Boston Marathon or NOLA70.3
Alrighty folks, I have a REAL small window to make a decision between:
1) 2010 Boston Marathon. Will cost me $250, via a sponsor exemption. No qualification necessary. I'd have to get airfare and a place to stay too. Honestly, I like to consider myself a realist, and don't know if I would ever truly qualify for entry unless I'm still doing this stuff at 60+ and can finish a marathon at that age.
2) NOLA70.3. I've already registered for it (already paid $240), but should get back some portion of that. I've already made lodging (cheap and good) arrangements, but can get back 100% of that at this time. I was planning on driving (~9hours), so no airfare.
I have to let the sponsor, my employer AT&T, know by Monday 1/11/10 if I'm going to do Boston. I'll be monitoring this thread over the weekend, and have to make my final decision on Monday.
What would you do? WWEND?
Comments
Toughie! Scott, what else do you have on your 2010 race calendar (and what kinda goals do you have for those races).
If you are a runner, frankly, Boston is just one of those must do's. It really is a special race. Yes, there are purists who will tell you that unless you qualified for Boston you shouldn't race it- but I'd take a lottery slot to Kona any day so I ain't gonna pull that one on you! You need to balance out your desire to do Boston against your other priorities. Obviously training for the race is gonna impact your OS (see the many "why we don't train for a marathon in the OS" threads- I'm not reguritating that argument here. But it also may impact your race season because the recovery from Boston can be a bit cruel (those downhills wreck havoc on your quads). So we kinda need to know what your other priorities are.
1) I've never ran a stand-alone marathon, but have completed 4 IMs.
2) I don't know if I'll still be employed by the same company next year - we never do. More than likely I will be, but in an ideal world I'd win the lottery or get an ideal job like Bryan K-Swiss Ogle.
3) If I am again sponsored by TriBike Transport, which I'm supposed to find out about on 1/19/10, then NOLA70.3 is a race I already put on my schedule as part of my application to them.
4) TofC is the month after Boston, so I'd have to be real specific with my run/bike focus leading up to either - depending on what race I choose.
5) In theory, I could choose Lonestar 70.3 the weekend AFTER (4/25/10). I've completed it three different times, and now that it's an official 70.3 that's a good thing (esp for the potential sponsor).
WWEND?
1) Finish an olympic tri in under 2:30 (PR is 2:49).
2) Finish a HIM in under 5:30 (my PR is 6:06).
This is what I have outlined for this year:
Indefinite entry, but am not anticipating getting into all of these events:
-Escape from Alcatraz (EFA) Triathlon, San Francisco CA, 5/2/10 (applying via lottery)
-Vineman 70.3, Sonoma County CA, on 7/18/10 (on waiting list)
-Ironman World Championships, Kona HI, 10/9/10 (applying via lottery).
-New York City Marathon, New York City, NY, 11/7/10 (applying via lottery)
-70.3 World Championships, 11/13/10 (if I’m able to qualify)
-Preferred entries:
-New Orleans 70.3, New Orleans LA, on 4/18/10
-CapTex Olympic Tri, Austin TX, on 5/30/10
-Kansas 70.3, Lawrence KS, on 6/6/10
-River Cities Sprint Tri, Shreveport LA, 8/8/10 (exact date tbd)
-Toyota US Open Olympic Tri, Dallas TX, on 10/10/10 (exact date tbd)
Possible entries (depending on entries into lottery races and final dates of tbd events):
-Branson 70.3, Branson MO, on 9/19/10
-Austin Longhorn 70.3, Austin TX, on 10/17/10
Scott, I wonder if you can do a survey post on EN,,,
I understand that you have a lifetime opportunity to enter Boston (kewl that AT&T offer that) but I personally would't be too interested,,,
Boston (scheduled on April, 19) will not help you achieving your goals. It will only dig a deep hole in your fitness (taper, recovery, re-build)]
I can understand the desire (not mine) to do an off season marathon but never during season...
Anyways, that's my opinion, at the end of the day, do what ever makes you happy & keep you motivated
BTW, regarding your qualification comment, I think it would be more realistic to qualify for Boston (you need to finish in 3:15) then for Clearwater (you need to finish in ~4:40)
This is gonna be a fairly personal question- you gotta decide if Boston is worth the trade off.
The 2 goals you stated are tri specific. If those are really your goals for this year, then I'd say your answer is 'no' on Boston.
If you had an underlying long burning goal or desire to do Boston someday, and you really think that this is your only opportunity then I'd say reevaluating and coming up with different goals is reasonable. Those goals could look something like "finish Boston, my first, stand alone marathon in X:XX time," and "HIM PR at Lonestar 70.3." This is in line with what Nemo has suggested by making Boston your 'A' race.
The rejiggering of your stated goals will only work though if you can be sure that you can get your head around putting off another goal or a target race to next season, or even two seasons from now.
I personally used to lay out huge season plans with lots of time goals at different distances, and with particular events in mind as well because they were cool. What tended to happen was that I would go through the season, achieve some of the goals, but not others, and then on those ones in which I fell short I was disappointed. All of that led to an overall lack of satisfaction with even the met goals, and thus my whole season. My tri "goals" were just all thrown into one big bucket, which didn't allow me to really determine what the priority of those goals was for me. With a bit more discernment I was able to distinguish my goals from one another based on what was a priority for me at that time. Then I had to stick with it.
Case in point: When I debated about signing up for IMSG, I knew I would give up my chance to run Boston. I was OK with that because I know that my priority goal is a particular time goal and AG position (with appropriate consideration of varied course conditions) at the IM distance. My goal to run Boston someday is one I will put off (or be OK with not doing if I don't qualify again), and one that I know I can put more focus on later, when I am not trying to split focus, effort, fitness, recovery etc. across a lot of really big goals.
Sorry....I rambled....keep us posted on what you decide! We'll be cheering for you wherever you toe the line!!
My thought on Boston would be the same as my thought on Kona. If I am not 'earning' the spot, I don't want it. If I am going to be able to say that I got there and did it, I wan to know that it was because I really deserved it...which is why I haven't and won't put in for the lottery in Kona.
That's just MY opinion; so, I say stick to your current plans. Don't let something 'good' distract you from achieving something 'great' (aka, your goals for 2010).
I had an opportunity come up in mid-september to run the NYC marathon as a pace leader in Nov, which was 2 weeks before Clearwater. I chose to do NY knowing that it would impact Clearwater. In hindsight, running NYC did more damage to my body then I would have ever expected and definitely impacted my performance in Clearwater. However, I'm really glad I did it. It was a great experience for me, I've become so focused over the last two years that this "hobby" as become as or more serrious that my job. Pacing NYC made me realize I still love to run and opened my eyes. It was worth every day of pain after the race and also well worth the few minutes slower I went in Clearwater.
A year ago when I was building up for IMWI, I decide not to do Boston, as performing my best in IMWI was more important.
Now that I have gone off topic, only you know how important Boston is to you vs you goals this year. I personally would try to forget the money part of it and decide if Boston is something you really want to do and if you are willing to risk your other goals this year to do it. Who cares what the rest of us think.... pick what is more important to you.
I'd hate to lose you in NO as I'm going down to do that one as well, but go do Boston. Maybe once in a lifetime and its a signature event. You can accomplish your tri goals this year, or next. They will still be there after Boston.
My 2 cents.
Bill
I wish I was part of EN (those doors closed really fast) when you ran NY, would have been nice to meet up. The NY marathon did a lot of damage to my body as well and I think ANY marathon has serious potential to do that.
I decided to stick with my Tri goals this year.
More than likely I'll still be employed here next year (good and bad) so I'm holding my breath for a spot next year. If not, I'll just have to do my best to actually qualify before I'm 80+ (Kona too).