Monday, May 4, 2015

Marathon week contest time!!

It is Maine Coast Marathon week! I'm getting really excited to see my running friends and watch some big PR's go down!

To celebrate this exciting time I am having a contest! I know, I don't really do that sort of thing but now seems like a great time to start.

So here is the deal!
A year ago I met my now friend Leslie at Maine Coast- she is the tall one in this pic!

Many running friends, mostly short ones...
Unfortunately she had an off day and suffered a grievous injury in the process. No good! Luckily, she made a full recovery and during that time plotted a training plan which would bring her many victories and put her in wave 1, corral 6 in Boston next year. (ok, I totally made that part up. however, she did get damn fast!) The important takeaway message is that Leslie is shooting for her VERY FIRST BQ!!!!

Wins at racing and being awesome! (I mean look at those tights!)
Leslie is a runner who is very good at posting her workouts on Facebook. I began to notice her training routine popping up on my feed a few months ago and as a fellow running nerd I was excited to follow along. I can typically guess with decent accuracy how a runners race will turn out if they are posting (honest) data for me to ponder. When I guessed her most recent half marathon result *to the second*, I ran out and bought a lottery ticket.
And lost.
But, it got me thinking....!

SO, in honor of Leslie's return to marathoning and attempt to BQ I am having a really spectacular contest (with prizes!)

Can you guess what her marathon finish time will be for the race on Sunday???
If you can, you win. Easy, right? Channel your inner me.

I am a fan of data so here is some:
-She ran Race The Runways half marathon in April in 1:33:30
-She has run some big mileage during this cycle, at fast paces (tempo runs in the low 7's, mile repeats in the upper 6's, long runs at a sub 8 pace. Really impressive stuff. Her final long run was 17 miles at a 7:43 pace. Speedy.)
-She needs a sub 3:40 to qualify for Boston- or a sub 3:35 to get her 5 minute security blanket.

Leave me a comment below with your best guess. One per person please!
If you happen to be an anonymous user please let me know who you are or I will keep your prize if you win!

Winner will be announced with pomp and circumstance next Monday, after the spectacular race weekend has wrapped up. (more later on what the prize/s are. let's just say that there will be candy and maybeeee a little Oiselle thrown in for good measure!)

I won't be able to watch the victorious finishes of my friends as I will be bringing up the rear of the pack- I am running the double (half and full marathons) and have no delusions of grandeur. But more on that later..
For now, let the guessing begin!!!

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22 comments:

  1. This is hilarious and awesome! But so hard!!!! She is going to kill it for sure...after many intense calculations, I claim with 100% certainty she will fly across the finish line in 3:28:18!

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  2. Despite the heat she is going to run a 3:17:43. #facts

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  3. 3:25:29 Sure. I totally made that up. Good luck to her and all your friends and you, you crazy nut!

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  4. I"m going with 3:17:34
    Come on Speedy I want a PRIZE!!

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  5. 3:22:22... I think after 6 tries this might actually go thru!

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  6. Having also followed Leslie's training, I agree that she is totally going to CRUSH a BQ - I'm going with a 3:26:14 - I'm pretty sure she can run a faster marathon than that, but I think she is a smart runner, who is going to reign it in early on, then crush the second half and earn a comfortable BQ! Go get 'em Leslie!

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  7. I'm guessing 3:24:22. That's a great half time, I bet she'll smoke the BQ time!!

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  8. It'll be exciting to see how she does! I'm going with 3:29:34.

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  9. I'll be doing my first half there Saturday ! From what I've heard its a beautiful course , but it could get warm this weekend. I think she'll qualify with a time of 3:32 (:

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  10. 3:36:14 gooooood luck!!!!!

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  11. 3:34:42 happy running!!!!

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  12. 3:27:11 for the BQ. Easy first half with a negative split.

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  13. 3:28:39. Good luck to you both!

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  14. You will not be last as I am also running the 39.3 ... as for our fast friend Leslie: 3:28:55.

    See you there!

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  15. 3:23 Good luck!!

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    1. Who are you anon? Please let me know who you are!

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  16. Here's to your pal flying fast! 3:31:00 get that BQ!

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  17. I am Leslie's husband and indentured support system. I won't make a guess but I will tell you I will be on the course in a couple three places or so with frozen sponges and ice cold watermelon. I may also drive slow behind her with a bullhorn yelling obsenities at her like a russian figure skating coach. I hope this helps everyone guess a time and would also like to extend the frozen sponges and watermelon to all you good folk out there running too.

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    1. Perhaps you could circle back a couple of times and yell at me too!?
      Nice job working the support vehicle, every great runner needs a loving indentured support system ;-) tomorrow will be fun- I'm excited to see how it all plays out!

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