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Looking For a Big City BQ Fall Marathon (Not Chicago) (Read 454 times)
heelgrad92
posted: 5/3/2008 at 8:16 PM
Well I just joined up here after years at coolrunning.com, which appears to have been turned into a real mess. Anyway, I have run Chicago each of the last three years, PR'ing there last year in the 90 degree heat, but missing my BQ by ten minutes. I was, and am fit enough to BQ, and I love the Chicago Marathon, but my wife is sick of it and has vowed to stay home this year rather than visit Chicago again. I live on the coast, so I need something flat since we have no hills here, and until I BQ, the obsession continues, so I need something fast for the Fall. Wife might still go with me if it's a big city. I have done Milwaukee already, so not that one. I saw Toronto has one October 19th, but am a little concerned with a 150 foot incline the final mile and a half. Does anyone have any suggestions?
egge0080
posted: 5/3/2008 at 10:15 PM
modified: 5/3/2008 at 10:16 PM
Twin Cities is in early Oct. I think the 5th. Not sure if registration is filled or not yet. I do believe it has 1 or 2 decent hills, but I haven't done it.

http://www.mtcmarathon.org/index.cfm
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protoplasm72
72 of 100 pushups
 posted: 5/4/2008 at 12:07 AM
If a BQ is your biggest concern I'd consider holding out till January and running Phoenix. I've run that and Chicago and Phoenix is a much better place to BQ unless you need the huge crowd support to keep pushing. Compared to the variability of weather in Chicago, it's pretty much guaranteed to be 40 at the start and 60 at the finish and it's as flat or flatter with fewer runners.

For October marathons other than Chicago I'd look at Detroit or Indianapolis. I believe both of those are pretty flat but I haven't run them.
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JDehlinger
posted: 5/4/2008 at 12:18 AM
modified: 5/4/2008 at 12:19 AM
Des Moines Marathon is around the same time as Chicago (usually) and is a nice, flat course. Not sure if you would consider that a big city marathon though....
trails2run
posted: 5/4/2008 at 12:30 AM
CIM in Sacramento in early Decemeber - one of the fastest courses out there.
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Bonkin
Reboot
 posted: 5/4/2008 at 12:33 AM
Quote from protoplasm72 on 5/4/2008 at 12:07 AM:
If a BQ is your biggest concern I'd consider holding out till January and running Phoenix.


Or Houston.
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zoom-zoom
Registered for #2
 posted: 5/4/2008 at 12:40 AM
Grand Rapids is a really nice race--I have done the half 2x and would have made the full my first, but it's a bad weekend, so I'm doing Milwaukee (my family is all in WI or Chicago, so they can come cheer), instead.
Kirsten
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heelgrad92
posted: 5/4/2008 at 11:30 AM
Thank sfor the replies! How about Hudson Mohawk, does anyone know anything about that one? It's not big city, but it looks like a good course for a BQ. St. George also looks promising, would the downhills there crush a beach dweller?
hermosaboy
Run or Die!
 posted: 5/4/2008 at 11:33 AM
Quote from egge0080 on 5/3/2008 at 10:15 PM:
Twin Cities is in early Oct. I think the 5th. Not sure if registration is filled or not yet. I do believe it has 1 or 2 decent hills, but I haven't done it.

http://www.mtcmarathon.org/index.cfm


I would not suggest Twin Cities. Although the hills aren't bad, their placement is. Gradual uphill from mile 21 to just before 26. This is shortly after a short hard climb.

I would second the vote for Des Moines. Smaller race that has pretty good amenities and crowd support.

Another option would be Rocket City in December.
And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted.
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Rob
Markfive
Me and my gang in Breck
 posted: 5/4/2008 at 11:36 AM
modified: 5/4/2008 at 11:46 AM
Baystate Marathorn in Lowell Mass. I ran last year and it's a great little run and it is flat and fast.http://www.baystatemarathon.com/ They do a great job and I think it's one of the top marathorns for having runners run a BQ. If all you want to do is BQ then this is the race.

As far as a big city Lowell isn't one but it's 25 minutes from downtown Boston.
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DrewEOB
Undertrained. LAME.
 posted: 5/4/2008 at 3:21 PM
Columbus is marketed as a pretty fast fall marathon.
Drew

So much for my brilliance.
jeffdonahue
posted: 5/4/2008 at 3:53 PM
Quote from heelgrad92 on 5/3/2008 at 8:16 PM:
Well I just joined up here after years at coolrunning.com, which appears to have been turned into a real mess. Anyway, I have run Chicago each of the last three years, PR'ing there last year in the 90 degree heat, but missing my BQ by ten minutes. I was, and am fit enough to BQ, and I love the Chicago Marathon, but my wife is sick of it and has vowed to stay home this year rather than visit Chicago again. I live on the coast, so I need something flat since we have no hills here, and until I BQ, the obsession continues, so I need something fast for the Fall. Wife might still go with me if it's a big city. I have done Milwaukee already, so not that one. I saw Toronto has one October 19th, but am a little concerned with a 150 foot incline the final mile and a half. Does anyone have any suggestions?


I'ts not a Big City marathon but for vacation purposes you could visit Boston in the Fall and do the www.baystatemarathon.com which is extremely flat and from what I hear a great BQ race - about a third of the entrants qualify for Boston wiht this race. It is in Lowell - about a 20 minute drive north of Boston.
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andyndallas
posted: 5/4/2008 at 4:08 PM
Dallas White Rock Marathon in early December. Pretty flat except for a few hills at mile 21.

Also, the first San Antonio RocknRoll Marathon is this year in November.
...and miles to go before I sleep
Hannibal Granite
posted: 5/4/2008 at 4:24 PM
The race isn't big but Louisville, Ky has a marathon on Oct 19th and there is lots do do in the city. Very flat and fast curse that is never more than a couple blocks from the Ohio River.

http://www.louisvillemarathon.org/
PR's
1-Mile: 4:42 (1995)
5-K: 15:55 (1999)
10-K: 32:30 (2000)
15-K: 50:18 (2001)
1/2 Mar: 1:13:15 (2000)* 1st half of marathon listed below
Mar: 2:49 (2000)
tbarton
posted: 5/4/2008 at 4:29 PM
I have several friends that went to Columbus to BQ. Supposed to be a pretty fast and flat course.

Teresa
I'm Running to Eat
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