I'm at USATFs and listening in to the press conference announcing the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials (the press conference in person either got cancelled or move because of a storm) that are going to Boston for women and NY for men as has been expected for months.
We had reported this week that a source told us the men's trials would be held on Sunday on the traditional NY course. According to Mary Wittenburg, head of the NYRR that is not the case, although some of the details surrounding the men's Trials race are not set in stone.
The press release announcing the Trials which can be found here:
http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUid=USATF_2006_06_22_07_04_52
The release is very specific on the details of the Boston course (4 loops in downtown Boston) and date (Sunday before the Boston Marathon) but vague on the details of the NY date and course ("marathon weekend" and "is expected to be a criterium-style course in Central Park that will start and finish near Tavern on the Green".)
But Steve Nearman of the Washington Times cleared some things up as he asked about the date and course of NY.
Mary Wittenburg, the NYRR director said, "the bid is for Friday morning on a criterium course" but went on to ad "the bid is for Friday, but we may shift it to Satuday, but it will not be marathon day, it will not be the traditional marathon course." So there you have it. They may try and change the date but apparently now will not try and shift it to Sunday or to the traditional course.
She hinted that the shift to Saturday would be for publicity and tv reasons.
Both races will have $250,000 each in prize money, but the breakdown has not been released.