Forums >General Running>Qualifying for a corral dilemma - Chicago Marathon
I'm going to be running the 2016 Chicago Marathon in an attempt to qualify for Boston. The issue I am running into is that my last half I raced in Sept of 2015 is about a minute or two short of qualifying for corral B, which would put me close enough to see the 3:05 pace group in corral A.
I've been averaging about 35 miles per week so far in 2016 with little speed work. There's a half marathon May 15th and then there is one July 17th. If I use Hal Higdon's 18 week plan marathon plan I should start training for the marathon on May 30, 2016.
I'm torn whether I should sign up for the earlier half in May or the later half in July.
Pros of May Half
earlier in the year and can get it out of the way and not have to worry about qualifying for a corral during training
Cons of May Half
only 2 weeks before actual marathon training begins and not might have enough time to recover properly before marathon training
Pros of July Half
scheduled to run 13 miles that specific week of the training plan
Cons of July Half
if I have a bad race or something else happens, I might not have another chance to qualify for corral a or b
Any thoughts/suggestions/insights?
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Run the half in May. It's too hot in July to run your fastest and it doesn't take much at all to recover from a half.
Feeling the growl again
I'd go with the May race.
I'd also not sweat it. I once missed the gun trying to get in a port jon and jumped into the corral after the gun with the 3:45 crew and still ran a 2:29. Starting that far back probably only cost me 30 seconds.
I did ruffle some feathers streaking up the side of the pack though.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Streaking doesn't really bother me. Do whatcha want and have fun doing it.
I'd normally say May too though if you need to run a fast time or a PR, I might consider the race itself too. If you're in Chicago, based on the dates I assume you're debating the Chicagoland Spring Half Marathon or the Rock and Roll Half Marathon. The Chicagoland Spring Half Marathon is better weather but it isn't a particularly fast race so you could find yourself in a lonely gap wishing for some similar paced runners (unless you're good at holding pace solo). If you have schedule flexibility, something like the Chicago Spring Half Marathon (different than the previously mentioned one) is a little faster on May 22. But all things being equal, I'd take May over July.
If you have schedule flexibility, something like the Chicago Spring Half Marathon (different than the previously mentioned one) is a little faster on May 22. But all things being equal, I'd take May over July.
I don't know, this one seemed like a bit of a cluster last year and I wasn't even racing it. If you've got options and flexibility, the half marathon in Palos is a fast and flat out and back on May 1. I've run/raced it twice and it's been gorgeous cool spring weather, not crowded, going through forest preserves but still on pavement. I keep going back to it. This year I'll be racing the 10k.
I went ahead and signed up for the half in Schaumburg since my wife and and sister are running it as well. Based on their website, they will have a pacer for 90 minutes. I ran the Chicago Half in Jackson park last september and came in at 96 minutes...1 minute shy of qualifying for corral b
thanks everyone for the suggestions!!
Good luck! I haven't run that race but have done others by All Community Events like the Prairie State Half. They run good races so it should at least be well organized. It would be too soon after your race but the other good choice is the North Shore Classic in Highland Park on May 29 which is always well run and very fast. Maybe something to keep in your pocket in the event of weather catastrophe in Schaumburg.
I went ahead and signed up for the half in Schaumburg since my wife and and sister are running it as well. Based on their website, they will have a pacer for 90 minutes. I ran the Chicago Half in Jackson park last september and came in at 96 minutes...1 minute shy of qualifying for corral b thanks everyone for the suggestions!!