Goofy Pacing requirements question

[IamTrike]

I am doing Goofy this year and had a question about the pacing requirements.
If I stay ahead of the sweeper on the half but average slower than a 16 mm pace for it, does that mean I don't get a Goofy medal?

I am planning on walking the half with DW and would like to stay with her as long as possible, but want to know at what point I need to just take off and run by myself.

 

[cewait]

Last year was the first year they used chip data to determine if you finished the half. The instructions are clear that you must finish in 3:30. Saying that, I know of a few Goofies who did in fact finish the half in 3:30+. It's my guess that you have some buffer, but one should not push the limit too far. It would not take much of an effort to redline those who do not finish the half in time. If one looks at the results page from last year, you see maybe 1-2% did not finish one or the other race in time. http://results.active.com/uploads/pdf/104953.pdf

I would say stay with her as long as possible, but give yourself a good 5 minute buffer.

 

[John VN]

I am doing Goofy this year and had a question about the pacing requirements.
If I stay ahead of the sweeper on the half but average slower than a 16 mm pace for it, does that mean I don't get a Goofy medal?

I am planning on walking the half with DW and would like to stay with her as long as possible, but want to know at what point I need to just take off and run by myself.

I was in your exact place this year. DW and I walked the half together with me keeping an eye on my watch for the timing. DW was very concerned about me finishing within the 3:30 time frame and kept telling me to TAKE OFF and leave her. My calculations from the start showed that we could make it to mile 11 with the pace we were going to maintain and that is exactly what we did. As we came to the rise at mile 11 I left her and walked the last 2.1 miles at my sprint pace resulting in 3:17:30. On Sunday I walked my pace and finished in 4:56:28 for my first marathon and Goofy.

We will be doing the same in January and if things go as planned I will not have to leave DW this time. I will still be keeping an eye on the time and make sure I make it under the 3:30:00 official time requirement.

Good luck and enjoy.

BTW, I had Corral B for the half and C for the full. DW had Corral G for the half so we started up front to give her the greatest cushion.

 

[IamTrike]

Last year was the first year they used chip data to determine if you finished the half. The instructions are clear that you must finish in 3:30. Saying that, I know of a few Goofies who did in fact finish the half in 3:30+. It's my guess that you have some buffer, but one should not push the limit too far. It would not take much of an effort to redline those who do not finish the half in time. If one looks at the results page from last year, you see maybe 1-2% did not finish one or the other race in time. http://results.active.com/uploads/pdf/104953.pdf

I would say stay with her as long as possible, but give yourself a good 5 minute buffer.

Thanks Coach I wasn't sure if they were checking chip time to validate half marathon finish. Hopefully it won't be an issue at all. She was averaging about a 11 MM pace, but she injured her hip flexor on a short run and her pace has dropped substantially.

That active results page is interesting. Its interesting to see which race people took easier.

 

[timmac]

BTW, I had Corral B for the half and C for the full. DW had Corral G for the half so we started up front to give her the greatest cushion.

When you say "started up front", do you mean at the front of corral G, or are you saying that she moved up to corral B with you?

Though I don't mean to start a flame, if it's the latter, then I think a lot of people (myself included) might take issue with that.

 

[John VN]

When you say "started up front", do you mean at the front of corral G, or are you saying that she moved up to corral B with you?

Though I don't mean to start a flame, if it's the latter, then I think a lot of people (myself included) might take issue with that.

Up front in her coral. Sorry for not making that perfectly clear.

 

[IamTrike]

I was in your exact place this year. DW and I walked the half together with me keeping an eye on my watch for the timing. DW was very concerned about me finishing within the 3:30 time frame and kept telling me to TAKE OFF and leave her. My calculations from the start showed that we could make it to mile 11 with the pace we were going to maintain and that is exactly what we did. As we came to the rise at mile 11 I left her and walked the last 2.1 miles at my sprint pace resulting in 3:17:30. On Sunday I walked my pace and finished in 4:56:28 for my first marathon and Goofy.

We will be doing the same in January and if things go as planned I will not have to leave DW this time. I will still be keeping an eye on the time and make sure I make it under the 3:30:00 official time requirement.

Good luck and enjoy.

BTW, I had Corral B for the half and C for the full. DW had Corral G for the half so we started up front to give her the greatest cushion.

We are in pretty close to the same situation. DW submitted a time that I think will put her in corral c or d. Because of an injury she'll likely be going at a much slower pace. I'll keep an eye on the time and stay with her as long as possible.

 

[escape]

Last year was the first year they used chip data to determine if you finished the half.

How did they do that? In other words, how did they check your time before getting the new wrist band? When I did Goofy in 2010, we just walked up to the Goofy tent and they cut off the original Goofy wrist tag and gave us a new one without checking our time. I wasn't worried as I was within the 3:30 requirement but I did wonder why they didn't check to make sure.

 

[cewait]

How did they do that? In other words, how did they check your time before getting the new wrist band? When I did Goofy in 2010, we just walked up to the Goofy tent and they cut off the original Goofy wrist tag and gave us a new one without checking our time. I wasn't worried as I was within the 3:30 requirement but I did wonder why they didn't check to make sure.

Starting in 2011 the wrist bands went away. Saturday you finished and just went on. Then Sunday, you finished, received Mickey and then at the Goofy tent your name was on a checklist as a finisher. That was the system.

When I first read about it, I was so worried about snafus that I printed a copy of the half results and carried them in my fanny pack Fortunately, I think he system worked great. I simply walked up the tent and received my medal in seconds. I am sure that there were a few issues, but I think the order of the day was if in doubt hand them out. I would not bet that a runner with a Goofy bis could have skipped Saturday and still received a Goofy. I am sure this did not happen, but it just seemed that loose.

There were a lot of 3:30 plus finishers; as high as 3:48. I am hopeful that they tighten this up some. I do not mean to slam slower folks, but I think not tightening up the system cheapens the Goofy. Anyway, my two cents.

 

[cewait]

How did they do that? In other words, how did they check your time before getting the new wrist band? When I did Goofy in 2010, we just walked up to the Goofy tent and they cut off the original Goofy wrist tag and gave us a new one without checking our time. I wasn't worried as I was within the 3:30 requirement but I did wonder why they didn't check to make sure.

somehow, my response is above your question...