RunningAHEAD - Topic: Fastest/Slowest Marathon Courses (page 2)

va

posted: 5/8/2007 at 12:14 PM

Quote from mikeymike on 5/8/2007 at 9:41 AM:

... Steamtown drops 900 feet so is beyond aided. ...

Sorry Mike, what does "beyond aided" mean? Thanks

mikeymike

posted: 5/8/2007 at 12:29 PM

An aided course is one that drops a certain amount in elevation or is point-to-point in one direction and could have a prevailing tailwind, etc. Many times these types of courses are not elligible for world or national records. Boston is actually considered an aided course, due to its point-to-point nature, though it is not a fast course. A course that drops 900 feet is very aided to the point of being silly.

Runners run

JakeKnight

posted: 5/8/2007 at 12:46 PM

Quote from mikeymike on 5/8/2007 at 12:29 PM:

A course that drops 900 feet is very aided to the point of being silly.

So the question: if you set a PR on a course like that - do you count it?

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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Eryn

posted: 5/8/2007 at 1:05 PM

The Colorado Marathon in Ft Collins is pretty fast. It's a gentle downhill the entire way; it loses 1353' over the 26.2 mi. http://www.ftcollinsmarathon.com/ Pikes Peak gets another nomination for slowest. I've done it in 8:02 and am hoping to finish in 6:30-7:00 this year. The elevation gain plus the altitude is a killer! The course record is 3:16:39 for the men (set by my hero, Matt Carpenter) and 4:15:18 for the women.

Some runners drag a tire. I drag a Great Pyrenees.

rockenmamaof5

posted: 5/8/2007 at 1:09 PM

I'm running Steamtown this year and HELL YA I'll count it if I PR. I'm also running Philly a little over a month later and if I happen to get a PR there (not sure where or if I'll get a PR) I'll count that too!

Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 5/8/2007 at 1:12 PM

Quote from Eryn on 5/8/2007 at 1:05 PM:

The course record is 3:16:39 for the men (set by my hero, Matt Carpenter) and 4:15:18 for the women.

I ran Pikes Peak last year and came in at 6:48, and was delighted. Matt Carpenter won, but came in at 3:47. He is not human and one cannot measure his accomplishments in human terms Wink

He also holds the record for Leadville 100, from his first and only attempt I believe. Oxygen is overrated. Kick some Pikes Peak butt this year!

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

JakeKnight

posted: 5/8/2007 at 2:11 PM

Quote from mikeymike on 5/8/2007 at 12:29 PM:

Many times these types of courses are not elligible for world or national records. Boston is actually considered an aided course, due to its point-to-point nature, though it is not a fast course.

Do they publish which courses are *not* eligible? If a course is USTAF certified - is it eligible? How about a BQ course - if its officially a BQ course, is eligible for records? Just trying to figure out where I'd draw the line for counting PRs. I figure if its certified or a BQ course, I'd count it, no matter how "aided" it might be. If not, I'd like to know.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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rockenmamaof5

posted: 5/8/2007 at 2:28 PM

Steamtown is a BQ Big grin

Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

Eryn

posted: 5/8/2007 at 2:58 PM

Thanks, Trent, I plan to rock the Peak this year! Leadville was actually Matt's second attempt. He did it the first time a year or two before, and led the race up until about mile 70 then crashed. His Leadville course record was absolutely astounding! His altitude physiology is not human...

Some runners drag a tire. I drag a Great Pyrenees.

JessLover

posted: 5/8/2007 at 3:09 PM

Portland, OR is supposed to be pretty fast. I know a bunch of girls who BQ'd at it last year.

mikeymike

posted: 5/8/2007 at 4:12 PM

Quote from JakeKnight on 5/8/2007 at 2:11 PM:

Do they publish which courses are *not* eligible? If a course is USTAF certified - is it eligible? How about a BQ course - if its officially a BQ course, is eligible for records? Just trying to figure out where I'd draw the line for counting PRs. I figure if its certified or a BQ course, I'd count it, no matter how "aided" it might be. If not, I'd like to know.

A race can be certified and aided. Boston accepts just about any certified marathon. I'd count Steamtown as a PR if I were to ever run it and PR, odds are it would not be a national record or world record Smile

So many things have to go right to run a fast marathon, no matter where it is...

Runners run

JakeKnight

posted: 5/8/2007 at 5:10 PM

Quote from mikeymike on 5/8/2007 at 4:12 PM:

A race can be certified and aided. Boston accepts just about any certified marathon. I'd count Steamtown as a PR if I were to ever run it and PR, odds are it would not be a national record or world record So many things have to go right to run a fast marathon, no matter where it is...

Hmm. Okay - got a list of courses that should *not* be counted? I guess if Boston counts it, its good enough for me. Or should be. But I'd like my PRs to be legit. Call me anal. Then again, I'm not sure a really downhill course would be all that much faster. It might kill your quads and slow you down at the end. I dunno.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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trishierunner

esq.

posted: 5/8/2007 at 6:38 PM

Many times these types of courses are not elligible for world or national records.

Well, damn.

2009: BQ?

rockenmamaof5

posted: 5/8/2007 at 6:49 PM
modified: 5/8/2007 at 6:58 PM

Quote from JakeKnight on 5/8/2007 at 5:10 PM:

Hmm. Okay - got a list of courses that should *not* be counted? I guess if Boston counts it, its good enough for me. Or should be. But I'd like my PRs to be legit. Call me anal. Then again, I'm not sure a really downhill course would be all that much faster. It might kill your quads and slow you down at the end. I dunno.

Elitest prick! Tongue

And yes downhills can kill the quads if you don't train for them!

Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

JakeKnight

posted: 5/8/2007 at 7:28 PM

Quote from rockenmamaof5 on 5/8/2007 at 6:49 PM:

Elitest prick!

Well, half right anyway ...

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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Fastest/Slowest Marathon Courses (Read 4594 times)