Forums >Racing>What proportion of runners qualify for Boston?
Haha that's what I'm going for-- to be running when I'm old enough that the BQ time is within grasp for me
Breaking bitter truth newsflash: You slow down as you get older.
not bad for mile 25
What proportion of runners in every age group qualify for Boston?
#artbydmcbride
It's just the concept of runners that don't run marathons doesn't compute for me. OK, it was a joke, not very clear I guess.
oops
Runners run
It looks like there is some information already on this topic out there on the net. For instance, between 2006 and 2008, some data was collected here http://www.hillrunner.com/jim2/id202.html. Looks like between 6 and 15% qualified depending upon the race size.
There is also a chart showing qualifying percentages by age group.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
No more marathons
Eventually, everyone gets old enough
Maybe age makes me more sensitive but:
My BQ was 32 years in the making. I first ran a marathon in 1981 - a 3:01 that was 11 minutes too slow - although that would have gotten me in this year. Had two more tries in 82 and 84, and a DNS in 85 that pretty much shut me down for the next 20 years. Started my try again in 2012 and had an epic fail on first but managed a BQ -7:30 on my second. Please don't tell me that I worked any less hard as a 62 year old as I did as a 31 year old.
Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey
Lordy, I hope there are tapes.
He's a leaker!
ultramarathon/triathlete
Also, shockingly, there are probably loads of runners who could qualify for Boston who don't really give a flip about it.
Qualifying for Boston and running boston are two different things. If someone "could" qualify, but they don't run a marathon in a qualifying time, I'd call BS on their "could." Until they do it.
I could win the olympic marathon, I just don't really give a flip about it.
HTFU? Why not!
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I think a lot of the fast 10K runners could easily qualify for Boston. Say the sub-29 guys and the sub-34 girls. But why should they bother?
(You might not have been considering these runners, but the topic of people who could easily qualify really does suggest them, methinks.)
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
(But we don't need to go to nearly those extremes to find examples of runners who could easily qualify for Boston if they just decided to run a marathon.)
A 32 minute 10k guy can easily qualify for Boston.
Know thyself.
Interval Junkie --Nobby
I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'm sure it's true for the majority, but I know a few fast 10miler guys who just can't put a marathon together. They get to 18 and blow up. They have the fitness (they do the 20milers right by my side . . . or usually in front of me). They just can't put it together mentally.
About the only people I really think could but haven't are those that ran a fast marathon on a non-eligible course.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'm sure it's true for the majority, but I know a few fast 10miler guys who just can't put a marathon together.
A sub-29 (or 34 minute for that matter) 10k runner does not need to "put a marathon together" to qualify for Boston. They just need to be able to jog 26.2 miles.
For a 34 minute or better 10ker, "put a marathon together" = be able to jog 26.2 miles.
McMillan says 29:00 10k is good for a 2:16:04, my 35:06 is good for a 2:44:41, even giving 10-20 minutes (or almost a minute a mile) slower than Mcmillan's estimation, I'm still good for a BQ, and the 29:00 guy is still running <2:40.
There aren't that many 29 minute guys anyways, but there's a heck of a lot of 33-35:00 10k guys.
"put a marathon together" = be able to jog 26.2 miles
Considering that Mikeymike has publicly posted that he likes to swing for the fence, I don't think that quote should really be attributed to him
Yeah no. The mens open BQ time is about a 7:05 pace. If you're a 34 minute 10k runner that's an easy jog pace and you probably already do most of your long runs way faster than that.
ffs people.