Spring is finally here! That means it is time to start thinking about which races you will be training for in the upcoming months. Several female Coloradans are gearing up for the Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston on April 20th. Nineteen women from Colorado and one from Wyoming have run the qualifying standard of 2:47 or better. We have featured one qualifier, Paige Higgins, on page 18. Paige ran an amazing 2:40:14 at last year’s Chicago Marathon, despite oppressive heat and humidity. If you’re wondering how these women got so fast, you can read about the training characteristics of Olympic Marathon Trials qualifiers on page 21.
The spring running season brings the opening of registration for many popular events. There is always a debate raging on the process for events that fill. Some event directors choose to have a lottery, while others choose a first come, first served process. This makes it very frustrating for many runners, especially when many of these races fill in less than a hour.
The lottery drawing for this year’s Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run was held on February 3rd. A friend of mine was trying to get in for the third year in a row, but is listed in the middle of 240 other runners on the waiting list. Hardrock’s lottery system rewards people for participating and finishing the event, meaning that past participants have a better chance of getting in than those who have not run before. I have never understood why they do this. This makes it even more difficult for new people to run the event. For my friend, it has been a frustrating three years.
I personally have never understood why races use a lottery system. Most event directors will tell you that it is the only fair way for them to do registration. But, when you look at a system like Hardrock uses, you start to wonder how fair a lottery system really is. I feel that a first come, first served system of registration is the best for everyone involved. As a runner, if I want to run a race, then I need to sit down in front of my computer and enter as soon as registration opens. This way, I know if I am in or not right then. I don’t have to send in my check and then wait two or three months to find out if I get in. If I am turned away 15 minutes after registration opens, then I can look for another race to enter. But, if I have to wait three months and then find out that I didn’t make it in through the lottery, the other races I may have wanted to run instead might be filled already. To be fair, I have access to high speed internet and I know that many people do not. I’ve been turned away at events like the St. George Marathon and the New York City Marathon that use a lottery system. After those experiences, I typically no longer try to get in races with lottery systems because waiting to find out if I am going to be accepted messes up my training.
Because of the United States Forest Service regulations, most trail events are limited to a small number of runners so as not to impact the land. But, there are other races that fill quickly even though they can accept a lot of runners – the Pikes Peak Ascent has 1,800 spots and the Imogene Pass run lets in 1,500. There are also some popular road races in the area that fill up quickly. The Steamboat Marathon and Half Marathon and the Canyonlands Half Marathon are the two largest that come to mind. Steamboat uses a first come, first served process while Canyonlands uses a lottery.
All I can say is that if you are looking to peak for an event this year, make sure to check into their entry requirements early rather than later. And if they use a first come system, be sure to have the registration page ready to go on your computer when registration opens. Good luck and may you have fun chasing the dream this year!
Happy trails!
Derek