Want to run in the World Championships Marathon? Well starting in 2015 you can.

I apologize for not reading the link but are you sure the mass participation race would be a marathon? At the Berlin WCs in 2011 they had a 10K that was essentially one loop of the marathon course that was, I think, the day after the WCs ended. Maybe they mean something like this but with the 10k right after the marathon?

This trend is actually already starting next year at the World Halfs

http://english.copenhagen2014.dk/Cms/

Sounds like a good way to raise the prestige of the World Championship marathon.

Sounds like a good way to line the coffers.

a/ wrote:

Sounds like a good way to line the coffers.

And bringing prestige and lining coffers is bad? If it makes it more popular it is good for the sport. It's not like it will take away form the winner. Major marathons are HUGE money events.

I hope they run them in one race without a separated start. This would put more pressure on USATF to do a better job of choosing the best team. It could get embarassing if the Hansons or others send guys that they think should be on the team just for the purpose of proving the faults of USATF selection process.

Smash it wrote:

I apologize for not reading the link but are you sure the mass participation race would be a marathon? At the Berlin WCs in 2011 they had a 10K that was essentially one loop of the marathon course that was, I think, the day after the WCs ended. Maybe they mean something like this but with the 10k right after the marathon?

The article barely has a blurb on it, no details. I googled and didn't find anything concrete, just more speculation. But from the wording I have seen, I thought it meant an actual marathon run alongside the World Championships one.

Not having given it a ton of thought, I definitely think it would be interesting to start the elites and masses together, but logistically I can think of a lot of possible problems and reasons why the IAAF wouldn't do this.

I was just thinking the other day how the IAAF should do this. All the successful, elite marathons are run like this.

Think about the implications though...

Kenyans select 3 runners. Geoffrey Mutai misses out and wins the race by a clear minute not running for Kenya - is he the world champion or is the selected Kenyan runner a minute behind?

A simultaneous mass start would also enable the wholesale use of designated pacers which would change the character of the race.

It says that "mass participation races will be held at the same time" so the mass participants would not likely be running in the World Championship Marathon but in a mass race held at the same time. So technically, most of us still could not run in the World Championship Marathon unless I misunderstand what I read.

I've always believed that the World Championship Marathon should work like this:

(1) Relatively easy qualifying times: For example, sub 2:30 for men, sub 2:50 for women.

(2) Top 100 runners in the world (100 men and 100 women) are flown to the race all expenses paid by the IAAF.

(2) Anyone who is not serving a drug suspension can run.

(3) You can run in your national uniform, or not.

(4) No prize money. No appearance fees.

It will be a 10k NOT A MARATHON GUARANTEED

Would you really want to run a marathon in a Beijing Summer?

Now if it was on a track....

This is a great idea.

So now the World Championships will be a truly open race for everyone, and meanwhile the IAAF get millions of dollars of entry fees to dish out as prize money (no charities or municipal fees to worry about), and they get lots of exposure, which will in turn attract the top marathoners from the marathon majors to the World Championships.

Ab$olutely brilliant!

Speaker wrote:

Think about the implications though...

Kenyans select 3 runners. Geoffrey Mutai misses out and wins the race by a clear minute not running for Kenya - is he the world champion or is the selected Kenyan runner a minute behind?

As it stands each country can send 6 or 7, and pretty much anyone good who wants to go, can, as there isn't as much interest. Not sure whether the new rules will change the latter fact.

indano wrote:

It will be a 10k NOT A MARATHON GUARANTEED

Would you really want to run a marathon in a Beijing Summer?

With the air pollution in Beijing I would not. Doesn't mean others wouldn't though.