Fishy - This is not to detract from whatever your result in that race will be. I of course also noted the elevation gain within the course and the rolling hills. I wish you perfect weather, a smartly executed race, and a result you can be proud of.

100%. Get out there and enjoy it.  A well-executed race on a fast course on a good day is one of running's great joys.  I've been fortunate to have a few of those days and I sincerely hope it's something every runner gets to experience.

RP- Can I hike the Appalachian trail AFTER the race please?  I have all Sunday afternoon... Maybe a nice recovery trail run Monday morning

I actually do plan on doing some native brook trout fishing while I'm up there! there appear to be many streams in the area and I'm rarely without my rod in the truck.

This race checked all of my boxes....Small, downhill and NOT crowded.  I'm actually hoping for some solo miles. Not that I believe these ....but here is the marathon comparison from Marathon finder:

Marathon Time Conversion

Boston Marathon in 3:03:50

For all the West coasters planning on "sledding down" CIM in December.  

RP- You should be targeting 2:45

Mikkey- Given your "advance age" I'll let you slide with a 2:50 goal

JMac- Once healthy you should be targeting 2:30

LOL---------

Marathon Time Conversion

Boston Marathon in 3:03:50

Nice work Dwave!! Love it when a plan comes together.

Thanks.  To be completely honest, I was wearing Vaporflies when I made the call, so I'm not sure I should get all the credit.

 

Thanks.  I actually managed to get myself back in that hotel today, and at a better price than what I was paying before (about $75 less).  Hopefully no further shenanigans.

 

Back story: I'm a member of this hotel chain's rewards program, and so I called the help line for that program this morning.  Before calling, I had mapped out exactly what I wanted as resolution, which was the closest possible hotel room they could offer at the same price I was offered before.

 

Right before calling, I checked online again to see what hotels were open, and....my original hotel showed as available again.  So when I called, I asked to be rebooked in whatever they had available at that hotel at my original rate.   And....after some discussion, we determined that I was actually eligible for a discount.

 

So that's where we are.  Yay.

That’s great news!  Whenever I book a hotel room months in advance I always click on the more expensive option that allows you to cancel free of charge up to a day or 2 before arrival.  Closer to the time if I know I’m definitely going I’ll check availability and if it’s not full then I’ll cancel my original booking and rebook clicking on the less expensive non refundable option.

 So does that mean that CIM isn’t actually the hardest marathon in the USA?

You will see in a few months... Too much talk about how easy it is - btw, according to the same source, it's just 76 seconds faster than London marathon. So, I would stop the irony and start training instead

Btw, it's funny how people approach numbers. Numbers do not tell you the story. So, Sugarloaf has 1285 feet (391m) elevation loss, ha-ha - a lot, right? But it also has 713 feet (217m) elevation gain. For those who only runs flat races I will open a big secret - the time you losing going up is not compensated by the time you gain going down. Just show really simple example, imagine running a marathon with 1000 meters elevation gain and 1000 meters elevation loss and compare it with a totally flat marathon. Total elevation loss/gain is 0 meters Guess which marathon you will run faster? The same relates to CIM - elevation loss is 1003 feet (305m), but elevation gain is 663 feet (202m) - plus, most of the elevation loss are just at miles 1, 3 and 11) so, it's not like every mile is down 50 feet. Yes, your quads will not be trashed, but the constant up and down, up and down every mile is kind of a thing that you have to used to and fight with mentally. Mark mentioned some time ago that 40-60 feet of uphill during half a mile is almost flat - ha-ha - yes, but that's the difference between 6:20 and 6:35-6:40 paces. Yes, 40-60 don't sound scary but your watch will tell you the story

Anyway, too many words, and yes, CIM is fast, it's just has its character. So, Mikkey, be careful with bashing other people's races - they will remember everything later, even when you have a bad day But, yeah, I know, that's not the point of this forum - the point is having fun and get people agitated - I am with you, but I am sure if (or when) you meet Marky, you will be as kind and warm-hearted as you were with me last year in London .

 

 

Cal - You're absolutely right in saying that the time you lose going uphill you don't make up going downhill.

 

Fishy - All the best, you seem to be having a very mild case of taper madness.

 Flavio- Yes...mild just some minor symptoms like weather obsessing, second guessing life choices, thinking that I'm fat and have lost ALL of my fitness, struggling to decide if I NEED to do a 5 mile run today and whether  it will help or hurt.....

Completely agree on the uphill/downhill equation.  I think wind is the same you lose much more time with a headwind than you gain when it's a tailwind.  That said....I would always choose the downhill/tailwind 

Hope everyone knows I have no disrespect for ANY marathon.  Even the REVELs that are downhill the entire way are often run at altitude and require discipline and strong quads to handle the downhills.  It is still 26.2 "imperial blasters" in length. As I have advanced in years I am much more particular about my race choices and they go in order of 1. Weather potential 2. Flat or slight downhill 3. Not massive.....Number 3 is new and might/will change when I sign up for Boston again or decide to run a major.

Cal thanks for checking in.  My goal AFTER Sugarloaf is to incorporate some upper body strength work into my training...unfortunately I've said that before so we'll see.