it's nice and flat... I'm not sure what the competition's like, though; from what I've seen the winners come in right around OTQ or just above.

Look into the Vermont City Marathon. They have prize money for hitting the OTQ standard and usually will have people running around that time anyway. You should also be able to get some or all expenses comped if you're as fast as you say.

Thanks for the tip on the Vermont City Marathon. I had not looked at that one before.

Eugene is pretty flat. It is not as bad as Seattle or Portland

Have you thought about the LA Marathon.

I am in a similar boat as you and thinking about going overseas (Rotterdam).

I know you said May, but just putting other ones out there for discussion sake.

Larry and Zeke are the elite coordinators at VCM. 2 great guys who take care of the elite guys. Its a great course, not perfectly flat, but certainly suitable to run the OTQ if you're fit enough.

It filled up already. Maybe next trials.

If you get some company, the Cleveland marathon is actually a pretty quick course.

so fast wrote:

It filled up already. Maybe next trials.

Are you referring to Vermont City Marathon being full? I don't see that anywhere...

Pikes Peak Marathon baby!

What about Boston? If you've run 2:19:xx then I would assume you could get an elite entry into the race?

Another wrote:

What about Boston? If you've run 2:19:xx then I would assume you could get an elite entry into the race?

I don't know if that assumption is true. I know for sure that 2:19:xx gets me absolutely nothing at Chicago, so I hadn't really considered a major marathon. My own assumption is that I would have better chance of getting accommodations at a smaller race. Anyone know Boston's elite standards, or if they have a sub-elite program?

I ran Eugene this year and was in their 'elite' program. It is a well run race and I can't imagine a better pre-race set up. We had our own area in one of the stands at Hayward, plenty of bathrooms under the grandstand and someone gathering clothes on the start line. We also had two bottle tables at miles 9 and 16. The course is definitely flat, there are two hills at ~4.5 and a bit after 8, but neither are that steep or long and it is essentially flat outside of those two hills. The weather was perfect this year as well, and although there is always the chance it be damp/wet, you have great odds that the temperature will be excellent.

In terms of competition, clearly no one ended up running 2:18 last year so it's tough to say if that will be different this year. They did have a pacer for someone trying to qualify this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had that lined up again this year to try and attract more people to qualify there. The half-marathon also starts at the same time, so you could have some of those guys to run with for the first 10-11 miles. I don't know what kind of travel support they might have for next year, but I'm pretty sure you would be able to get your hotel covered.

Good luck qualifying!

The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon would be a great place to qualify. It's completely flat with a little downhill around mile 22. The competition varies with winning times as fast as 2:14 and as slow as 2:28. If you could get a group of guys together you'd have a great shot. I might even be up for it.

Are you the guy who started that thread about Chicago not letting you have your own fluids?

Thomas Rollins wrote:

Are you the guy who started that thread about Chicago not letting you have your own fluids?

lol. No. Although I once started a thread about whether I should build a deck or a patio. I ended up building a deck, for anyone who needs closure.

Gotcha, it was just your wording that 2:19:xx gets you absolutely nothing at Chicago made me think it could have been you. Too bad you didn't run sub 2:19 at Chicago, that's worth $2500 if I remember correctly.

Good luck at whatever race you decide to go for, I'm using Boston as a good effort in the spring (I will likely be in 2:20-2:22 shape) and then am going to the give the OTQ a go in Chicago next fall.

Vermont City is a great race, but not a fast course. There are a couple of decent sized hills over the first 16 miles, including one pretty nasty climb @ mi 15 or so. The good news is that the last 5-6 miles are on a slight downhill on a straight bike path along the lake.

LA marathon is a bit early in the spring, but is probably the fastest non-Boston field in the spring.

Ottawa marathon also has a good elite field and a fast course.

Problem with LA and Ottawa is that the elites will all take off shooting for sub 2:10. I do not know whether either has any olympic development program. But, as the elites break up, you may have a few runners to chase down towards the end of the race.

The funny thing is that I'm convinced that water bottles actually slow me down. It's a distraction, and I always seem to miss them or knock mine over. It's easier for me to just take cups. And you know what? The cups actually work! Hard to believe. Sports drink is pretty much all the same to me.

Yeah, I saw the premiums at Chicago for sub-2:20 and sub-2:22. Thought about doing it this year, but I decided I didn't want to front the money to travel, plus I didn't want to chance hot weather. Turns out to have been a good decision, as I waited a month and got perfect weather, whereas Chicago was on the warm side again this year.

And I do want to point out that by no means do I EXPECT any major marathon to provide a scrub like me accommodations (hotel, comp, travel, etc). Elite races cater to elite athletes, and I am not that. Of course I would take it if offered, but I know my place...

But many of these smaller races DO have programs for travel, lodging, and separate prize money, plus set up really nice environments for sub-elites to race in. It really helps to focus, and takes stress off of logistics & travel, plus you get to mingle with similar runners all weekend. So it's good to know which races are setting up "Olympic Trials Hopefuls" programs. I remember Houston did it a few years ago, and it sounds like Vermont City has a nice program.

The Vermont invited field is not filled -- They are offering $1K for any trials qualifiers. The course has many long straightaways is fairly quick. John Crews ran 2:17 this year and Heidi Westover was at 2:40:04. She ran 2:35 there in 2009.Zeke Zucker and Joe Connelly are the two guys to contact for invited runner info at info@runvermont.org. In talking to both of them recently there is a lot of interest in runners going there to attempt OTQ times. Good Luck.---Larry Kimball