Grandma’s Marathon 2018
Just thought I’d share the more random things that I think about in a training cycle.
My next “A” race will be Grandma’s Marathon in June. I waited to email the elite coordinator until January 1st, as their website said they don’t start taking applications until then. She responded yesterday (Wednesday, 1-3) that the standard for the marathon is sub 2:50 and sub 2:55 for sub-elites.
I had thought that the sub-elite/local-elite standards would be similar as Twin Cities Marathon’s standards so I hadn’t even considered registering early before prices started to climb. Oops! Elite runner problems, right?!
The dilemma… do I wait to register and “count” on qualifying later in the Spring? Again, I *think* I could run a low 1:20 (especially if I’m in shape to run 2:49!), but you never know what life and that day will bring… extreme heat, illness, family emergencies that don’t allow racing, etc. If I don’t hit the standard, registration will be up to $145, and there is a chance that the marathon might fill it’s 9,000 runner capacity (although I’d be watching carefully and they usually send emails out when they are nearing the cap). I asked what race distances I might be able to use to qualify and what the standards might be. I hope I could hit either a 10-mile or a 1/2 marathon fast enough. The Daniels Formula would put a 1:23:xx at about a 2:54, and I would definitely hope to be able to run that in April or May. I haven’t heard back.
Or do I just bite the bullet, register now, and not have to worry about it? It IS only money, after all. It’s just nice to save it when given the chance!
**UPDATE as of 1/5** The coordinators at Grandma’s decided that my 1:03 10 mile converts to a 2:56-7, and between that, which is very close!, and the fact that both the 1:03 and 2:58:30 at TCM were run less than 12 months post-partum, they’re going to make an executive decision and let me race as an elite! YAY! I couldn’t have been happier to get that email!! THANK YOU, Grandma’s for believing in me, I know I’ll be ready to rock and roll come next June! YAY!**
