NBC scheduling kicks US running in the ding ding

The race is being held at 10 AM in Los Angeles. This is not an unreasonable time to hold a marathon. The idea was probably USATF's and they wanted to give the competitors a good nights sleep. What do you want? For it to start at 7?

+1 for the Eddie Murphy reference

The scheduling makes sense given the average temperatures in Rio in August:

Avg. high: 76 deg.

Avg. low: 64 deg.

Stop griping. This start time is fine. LA usually isn't this warm, and quite frankly with the chance of RIO being warmer, don't we want the best heat runners making the team anyway?....the average viewer doesn't know the difference between a 2:09 and 2:12-13 anyway.

Well, the Rio is hot angle is good - our best hot runners should going now.

Fyi I live in Venice Beach / LA, and you never know when it's going to be hot. It's hot right now.

Dehydration, cramping, slower times, 'strategic race,' potential injuries = not my faves.

Ratings and average viewer takes on times are priorities that come after best conditions and best times for runners for me. Suppose that's just still my take.

I'd add "hydrate!" to the original post and encouragement to our runners if I could. 8)

Thanks for the +1 for Eddie Murphy reference. Was thinking there'd be more 'harrumph!' for the programming trumping ideal race conditions meme. (+1 for Blazing Saddles reference? 'Give the governor harrumph!' Harrumph!')

Glad I'm not running!

Gonna be bells out racing tomorrow - 1-10 a horse race! Game on!

Been so looking forward to it -- bracket buster also features the fading of those out of top 3, rather than racing to potential. Like half marathon stud first marathon guys [Estrada, Chelanga?] hanging and then getting dropped and putting it on cruise control....

10am is not an unreasonable time for Los Angles in February. The weather forecast is for an unusually warm day.

You know there's only about 5000 people in the whole country who know the difference between a 2:15 marathon and a 2:05.

A girl I coached won a dual meet by 20+ seconds but after she crossed the finish she was pissed. She was well off her PR but people were amazed why someone who just dominated was mad.

I spoke to her about sportsmanship. But I leaned something too. Most people are clueless about times and marks. But they understand winning and losing. It's why dual meets are vital to promoting HS track & field.

Saturday those watching will know making the Olympics is special. They could care less about the time. If you want to promote the sport put it on tv at a good time.

Edward Teach wrote:

The idea was probably USATF's and they wanted to give the competitors a good nights sleep.

No it wasn't. The time and the course is ALL on NBC. The choice of LA is all on Max, so he could run elbows with Beyonce and LLCoolJ.

Edward Teach wrote:

The race is being held at 10 AM in Los Angeles. This is not an unreasonable time to hold a marathon. The idea was probably USATF's and they wanted to give the competitors a good nights sleep. What do you want? For it to start at 7?

I've raced a ton in Southern California and the only race I ever saw start this late was the Carlsbad 5000. No marathons start this late in SoCal and the weather is part of the reason. It's predicted to be 73 degrees at the start and 81 at the finish. It's going to be a bloodbath out there. Might not take 2:10 after all.

I think the time should have been moved to 7am. I agree Rio will be hot, but it takes time for athletes to adapt to heat which summer will provide. We are in the middle of winter right now in most of the country. I hope I am wrong, but I think there will at least 2 favorites who don't make the team because of the heat. Then people will complain our best team isn't running in Rio.

Starting now would be perfect, it is 54 with it probably being 70 by finish, still warm for a marathon.

USATF should have moved the time in the best interest of the athletes...shows the disconnect between governing body and the athletes.

i would be extremely surprised if this race isn't won in under 2:10. there are at least 5 guys who are actually capable of breaking 2:10 or better and probably 10-15 behind them who think they have a shot at it and will push the pace enough to keep things honest. it may be a race of attrition with the heat but the fittest will survive and the time will be solid.

I ran many marathons in Southern California, and my best time on a hilly course (Palos Verdes) that was 95 degrees at the finish. Anything in the 70s and cooler would have been nice, but I don't recall many like that. I see no issue at all with running the trials race in 70 degree weather, especially considering the likely conditions in Rio.

I think almost more importantly, what are dew points? If the dew point depression is fairly low, this will allow for better evaporative cooling, which would allow for a bit better running in the heat. Oddly today, in Houston, our high temp is only supposed to be upper 60s and dew points are in the 40s. It would be a quite pleasant day for trials here.

Right now in LA the temp is 55F and the dewpoint is 50F ( 1.5 hours before race start )

Considering running a marathon in typical summer heat is not conducive to good times by the best runners, it is what it is. This race could be cooler than what they will face in the Olympics. All in all miserable conditions for the marathon no matter what.

Alan Scharsu wrote:

I think the time should have been moved to 7am. I agree Rio will be hot....

July is dead of winter in Rio--southern hemisphere seasons are opposite of northern hemisphere. Avg lows are mid 60s. Avg highs are mid 70s.

Being a pro marathoner sukks donkyballs.

Are you also upset because evil TV networks make pro footballers play in freezing temperatures?