Women's Elite Start at NYC disadvantage for 2:50 range female?

the early start can be a disadvantage... at the va beach 1/2 last year, my fiance in the non-elite open group (which started 15 min after the elites) ran most of the race alone and could have ran faster with the elites. this early start thing doesn't happen that often though, just big time races.

I was wondering this myself. I saw Gordon Bakoulis come by 25.5 with no one near her in either direction. I imagine that she must have run at least 20 miles or so all by herself. Granted, she was apparently coming back from inury, but you get the point. Someone like that would be better off in the main pack, especialy on a colder, windyish day. Although it must be nice to get some face time all by yourself on a course crowded with spectators, especialy when everyone knows your name, like Gordon.

I was wondering as well about women in the main pack who are not quite elite enough to get the early start, but nonetheless are ready for a breakout. If they pop a good time and finish ahead of some elites, they don't quite get the glory of actually passing them and crossing the finish line ahead of them. Plus, they are running totally with men. I wonder if there is some psyhological value to finding some women ahead of you to target.

This is a complete hypothetical that I can't imagine happening, but what would happen if a last minute entry or an unheralded debut runner from another country steps to the line in the main pack and runs a time that would qualify for money, or better yet, runs the fastest female time, but doesn't cross the finish line first by virtue of not having been in the elite start? Can a woman from the main pack have a chance to win or take a cash prize?

The answer is NO.

Regarding the possibility of a non-elite woman entrant finishing fast enough to be "in the money", they addressed that during the telecast shown on NY TV. The upshot is that if you aren't in the elite race, you cannot win the cash - it doesn't matter how fast you run.

As far as the elite women running by themselves for most of the way because of the seperate start, this is essential the same thing the elite men have to do, run by themselves for most of the way.

How may women were in the elite start? What was the qualifying standard? Was there anyone this year whose time would have earned money but for being left out of the elite start?

My question originated actually from the television coverage in which I saw Gordon with the elites and she had stated her goal was "around 2:45"...so naturally with even pacing this would leave her alone for the most part. It wouldn't be my cup of tea. Running a 2:45 for a female may leave you alone in the latter stages of the marathon, but for the whole thing...that is very tough.

You might have a point. Still, any woman who is in range of 2:50 at NYC (or man at 2:24ish) and complains because they narrowly miss the US Olympic Trials qualifying standard likely should have run Chicago, Twin Cities, Cal International, or another one of several slightly to moderately faster races to choose from. In her case, Gordon B. may have been more interested in running well for the hometown race and didn't care much about going 2:48.00 or sub and it sounds like she did that anyway. And as was pointed out, even a 2:42.00 type of effort (all expenses paid to the USOT marathon, BTW) would have manifested the same 20-miles of solo running scenario. The standard might not have been Gordon's primary goal or other women running in that range. But surely if someone is that tantalizingly close to those magic numbers, they should probably have been at another race, maximizing their chances to hit the qualifying standard.

The "A" standard for the USOT is sub-2:40, not 2:42 (all expenses paid)... just my 2 cents.

Accordign to "a very well-informed person very close to the situation," all women in the 2:42 to 2:50 range were given a choice between starts. Those who chose the separate start were eligible for

- open prize money

- open time bonuses

- masters prize money

- fluid-bottle service

Women who ran in the mass start were eligible for:

- NYRR member prize money and time bonuses

- masters prize money

This person said that Janina Malska and Gillian Horovitz chose the masss start; Gordon Bakoulis, Leteyesus Berhe, and Kari McKay chose the elite start.

My own thoughts -- anyone who consigns herself to the minor leages when she gets an invitation to The Big Show ought to have her head examined. If you think like a second-rater, guess what you'll probably be...