The other two U.S. major marathons, New York City and Boston, both have registration lotteries of some sort. Chicago was the lone holdout and now it would seem that the breaking point has arrived.
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- Raise the Price: If they really want to trim the number of people applying, they could always raise the price, like the New York City Marathon did. An entry into the NYC Marathon was $156 in 2011 then in 2012 it jumped to $216. That might weed out people who aren't overly serious about running the race and sign up for it on a whim. Heck, I know one guy who trained less than two weeks for the Chicago Marathon this year and walked over 13 miles of it. If he had had to shell out say $275 instead of $175, maybe he would have taken a pass. He might have balked at the higher registration fee and the spot he would have taken would have opened up for someone who was more serious about racing it. The price increase difference, say $100 per entry could be distributed to various charities to show that it's not a money grab, just simply an attempt to filter out some of the "excess demand".
- Time Qualification: A marathon is a long distance running race and as such could give preference to those people who are actually going to run the thing. So, there could be a scaled down version of the "wave registration" used for the Boston Marathon, giving early registration (based on age and finishing times in other races). Qualifying runners get to register free-for-all first, then everyone else. For example, they could give runners under 50 who have run faster than a 2.5 hour half marathon, or a 5.5 hour marathon, first shot at registering. There would be slower time qualifications for those over 50. After all "runners" have signed up, it would then open up to the traditional first come, first-served registration. This system might weed out a few people (like that guy I know who walked over half the race), but still give a shot at those remaining spots to more casual entrants that qualified runners did not claim.
So those are my ideas, neither one would be very popular with certain camps. But each would allow motivated people, who really want to run the marathon a better shot at gaining entry and at least partially preserve the traditional first come, first served system. So what will really happen next year? I think there may be a slight price increase, say $10, but there won't be a time qualification for early entry. The whole thing will be a lottery, but I'm hoping they give legacy runners some kind of special consideration like early registration.
How do you think registration will look next year? How would you want it to look?
**Special thanks to ChasingCheeto for giving me the idea for this topic!
I'm guessing it will be a lottery as it seems like most big races with a high demand are switching now (Marine Corps for example). I have mixed thoughts about a lottery for Chicago though because so many people look to Chicago as an ideal first marathon and they should! It's a great race, flat course, and has outstanding crowd support. I fear that people will miss out on a great first marathon (or wait for forever to get in to Chicago) due to a lottery. However, the lottery might be a great opportunity for other smaller Chicagoland marathons (like Naperville) to grow as people who normally run Chicago but can't get in will still want to race. Whatever happens it should be interesting!
ReplyDeleteYes, I heard that Naperville is expanding in size next year which should open up at least a few spots in the Chicago Marathon as some runners will opt for Naperville instead. If Chicago raises their price dramatically, it will create a bigger market for smaller/cheaper marathons. Then I may decide to run Chicago every other year, and in the off-years run a cheaper marathon. First time marathoners could splurge on Chicago. Everyone wins! :)
DeleteI don't think time qualification is a bad idea, and remember this is a velocity-challenged runner talking :) I agree with you that it would be really frustrating to be shut out via a lottery, and see spots go to people who aren't very serious about it. And your examples of time qualifications seem pretty reasonable, and something that a lot of runners could probably train for if they're not already there.
ReplyDeleteThere's SO many races out there these days, maybe a big race like the Chicago Marathon could stand to be at least a little selective (obviously not to the degree that Boston is), and to Lindsay's point, this would help other smaller marathons grow.
Velocity-challenged? Not for much longer. You are quickly joining the ranks of the speedsters! Yes, it would frustrate me if I was shut out via the lottery by people who aren't really serious about the racing aspect (i.e those who casually sign up, do little training and end up walking). That's why a minimal time qualification would help to determine who is committed and who is not. Make it a small hurdle to jump using a previous 10k, half or full marathon time, but make it just high enough that some will turn around and head back to the couch. :)
DeleteExactly, I think a good chunk of serious runners could meet those no problem, and they're still reasonable enough that newer runners like me who are close would probably just keep on trying to meet the qualifications. I think I could do a 2:50 half in perfect conditions, so meeting the 2:30 mark would be something that I'd actually enjoy working toward. There's a difference between "not being serious about the racing aspect," which is how I do go into a lot of races, and not training AT ALL. So that'd probably weed out the latter (and also, what kind of crazy person attempts a marathon without training???).
DeleteAnd I'm working on my speed (today at lunch, actually!) :) I'm really eager to see if any of my efforts in the month leading up to the LWTT will actually pay off.
The 2:30 was just arbitrary and would have to be adjusted for age/gender. So I would set yours at 2:49, so you would still easily qualify! :) Anyway, I don't think Chicago would ever go to a qualification system because they are over-the-top in their pre-race promotions and tv shows featuring first-time runners who are running for a cause, or over-coming some catastrophic illness/injury. They would likely never weed out runners based on speed, preferring to be the "egalitarian major marathon". Hard to believe, but there are people who run marathons with little or no training, some drop out early on and some run a few miles then walk the rest and are extremely sore for the next week. One more speed tip which you may already be doing, but try and make your last fartlek your fastest. Picture in your mind you are finishing the lat 100m of the race and are running on tired legs.
DeleteI wasn't, but I will now :) Thanks, coach!
DeleteNo problem. Keep up the good work. It will be awesome when you "fly" during the race. You may even become a speed addict (and in this context, I mean speed as in moving quickly)! :)
DeleteI have mixed emotions about a lottery and/or qualifying times. I still have no intention of ever running a marathon... but who knows what may happen several years down the road.
ReplyDeleteWith the lottery system, I think as long as they allow certain people who haven't gotten in after X trys automatically be let in on the next try (similar to NYC) is a good idea. As for a qualification time... I guess it depends on how they lay those out. If they are as tough as NYC or Boston then it will definitely turn people away. However, allowing those that beat a qualifying time register first and then open it up to others who did not qualify is a good idea and would definitely eliminate some of the rush to register.
As for those that sign up and aren't serious... I think there will always be those kind of people out there...
Yes, I guess there will never be a perfect entry system when demand far outstrips supply. I qualified for NYC when it wasn't too difficult, and then two years ago, they really tightened the standards and I could not get in now unless I get a lot faster. That may be the problem with any qualification system: They start out easy to achieve, but then get progressively harder over time until only the best of the best can make it in. In the lottery system, I like the idea that after X attempts a runner gains automatic admission, that way you don't have to wait 20 years if your number is not drawn year after year.
DeleteI doubt it would exclusively be time qualifying- but maybe they'd adopt something similar to NYC where very fast sub sub elites could get guaranteed entry.
ReplyDeleteI think te price will go well above $200 for next year. This year was $175 I think- but I believe registration was before the Boston marathon. All the extra security the Chicago marathon provided was probably not planned for leading up to the race and I'm sure it cost $$$$$.
And you're right- should the price go $250 or something like that maybe the people who don't take it as seriously would reconsider spending that much money to do the event. But... Those people will always exist.
Yes, you are probably right that they will allow sub-elites to qualify like NYC. If they do that, I hope it will be based on age for half and full marathon times. That way I would have an outside chance to squeak in as a qualifier! :) I forgot about the additional security. You are right that it will probably cost over $200 next year. Yeah, you could probably never price out everyone who doesn't take the race aspect seriously. A lot of those people will still pay whatever the entry fee is.
DeleteI can definitely understand if it goes to a lottery. I wonder when/if the pendulum will swing the other way and marathons will fall out of fashion?
ReplyDeleteGood question. Maybe some other race type like "ultras" or "ultra mud runs" will become trendier than marathons and then marathons will go out of style! :)
DeleteI think they should adopt something similar to what Houston does. I was lucky and got in through the lottery the first time, and then I've met the qualification times every other year, so I keep going! I haven't heard a single complaint about their system.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Races/Marathon/Registration.cfm
Yes. That's kind of like I had in mind. Chicago could give runners something like Houston does with early registration based on a challenging (but not as challenging as Boston, NYC) qualifying time. Everyone else can sign up after early registration is over.
DeleteWill be interesting to see for sure. I think the price is already super high, yet I also don't disregard the 'slower runners' who people often forget are putting in their best effort too!
ReplyDeleteI don't disregard the slower runners, and would like to see them get preferential treatment over the walkers or those who sign up on a whim.
DeleteI have to imagine that the registration price will increase next year, and could also very much see Chicago going to a lottery system. And it really would be nice to somehow discourage registration from all those folks who walk the entire marathon and finish in, say, 9 hours. I have to second Marcia's thought, though, regarding if/when marathons become less "popular." It seems like trail races and 50Ks are starting to become the new marathons in the running world, at least in our neck of the woods!
ReplyDeleteYes, it will be interesting to see if there is a marathon "fad" right now and if it will fade in the next few years.
DeleteReally interesting stuff. Corey and I talked about this in NYC a few weeks ago, and we were saying that it'd be interesting to see if somehow CARA, or another Chicago-based running organization (though I'm guessing it'd have to be CARA) would eventually take greater ownership of the CM. If you think about NYC, in addition to the lottery and qualification system they have in place, the NYRR also has a huge presence with the marathon (it's their signature event, right?), so NYC locals who have met the 9+1 standard--or whatever it is--are basically guaranteed entry... or at least, that's my understanding... and that's in addition to the lottery and qualification elements.
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, it'll be really interesting to see what happens to Chicago and MCM next year, given how quickly both sold out this year and all the problems that arose because of the active servers not being able to handle the demand. I'm sure glad I'm not in the decision-making chair for this one, though...
Great post, Pete! :)
Thanks Erin! It would be interesting to see if CARA takes greater ownership of the marathon and gave preferential treatment to locals. That would be nice!
DeleteLove the post and appreciate the shout! :) Great post and insights. I agree the registration will likely move to a lottery format, which I can understand and appreciate. As a slower runner, the thought of qualifying times scares me a bit, knowing I would likely not qualify for entry. Should they change to a lottery OR qualify times, it would be awesome if they had a program similar to NYRR. In the past if you registered for NYC marathon a certain number of times and didn't get picked in the lottery, you earn a bib after a certain number of years.
ReplyDeleteThanks Amanda, and thanks for the idea for the post! Yes, I guess my ideal "model" is similar to the NYC registration model. Chicago would do a lottery AND qualifying times. That way (most) everyone will race the marathon eventually and (most) everyone is happy!
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