RunningAHEAD - Topic: Wineglass vs Mohawk for a BQ

MonkeyBunny

posted: 2/15/2013 at 10:40 AM

Many similarities, both high BQ qualifiers. At the end of the day, which would you choose?

Houston Marathon 1-13-13

Rock n Roll St. Pete Half 2-10-13

Gasparilla 15K 2-23-13

Armadillo 10K 3-9-13

Ogden Marathon 5-18-13

Steamtown?

Baystate?

The Goal: Boston Marathon 4-20-15

Mendeldave

ultramarathon/triathlete

posted: 2/15/2013 at 11:24 AM

I can speak only for the Mohawk, since I had a PR and my first BQ there. I think somewhere around here I have a race report, but it a nutshell, here are some highlights:

Positives:

Well organized for a small race. Fun!
Beautiful scenery, most of which is along a paved-over railroad track along the river, in the trees. Only a small part is in an "industrial downtown" area before returning for the final few, slightly downhill, miles in the trees again.
Race hotel is cheap! and was a two minute (downhill!) walk to free buses to start area. You'll pass a Starbucks or D&D (I forget which) along the way, open super early for the runners.
FAST course, all downhill until the half point, where there is a molehill of an uphill which actually feels nice, then it's all downhill again.
Small race, no congestion.
I dropped my bags off literally 5 minutes before the start, and still started at the front of the pack without rushing or feeling too stressed.

Negatives:

Way too few porta potties at the start, but ample trees with semi privacy :-)
It crosses some train tracks which potentially could be a problem (though I think they have timing mats to account for that) but I did not have issue with any trains.
Small race, no spectators (I did not really find this a negative though, personally).

HTFU? Why not!

USATF Coach

Empire Tri Club Coach
Gatorade Endurance Team

Saint Olethros

posted: 2/20/2013 at 9:44 AM

Mohawk due to it being in my backyard, and it's held in the beginning of October which normally has awesome running weather

I say normally because there have been a few years it's snowed in early October and a few years that it's been in the mid-70's, got to love the Northeast

OnceADCV

posted: 2/20/2013 at 9:52 AM

I've done Wineglass (2010). Weather was perfect, high 30s at start, 50 at finish. Flat, downhill course with two minor hills. The only things I did not like about the race were:

1. Course open to traffic (I'm not a big fan of that in general)

2. Intermittent water stops (I'm used to mega marathons with water stops basically every mile)

3. Lots of turns at the end of the race.

It is a fast course and my fastest non-Boston time....

Wineglass vs Mohawk for a BQ - which would you choose (Read 101 times)