People who use net downhill marathons to get into Boston are cheating

Some people find it easier to look for the perfect course rather than do the training for a BQ (or lose the weight slowing them down).

NoFrickinWay wrote:

No Way. Would have happened already if it were possible. No money, per se, for winning St. George, but the notoriety one would get for breaking 2 hours would be enormous.

oh please wrote:

I've said before, sub 2 could be run on the St George course. It is big net downhill, but not typically with huge chunks. The profile might give that impression, but its easy and gentle down mostly.

Yes way.

There's no money to run sub 2 at St George. We're talking one of the few best of the best of the best skipping their chance at a major and the WMM to take a crack. Mutai of 2011, Kipsang of 2012/13, Kipchoge now.

Mutai in Boston shape running St George with some pacers would have been sub 2.

I know people that have run St George, and many other flatter marathons. No one gets typically within 10 minutes of the STG time, and some even more than that.

Oh, no! They qualified for BOSTON on a downhill course! This isn't the OT, it's a road race. What are you worried there won't be enough corporate entries left over?

I'd say there is a huge advantage for Big Cottonwood compared to other races.

Findmymarathon.com says 29% of those who ran it this year qualified for Boston. Is there an advantage, ya think?

http://findmymarathon.com/bestbostonmarathonqualifiers-2016.php

"Legitimate runners" are not concerned with hobby jogger targets such as age group qualifying for the Boston marathon.

So what if one hobby jogger takes the place of another? Makes zero difference to anything other than an inflated hobby jogger ego.

B

Pumpkin eaters wrote:

I'd say there is a huge advantage for Big Cottonwood compared to other races.

Findmymarathon.com says 29% of those who ran it this year qualified for Boston. Is there an advantage, ya think?

http://findmymarathon.com/bestbostonmarathonqualifiers-2016.php

But it's not even the highest on the list.

CIM is only a net 340 feet downhill:http://runcim.org/course-map/366 ft above sea level at start, 26 ft at finish. I doubt that plays a big role over a marathon. I'd say it's probably harder than say, Berlin, because it's probably windier than most courses.

People who have used CIM, Light at the end of the tunnel, St George, Big Cottonwood, and similar marathons are cheating legitimate runners out of Boston. How do you guys look at yourself in the mirror? Cheaters, cheaters, cheaters, cheaters !!!

oh please wrote:

NoFrickinWay wrote:

No Way. Would have happened already if it were possible. No money, per se, for winning St. George, but the notoriety one would get for breaking 2 hours would be enormous.

Yes way.

There's no money to run sub 2 at St George. We're talking one of the few best of the best of the best skipping their chance at a major and the WMM to take a crack. Mutai of 2011, Kipsang of 2012/13, Kipchoge now.

Mutai in Boston shape running St George with some pacers would have been sub 2.

I know people that have run St George, and many other flatter marathons. No one gets typically within 10 minutes of the STG time, and some even more than that.

There is no way anyone goes sub 2 at St. George. No way.

Flounder wrote:

If it bothers you that much, Derek, then you should expose and shame them on your blog.

We know you like to name names.

POTD

Fjfhhy wrote:

Flounder wrote:

If it bothers you that much, Derek, then you should expose and shame them on your blog.

We know you like to name names.

POTD

Who is Derek? Bo Derek?

CIM is not cheating because that course is Olympic trials eligible and same with Boston

Why doesn't the BAA follow the same rules as Olympic trials eligible courses for races to be used as Boston qualifiers? These people who run Steamtown and St George and other aided big downhill races to qualify for Boston do it because it's allowed, but why is it allowed?

I requalified at Boston this year. I didn't run any other marathons to get a better time. Times were overall slower by 7-10 minutes due to the heat, and for many people much more like 15-30 minutes.

It *does* bother me that I'lll be running in the same corral as people who ran a net downhill marathon, because we will not be running at the same pace, creating roadblocks of slower runners as the race goes on. This is what happened this year as well. Everyone is running too quickly at the beginning, and then they all burn out after the half way point and I have to weave around everyone as they walk the Newton Hills.

I ran with 10 other people who had posted a similar qualifying time but at downhill races, and I beat them all by 10-30 minutes. And guess what, for the next Boston, they will be starting in the same corral again. Ugh.

While it is not technically cheating to run an easier course, it is silly to count a downhill marathon as your PR.

Being butt hurt about it isn't helping you. Don't hate the player hate the game.

Not sure which is more laughable , using massive net downhill marathons to get into Boston or the qualifying standards for women. Should be a breeze for females to get into Boston using St. George or that Cottonwood race!

2017 BOSTON MARATHON QUALIFYING STANDARDS

Age Group Men Women

18-34 3hrs 05min 00sec 3hrs 35min 00sec

35-39 3hrs 10min 00sec 3hrs 40min 00sec

40-44 3hrs 15min 00sec 3hrs 45min 00sec

45-49 3hrs 25min 00sec 3hrs 55min 00sec

What's up with 1/2 hour gap for every age group? I guess there's a reasoning behind it to even the field. I respect charity runners @ Boston since they're raising money for good causes. They should be upfront that they didn't actually qualify though.

Here's what you need to do. Round up every 2:40 or better marathoner you know. Hopefully it's around 30,000 people. Have them all sign up and run downhill marathons. Then have them all sign up for Boston. That will show those downhill hobby jogging Boston qualifiers.

CIM is nothing like St George and Big Cottonwood which drop thousands of feet. CIM is less downhill than Boston, but it lacks any uphills like the Newton Hills.

Theport wrote:

You ever run Boston? It is anything but downhill.

I'm guessing you failed math.

Running a marathon that has a strong tail wind would also be cheating.

Not Gonna Happen wrote:

There is no way anyone goes sub 2 at St. George. No way.

History's first sub-60 half was run at Fontana which a p2p huge downhill course.

If you offered $1M bonus to anyone running sub-2 at St George, it would happen. No doubt. You can easily gain 5 minutes on that course, or 10 minutes for 3 hour runners.