Forums >Racing>Erie or Lehigh Valley PA marathons for BQ attempt?
Mmmmm...beer
I'm inclined to think my BQ-3:15 isn't going to hold up for 2014, so you'll probably find me at LVM too. 18 weeks starts May 6....F.
Yup, the fun starts on the 6th. Which works out perfectly, I'll be spending the previous weekend visiting my brother (i.e. consuming a lot of beer), so that'll be my last hurrah before getting serious.
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
YAYpril - B-Plus
Yay, more people running "my" marathon! This will be exciting! I'm curious to see how many registrants they have this year. Last year they had under 600 marathon finishers.
Resident Historian
Marathonguide has those two marathons as #5 and #4 in highest % of BQ's for 2012 Marathons. 24.3% at Erie, 24.8% at Lehigh Valley
Neil
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Some people will tell you that slow is good – but I'm here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. - Hunter S. Thompson
Squidward Bike Rider
Yes, come run the Via Marathon! The weather can be a crap shoot, but it's a great race...it was my first marathon back in 2010.
I ran VIa the first year and the weather SUCKED ASS. Great race though
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
Thanks again for the help deciding, but I have now decided to not shoot for a BQ this year and instead stick to my original plan. I will continue to base build for the next six months, then start a marathon program (most likely still Pfitz, maybe the 18/85 if I'm ready by then) and train for my first full next March. Then if I qualify, I'll run Boston in 2015. Just decided that there's no need to rush things, I like the course that I'm on, and I don't want to mess things up by pushing up my already completely arbitrary schedule. Plus it will give me more time to save for Boston, so I can do it right and not have to worry about buying everything at the expo, or enjoying everything that Boston has to offer.
jfa
Anyone have any more recent experiences with either of these? Both are on Sept 9th this year, the last weekend before Boston registration opens. Thinking of one of the 2. There's also one in Boston that day called the Beantown Marathon but it's 6 loops.
I’m interested in Erie and would appreciate any insights as well.
Road Mile: 5:19 (2017), 5k: 17:09 (2021), 10k: 35:54 (2021), HM: 1:21:55 (2020), M: 2:53:18 (2021)
Hey Joe, where you gonna run to now, where you gonna go?
my experience at LVM is from this thread (2013), so not recent, but it was a super friendly, flat, accommodating, organized race that led to a then PR. Weather there is definitely the risk factor. Can be great if it’s not humid, or can be wicked oppressive. But for a course, can’t beat it. Good luck.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
There's also one in Boston that day called the Beantown Marathon but it's 6 loops.
I ran Beantown last year. It didn't go well for me but that was all on my lack of readiness. I'd definitely recommend it. Here's a bit of what i wrote in the log entry...
We got reasonably lucky with the weather, given the date. Very humid, but heat wasn't a factor at all.
I liked the course, even with the whole 6 loop aspect. Mostly flat but a bit rolly here and there, a short dirt section, lots of shade. No complaints.
Seemed really well organized for a first-year race. There were so many water stops even if you missed one there was another one coming right up, and the option to put out your own stuff on a table you ran by multiple times was cool, too. No complaints. Hopefully I won't find myself wanting a last-second BQ again, but if I do I'd choose this race again.
A list of my PRs in a misguided attempt to impress people that do not care.
Down by the river ?
Or lake. I'm leaning towards Beantown or Erie because there's a possibility it's cooler by the water.
Chief Unicorn Officer
I’ve never been interested in qualifying for Boston, so I don’t know if it matters, but if you were able to wait another month to do your BQ race, Steamtown is pretty much a sure thing. It’s a long net downhill (a little bit of uphill at the end) and myself and most people I know have all gotten their PR’s there.
Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54
Laura
I ran my sub-3 Erie in 2015 and recommend it to anyone going for a time goal. I have not run LVM but spectated it and wasn't overly impressed the years I was there. It was humid and buggy.
Things good about Erie: Pancake Flat, will get a little breeze off the water if it's warm, double loop makes it easy to see friends/family multiple times, Usually good amounts of runners around the main time goals (BQ's etc). Some shady spots on course so even if it's sunny you aren't baking in it, water stops and cheer sections pretty frequent due to nature of the double loops and park roads that cut across. Easy in and out, low frill race but well run.
I'm actually considering going back to Erie this year as it falls the weekend before my wedding (I'm also in another wedding in October) so I like the idea of getting the hefty training and race done before all the festivities!
Pre-Baby PR's (all from 2015): 5k: 18:46 10k: 38:37 HM: 1:24:51 FM: 2:58:13
Postpartum PR's: 5k: 18:18 (2018) HM: 1:21:14 (2019) FM: 2:57:02 (2019)
Next Up: Unsure - but most likely some solo TT's
{Strava}{IG}
Prince of Fatness
I can only speak for Lehigh Valley as I've run the race and also run a lot of the course on weekends. I live a couple of miles from the finish line. It's a fast, mostly flat course and you'll get a fair amount of shade. A good deal of it is along the Lehigh River and is crushed cinder towpath.
The problem with the race is that it is in early September and the weather is a crap shoot. If it wasn't for that I would call it a no brainer if you're looking for a BQ race.
Not at it at all.
Thanks for the info everyone. Still mulling it over.