USATF Again Screws Over Athletes

USATF, TFAA, none seem to give a shit about the athletes. Just self-serving people on there.

The only thing I can hold against TFAA is that they don't appear to be doing much to stand up to USATF.

It's 4:14. They changed the men's mile to 3:59.5 down from 4:01, if I recall correctly.

If they changed it during the qualifying window that is not right, but I have no idea if they did.

However, if they do want to go straight finals (as listed on the schedule), those adjusted qualifying times make more sense. Any more than 12 on an indoor track for a championship race will be nutty.

Joseph Templeton wrote:

The indoor qualifying standard for USA Indoor Championships was posted for months at 4:21 for women's 1500 meters. Two athletes at the Lobo Open in Albuquerque (Brooks Beasts) run the qualifying standard to only find out that USATF changed the standard to 4:11 or something like that right before they ran. The athletes were very upset since they planned out their racing schedule and now may not have another opportunity to qualify. Calls to USATF have not been helpful. When USATF sets a standard they should not change it at the last minute and not inform folks. If you didn't go to the USATF website at the last minute no one would have ever know. Way to hurt the athletes again USATF.

Are you sure you weren't looking at the 2014 standards? We flipped a calendar year recently, so maybe you were looking at 2014's standards. They literally just posted the 2015 Indoor link with all the info, including the new standards. Last year's standard was 4:24.50, while this year it's 4:14.00. That's just a product of the improving depth.

Out of curiosity too, I did a search on Archive.org for the 2015 Calendar. Nothing had been posted about the Indoor Champs as of Nov. 18th. Just an FYI- USATF usually makes decisions and posts stuff after the National Meeting (in Dec.). I know, really this stuff should be posted much further in advance, but this is how USATF works. Were you making calls/emails before or after they ran?

There's no way 12 girls are going under 4:14 in the next 3 weeks.

Should have had higher standards instead of just trying to scrape by...... Who cares about some C string Brooks Beasts? If you can't get 4:14 you don't deserve to run at USA's.

Ever heard of the Oregon Project? lulz

The standard was 4:21 (1500) and 4:35 (mile) as of Wednesday January 21st 2015.

On Saturday January 24th the standard was 4:14 and 4:35.

Katie Mackey and Brie Felnagle ran 4:19 (1500) in route to a 4:36 mile at 5,000 feet altitude.

UNMexico wrote:

The standard was 4:21 (1500) and 4:35 (mile) as of Wednesday January 21st 2015.

On Saturday January 24th the standard was 4:14 and 4:35.

Katie Mackey and Brie Felnagle ran 4:19 (1500) in route to a 4:36 mile at 5,000 feet altitude.

Show us proof. Otherwise, it was an oversight on your part.

You can also try filing a grievance.

Contact your event representative:

Too bad so sad wrote:

Should have had higher standards instead of just trying to scrape by...... Who cares about some C string Brooks Beasts? If you can't get 4:14 you don't deserve to run at USA's.

Ever heard of the Oregon Project? lulz

Honestly this. If you are worried about the qualifying standard changing then you don't have a shot to do anything once you get there anyways. Not to mention 4:14 is plenty fair

If they ran that at 5000 ft they shouldn't have a hard time finding a race in the next two weeks and doing it again.

The standard was posted on the 2015 USATF website as 4:21 until right before the weekend. This is not about whether the standard is appropriate or not, the real question in the unethical manner in which the organization would change something without informing the athletes about the change. I think they are preparing for the USA cross country meet and will not have another chance based on that meet to qualify. the people at USATF national office are simply unqualified to be in those positions and athletes are constantly getting hurt by their policies. Just sad.

A 4:21 1500 is not at all equivalent to a 4:35 mile. That was likely an error by the USATF if it was posted on the date you stated.

Regardless..those girls ran 4:36 when the standard was 4:35 at the time. If they really wanted a qualifier they should have come down from altitude. They are more than capable.

Pretty lame if what you say is true. But such would not surprise me from usatf, sadly.

I'd raise a sink, and yes, what exactly is tfaa doing?

Plus 4:14 seems pretty optimistic. Are they aiming for a three-girl field? Last year all of 2 girls were under 4:24 coming in. The website is still up, check it out.

801 dude wrote:

Plus 4:14 seems pretty optimistic. Are they aiming for a three-girl field? Last year all of 2 girls were under 4:24 coming in. The website is still up, check it out.

Brown and Grunewald were the only ones entered with 1500 times last year. The rest were mile times.

Name Affiliation Mark Status Declaration

Sarah Brown New Balance 4:11.27 qualified declared

Gabriele Grunewald Brooks / Team USA Minnesota 4:12.76 qualified declared

Mary Cain Nike 4:24.11 qualified declared

Amanda Winslow Oiselle / New Jersey New York Track Club 4:26.28 qualified declared

Jordan Hasay Nike 4:28.37 qualified declared

Treniere Moser Nike 4:28.86 qualified declared

Heather Kampf Asics / Team USA Minnesota 4:30.14 qualified declared

Morgan Uceny adidas 4:30.57 qualified declared

Stephanie Charnigo New Jersey New York Track Club 4:33.87 qualified declared

Katherine Mackey Brooks 4:34.99 qualified declared

Sara Vaughn Brooks 4:35.07 qualified declared

Rebecca Tracy 4:35.36 qualified declared

Amanda Mergaert Oiselle 4:35.90 qualified declared

Melissa Agnew Twin Cities Track Club 4:38.05 qualified declared

Rebecca Friday Adidas/RogueAC 4:38.24 qualified declared

Laura Thweatt Boulder Track Club 4:38.26 qualified declared

Clerc Simpson Brooks 4:41.72 qualified declared

Lindsey Drake Bowerman Athletic Club 4:42.32 qualified declared

Dana Mecke 4:42.79 qualified declared

Brigitte Mania Connecticut 4:43.68 qualified declared

Shannon Rowbury Nike 4:43.71 qualified declared

Carmen Graves Roanoke Valley Elite 4:45.98 qualified declared

Heather Wilson New Jersey New York Track Club 4:33.45 qualified scratched

Catherine Beck Central Park Track Club (CPTC) New Balance 4:40.47 qualified scratched

Erin Koch Central Park Track Club (CPTC) New Balance 4:46.59 qualified scratched

Of course. Donning dunce cap for the night...

Still standards should be posted a little further in advance.

Just a guess, but they probably figured out that 4:21 was way too slow to match up with the mile qualifying time.

It appears that these athletes were looking for a loophole.

Did the contact USATF to find out why the huge difference between the 1500 and the mile?

Why did they have an enroute clock set up?

how it works wrote:

Show us proof. Otherwise, it was an oversight on your part.

It was 4:21. I saw it, as well.

Joseph Templeton wrote:

The indoor qualifying standard for USA Indoor Championships was posted for months at 4:21 for women's 1500 meters. Two athletes at the Lobo Open in Albuquerque (Brooks Beasts) run the qualifying standard to only find out that USATF changed the standard to 4:11 or something like that right before they ran. The athletes were very upset since they planned out their racing schedule and now may not have another opportunity to qualify. Calls to USATF have not been helpful. When USATF sets a standard they should not change it at the last minute and not inform folks. If you didn't go to the USATF website at the last minute no one would have ever know. Way to hurt the athletes again USATF.

USATF needs to put on the best event as possible. They can't cater to the slower athletes for the USA's. I suggest these Brooks Beasts athletes get their time down or just show up at all comer meets.