Trust me when I say that I’m not sitting here feeling sorry for myself, but you better believe I feel tremendously disappointed that my Boston qualifying time of 3:44:26 did not gain me entry into the 2015 Boston Marathon. That honor belongs to people who qualified by the qualifying standard minus 1:02 or faster, not people like me who qualified by -0:34. I had an inkling this would happen, but I had no idea how disappointed I would feel when I didn’t gain entry. Let’s just say I’ve shed a few tears and leave it at that. I had hopes that the BAA would be generous in light of the success of the race last year with such a large field, and it would expand the field to let all qualifiers in this year. No such luck. I am one of the 1,947 time qualifiers who won’t gain entry based on marathon performance.
That leaves me thinking about what to do next. I feel lost without a race on the calendar. I’m not that excited about racing again but I know it does me good to have a goal on the horizon. I might run the half at Canyon City in November and/or the full at Surf City in February or LA in March. But this idea of chasing a Boston qualifying time has lost most of its luster. I’ve worked a full two years toward that goal. To qualify and then not get in feels like someone told me I could have a cookie if I ate my peas, and I ate my peas but I didn’t get the cookie.
Have you run Surf City or LA? Any recommendations?
Oh no, how disappointing.. π¦ Allow the grief, even though it’s “just a race”. I was grumpy for days when I couldn’t run Rock’n’roll because of illness.
I am in awe at your BQ time! I hope you’ll have fun at your no-pressure races over the next months π
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That is the right attitude Geli — it feels like a luxury to get to plan some other races over the next few months. Thanks.
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I feel your pain and disappointment. In 2006 I tried to get in on a squeaker time, didn’t work out. Since then I put in many hours and have managed to get there in 2008 and 2013. Take some time, let this soak in, then come back with a vengeance and commitment to get to Boston in 2016. I have faith that you will be there.
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Thanks Tony. It makes me happy to hear that you got in in 2008 and 2013! Congrats! I will take a few days to lick my wounds and then dedicate myself to another goal.
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Sorry to hear the news Angela. I ran LA this year and it was tough for me. The weather was not so great either. I have only ran the half at Surf City but have heard the course for the full is not very fun.
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Thanks Sandy. Until you mentioned it I’d forgotten how hot LA was this year. And I can remember when it was cold and rainy too — seems like a roll of the dice with the weather for that one. I am leery of Surf City too — I didn’t like running the beach at M2B, although that just could have been because I bonked so hard! π I might look into the Phoenix Marathon in Feb.
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OH, Angela – I’m so sorry!! I know how hard you worked and then to met your goal of getting the qualifying time and have it yanked away seems brutally unfair!! I think you have every right to be upset and wallow for a bit and then I know you will pick a new goal and go after it with everything you possess!!!
Hang in there!!
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You summed up my feelings exactly, Kim. Thanks for your thoughts.
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Don’t lose heart. Boston is within your grasp, its a matter of running a fast race to help you shave off that extra minute (or two). I’ve never run LA so I can’t say, but Surf City is not a fast race. You’ll ultimately run into headwind during the second half, and that’s the last thing you need when you’re running low. Consider CIM (which is unfortunately full at this point) – it’s not billed “the fastest course in the west” for no reason, and their pacers are absolutely top notch.
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Thank you for your comment! I hear nothing but good things about CIM. You are the second person to say Surf City might not be the best for me and I really appreciate your opinion!
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I’d like to BQ, too. It’s been a good challenge for me, but it’d be hard to qualify and not make it in. Not fun!
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Going for that BQ was a great goal and it certainly kept me focused. Good luck in your pursuit! I suppose I’ll be back at it too once I’ve recovered from this blow. π
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I can’t say anything you haven’t already addressed. I CAN tell you how worthwhile it is to keep chasing it. Having qualified for the 2014 Boston and being denied entry, being accepted into the 2015 one is 50x sweeter. Let this fuel you!
You can do it again. You can do it faster. I think you’ve only scratched the surface of your marathon potential, Angela.
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Thank you for the kind words of encouragement! I really gave it my all this past race and it took a lot out of me. It will be a definite act of courage to get back to training for another BQ effort. I am so happy that you are in for 2015! I hope you’ll post about your race or at least come back and let me know how it goes for you! I will live vicariously through you for 2015 and you can inspire me to get there in 2016!
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Oh dear god…reading your post made me tear up. I am so sincerely sorry and heartsick imagining how you must feel. You lost more than a cookie, and you deserve to grieve, but I know you will bounce back. Truly don’t know what else to say, except that you have always inspired me–AND YOU DESERVED TO GET IN, DAMMIT!
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Thank you for making me smile by expressing pretty much what I feel! π I did lay out a few possibilities yesterday for a spring marathon. The idea doesn’t thrill me (in fact I’d be more excited about knocking out my first ultra than racing another marathon) but it’s good to be looking toward another goal.
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Angela, sorry to have read about your Boston entries. These two years have been tough, because of heightened interest. But I’d like you to reconsider and start training for Boston again, because the running of that marathon is unlike others, much rewarding. I’m sure you heard and read about that, but the first-person experience is something very special. Good luck!
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Thank you for encouraging me Koji. I took your advice and I’ve signed up for the Phoenix Marathon next February. It’s a challenge for me to start training again but I do think it’s the right thing for me.
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[…] « Who Moved My Cookie? […]
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Oh Angela, I would be heartbroken to think I had achieved a goal I’d worked so hard for, only to have it snatched from me through no fault of my own. I would probably go enjoy a real cookie, or a whole batch! Hang in there
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[…] I remember all too well the feeling last year of getting a very different email, one that said my qualifying time of 3:44:26 did not meet the minus 1:02 cutoff for Boston 2015 and I would not get to race that year. I re-doubled my efforts and stayed strong at the end of the […]
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[…] a margin to meet the cutoff to actually register (I first qualified at the Santa Rosa Marathon but did not meet the cutoff to register for Boston 2015). I was feeling a little run down (no pun intended) and decided to cut back my training by […]
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