Choosing our BQ Feeder Marathon

Knowing that Boston's registration typically falls around September 15th - we knew that the latest possible race we could do would be the weekend of September 10th.

We had quickly dismissed the idea of racing in August due to the likely summer time conditions. Because of a friends wedding the weekend of September 10th, we were then just left with Labor Day weekend.

Our must haves included a (mostly) flat and fast course, net downhill gradient, early start time, and a relatively stable climate. 

To have the best odds of finding a race that met as much of the above criteria as possible, we were open to traveling anywhere in the U.S. for our target race. So research started by reading through a list of the top marathons registrants used to qualify for Boston. Unfortunately, none of those race dates worked. The next resource I found was a list of marathons sorted by qualifying percentage of runners. That is, what was the ratio of marathoners for a particular race that ran a BQ time.


Ultimately, this race calendar helped us select on our target race.

On Labor Day weekend 2016, though limited, our highest ranked choices included the Fall Classic Marathon in Loveland, CO and the Marquette Marathon in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

While the Fall Classic appeared to be a perfect race (including a net decent of 2600 feet), I was really concerned with running at a starting elevation of 7,600 feet. So, Marquette it was!

Last year 13.8% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 18.1% of runners qualified for Boston in 2014. Its Course Score ranks it as the 33rd fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 1st fastest course in Michigan. The course is point to point and has a net downhill of almost 900 feet. The one concern is approximately 67% of the course is on unpaved (loose gravel) trails. Fortunately, there are some great trails around DC that can replicate those conditions.

With our race now selected, the last piece of the puzzle would be to choose the best training plan possible that matched our current fitness levels and aggressive time goals...

-J