I am torn about my special opportunity to spend over $225 on a marathon (I think it's $11 for the nonrefundable fee and $216 for the actual entry). For one, the price is a turnoff. I was prepared to pay $150, even $185, because it's an awesome World Marathon Major and I think the experience is worth that amount of money, but $226 is steep.
Second, I'm less and less excited about, you know, training for a marathon. If last year is any indication, I will want to be done after my 'A' race, which is the Shoreman Half Iron . This is unquestionably the priority for me when I think about what I want to accomplish in 2012. Going from that straight into 18 and 20 mile long runs might be hard. (You think? Sometimes I am a genius.) I am just starting to get into heart rate training and prep / base training for the half, and really starting to believe that I can make significant fitness gains this year that let me not only finish a half-iron distance but do so intelligently and, dare I say, comfortably (not that I think the race is going to be comfortable. Just that at one point whether I would even be able to make the time cutoffs was in doubt, but now I'm gaining confidence and starting to think that I'll do a lot better than just trying to beat the cutoff.) That's my focus, even this early in the year, and it's going to be intense. I'm going to want a breather when I'm done.
That said, I'm always pumped about marathon time when the marathon is actually upon us, and my plan in signing up this year has always been to do just enough run training to get by, but to enjoy the aerobic endurance gains I'm going to get from training for a marathon and just enjoy the 26.2 mile party when it comes time to race. It's not about PRs or training so hard I injure myself. Also, in this past off season, all I wanted to do was run, which bodes well for training for a stand-alone running race. There are 8 weeks between races, but at the week 1 point I should be in good half-marathon shape, be used to running as much as 15 miles, and have an extra endurance boost from having just completed a 7 to 8 hour race (that's what I think it's going to take for me to complete a half-iron). I'm not planning to do 9 + 1 this year (the local option to get guaranteed entry - do 9 NYRR races, volunteer for 1, and you too can pay $226 to the NYRR!) so it might be my last chance for awhile, unless I enter anyway and then cancel, which means they'll save a spot for me in 2013 but keep my money.
I have until April 23 to decide. You might want to prepare for more waffling, indecisive posts about signing up, but right now I think "no" is probably the right answer, although I will string it out until the last possible minute.
I'm having this same exact dilemma. Leaning toward no with the expectation I'll waffle over the next few months.
ReplyDeleteTell you what, get in, I will pay and I will race your number... I may need to don a wig though... It will be a finish photo I am sure you will treasure forever... I will hide my face crossing the finish line and you can show everyone "your" finish photo.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, this one is on my bucket list and I have never even tried to sign up... guess I better do something about that...
I think you should go for it
I would wait all the way up to April 23 to decide
ReplyDeleteThis post captures exactly how I feel about the marathon. The price *is* a turnoff, as is the thought of all that training. In 2012, I want to get faster in the half and maybe do some different kinds of races (i.e., not NYRR), not spend hours and hours this summer slogging around doing hot 18-milers. That said, I know I'll get excited about it later this year, so I'm waiting to decide until the LAST possible minute. We can waffle together.
ReplyDeleteps, you'll make that time cutoff!
$225--OUCH! I don't know what to tell ya, because I would be struggling with that decision too.
ReplyDeleteT, Tara - Yes, let's all waffle until April and then freaking sign up and you guys can make me do long runs when I don't want to! Yay!
ReplyDeleteBob - look out, the NYRR internet moles are going to get you! I think that's a real thing. creepy. But you should enter the lottery - you have an out-of-state advantage.
BDD - totally. That's 4 whole months away. And I can save $50 a month.
Matty - for real! The half iron I want to do is only $130 and Hartford, 2 weeks before NYC and with the same exact sponsor, is only $85, not to even mention Yonkers, in September, which is only $50. NYRR should partner with WTC as world champion price gougers. Still, enough people still want to run it, so they can charge what they want and they'll still fill up, no problam at all.
I signed my husband up for a half ironman today and noticed, for the first time ever, that there is insurance you can purchase that guarantees your money will be refunded if you get hurt or something like that happens. His race is free because he volunteered for them a few times last year and I will again this year while he races so we skipped the guarantee but if one place offers it, pretty soon everyone will. I hope anyway.
ReplyDeleteBut sign up, run the race, get it over with.
LOL, pay the price and then there are NO excuses about no training for the race (I'm too cheap).
ReplyDeleteIf it were me? I'd say no, especially if you've already run the NY marathon. Partly because to train for a 70.3, you'll spend a LOT more time on the bike than running. When I did mine, I think my longest run before the race was only 8-10 miles, because I did SO much biking. (The bike is nearly 50% of the race, and if you bonk on the bike you won't be doing much running, essentially.) Which means I wasn't really in a position to jump into marathon training right after that race, and when I did it, I wound up injured.
ReplyDeleteThat was my experience - yours may differ - but it's something to think about.
Also, a 70.3 is HUGE. And you will be exhausted and fried (and absolutely starving for about a week) afterwards. $226 is a LOT to blow for a race that you're just not going to be able to get excited about.
My final advice is this: put it off as long as you can, and don't decide until April. You'll have a better idea then of what your training plan will look like and how you'll be feeling about things. However, starting in January, doing a September 70.3 and then a November marathon? Makes for a looooooong-ass season.
If you haven't run NY before for whatever reason, then my answer changes to "do the race!" However, I don't think that's the case here.