2016 Olympic Marathon Trials Athlete Review

Kudos to Max Siegel for having the business sense to put the Marathon Trials in LA, and exposing the great product to a national television audience, and to the many entertainment execs that were coming in for the Grammys two days later.

All you folks who bitch and moan about how distance running gets the short stick when it comes to television got to see what the sport looks like when it's properly presented. The live spectators got to see a professional road race, and not a bunch of hobby joggers raising money for their charity.

From reading the posts on here, the ones doing the complaining had little or no shot of making the team. The Olympic Trials are all about picking the best team, period, end of story. Nobody gives a rat's tail that a high percentage of the field work full time and train when they can for the right to compete in a race they have no shot of making the team, let alone placing high enough to get a pay day.

BTW, the folks I know who attended the race loved the fact that they were entertained by the drama up front, and actually got into the nuances and subtleties of marathon racing.

Has Patrick Rizzo's review been posted yet?

http://pjrizzo.runnerspace.com/profile.php?member_id=44240&do=blogs&blog_id=11845

I have been hesitant to post my feedback for the LA organizing committee as some of those people are people I consider friends. I respect their work and the amount of time that goes into creating a championship experience for elite athletes. I also don't like to be overly negative in my assessments. Sorry ahead of time if anyone construes this as whining or angry; it's entirely based on 10 years of post-college racing experience and comparison to the previous two Olympic trials I've run.

From three months out I was asking my agent when we needed to be in LA. It was already time to start looking into hotels and flights and we didn't even get information on the date and time of the tech meeting that is mandatory attendance. That correspondence didn't get delivered to athletes or agents until 11 days before the race, with all deadlines mentioned (hotel, travel submission, etc.) already past. Even then the communications were vague.

Fluid declarations were closed before the qualifying window was over. I'm still VERY confused how you can close the window for declaring intent to use personal fluids on January 13 and still have people qualifying on January 17. Did USATF or the LA committee even think about this?

Fast forward to arrival in LA and “B” athletes staying at the hotel ($300+ per night, three night minimum) would have to pay $15 a person, each way, for a ride to and from the airport to the hotel. I've been fortunate enough to compete in three Olympic trials and have never witnessed something so nickel-and-diming unprofessional. Either offer the shuttle for the athletes or don't but to charge them for it after you selected such an expensive hotel is an insult to injury.

The hospitality suite was the most spartan setup I've ever seen in a hospitality at a race. I've been to 5k packet pickups that had more amenities. All that was in the suite (aside from USOC uniform check tables) was water, sparkling water, and Powerade. There were no snacks for people traveling into town, no meals provided, nothing that is actually very standard for races, let alone races of this caliber. I would be willing to bet that the Skechers LA Marathon suite even included snacks and hospitality!

We were asked to bring only bottles that included NO commercial advertizements for our personal fluids in order to be compliant with IOC Rule 50. After watching many athletes scrambling to be compliant with tape or bringing whatever they could find, we were provided with bottles that displayed “COKE” in about a 50 square cm size (non-compliant by governing rules). I was also forbidden from filing an appeal for rule violation on that account. I have the appeal still in my backpack, should someone want to see it.

The race occurred under “red flag” conditions. That indicates that conditions are extreme but the competition may go on, though requiring additional safety precautions by both organizers and participants. It was mentioned that a neutral aid station of water and Powerade would be added to the north end of the course. No such aid station was added. It was 5k-7k between aid stations that occurred with personal fluids directly followed by neutral fluids. For safety alone the organizers should have added neutral fluids near USC campus. *Also note for the record, USC's campus smelled like an uncleaned zoo.

Continuing the race, IF you were fortunate enough to finish, the finish line was indistinguishable. Jared Ward wasn't the only one who was confused to where the finish line really was. We crossed the finish area 5 times and I still couldn't recognize it because the posts were so far outside the course and there was not an overhead structure.

As we got through the finish area, we were handed a bottle of water and pushed back into the tent. Little did we know that this would be the last we see water until we get to a hotel! There was no water, Powerade, or food of any form in the finish area for athletes. There WAS, however, a catered, cooled tent for VIPs that athletes could be rudely kicked out of while USATF and USOC bigwigs wined and dined in our misery. Even a third rate race of 50 people has at least bananas and water cups accessible after the race. We weren't extended such a courtesy. We were given our warm up gear back and promptly pushed out of the anti-climatic finish area like cattle for slaughter.

It has also been reported that the runner tracking went down at about halfway through the race. Even local, low-budget races can get reliable runner tracking. How have we fallen so short in an Olympic trials race? Was this what we were supposed to be showcasing for the LA2024 bid?

All-in-all I have never felt so slighted at a championship race, or any race, in my 10 years of racing post-college. Los Angeles had a chance to really shine, outdo every criticism we may have had of the LOC leading into the race. They could have put on their big city pants and make big things happen. Instead we were the red-headed stepchildren of the weekend. It felt like we were a burden on them all weekend instead of being the show people wanted to see. After all of that we didn't even get a tee-shirt for qualifying and running in the Olympic trials.

I want to apologized FOR the LOC to all of the young athletes who just qualified for their first Olympic trials race and expected to be respected or at least treated with dignity. This ISN'T the norm and literally every other race you'll ever run will be better done with you in mind. You all deserve better!

Read more: pjrizzo - Blogs - The Olympic Marathon Trials - Patrick Rizzo

Just got this in an email from Jim Estes:

"... everyone was supposed to get a shirt. I'm not sure why that didn't happen but am looking into it and will let everyone know.

Thanks,

Jim Estes"

Handing out torn up race shirts at the US Olympic Trials speaks of incompleteness

1. These are tech shirts and don't hold water

2. These say Skechers LA Marathon on them and were created by Leslie Jordan.

Clearly a last second decision cause why someone forgot to buy sponges?

Didn't athletes have to cover sponsors logos with tape? How does another apparel company who is not NIKE get this kind of exposure?

3. These had soap on them.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wr1tgyu14u706ev/La2016tornShirts.jpg?dl=0

meowzer wrote:

Kudos to Max Siegel for having the business sense to put the Marathon Trials in LA, and exposing the great product to a national television audience, and to the many entertainment execs that were coming in for the Grammys two days later.

All you folks who bitch and moan about how distance running gets the short stick when it comes to television got to see what the sport looks like when it's properly presented. The live spectators got to see a professional road race, and not a bunch of hobby joggers raising money for their charity.

.

Bud, the Trials was going to be televised live whether it was in Houston or LA. Also, Houston actually offered more money (for the athletes, and bigger budget). Houston did NOT nickel and dime the athletes in 2012 and actually had their s*** together because they have the experience hosting Championships. Max picked LA because he was enamoured with it being "LA" and thought he'd get to rub elbows with Beyonce and LLCoolJ. I can attest that the Grammies had absolutely no bearing on the Trials. The blame for the f*** up is all on Max (for choosing LA) and LA.

Thanks to all of the athletes who posted your reviews (and congrats)!

Thinking about what it would be like to run a marathon OTQ is one of those fantasies I have to help get me through a long run – but now it seems like my dream should really be to land a spot on the USATF board and make a few changes.

The politics of how and why the race took place in L.A. is pretty bad, but can certainly be overlooked if L.A. puts on a great event and treats the athletes professionally.

The late start time (and resulting weather) is pretty bad, but can certainly be overlooked if L.A. is prepared and has enough water/cooling devices on the course.

The nickel and diming of “B” athletes is pretty bad, but can certainly be overlooked if ALL of the athletes are celebrated as VIP’s with a great finish line experience.

What I’ve read on here is really embarrassing, and I have zero affiliation with USATF or L.A. You learn to put up with a lot as a runner, but almost any way you slice it, the Trials were just a bad event all the way around.

Yeah, it was nice to watch it on TV as a fan, but the athletes didn’t need to suffer for it! Kids want to grow up to be a professional baskeball/football/soccer player because even the scrubs are treated like royalty. With the way the USATF is run now, professional running will never be popular – regardless of when it’s shown on national TV.

As a EAQ for a major race, I find it humorous that so many athletes are complaining about "nickels and dimes". THEY DO ADD UP. There is a certain level of entitlement from sub elite runners.

When Meb ran our race his flight came in early and his shuttle was not at the airport when he arrived. He took a cab and I never heard about it. He later sent me a letter and a t-shirt and thanked me for the hospitality.

A similar thing happened to an athlete that finished 14th at the race and he called and yelled at the driver and then showed up and had a bitchfest in the lobby of the hotel.

Elite runners are thankful but the group right behind them always look for things to complain about. We have stopped inviting the second wave and my job is much more fun.

polevaultpower wrote:

Max Siegel made a business decision. He made it really clear that having the marathon in LA made more financial sense for USATF and that is why he went against LDR's recommendation.

What was LDR's recommendation?

truth be told. wrote:

Bud, the Trials was going to be televised live whether it was in Houston or LA. Also, Houston actually offered more money (for the athletes, and bigger budget). Houston did NOT nickel and dime the athletes in 2012 and actually had their s*** together because they have the experience hosting Championships. Max picked LA because he was enamoured with it being "LA" and thought he'd get to rub elbows with Beyonce and LLCoolJ. I can attest that the Grammies had absolutely no bearing on the Trials. The blame for the f*** up is all on Max (for choosing LA) and LA.

I think the difference was that LA was going to pay for the airtime and Houston wasn't? It was something along those lines. Houston would have been better for the athletes, but cost the National Office a lot more money.

I'm someone that gives a rat's tail that a high percentage of the field work full time and train when they can for the right to compete in a race they have no shot of making the team, let alone placing high enough to get a pay day...but then I'm someone that cares about the development of the sport. Anyone else feel the same?

Get out of here, troll

polevaultpower wrote:

Do athletes at the track and field Olympic Trials get a free t-shirt?

I definitely think USATF/USOC dropped the ball by not having more merchandise that was more prominently displayed, it sounds like a lot of people were willing to pay money for some nice swag and never figured out how to do so.

Do you think with such as small market there the USATF would bother?

Money race directors are thankful, but the USATF group in last place who failed this weekend always look for things to complain about and treat the athletes like shite. We need to stop going to their poorly staged events, just go to money events from now on, and stop having to deal with USATF and their failures. USATF has a history of screwing with the athletes, so bugger them from now on.

I think most of the runners at this race do have a lot respect for meet staff and do appreciate what they do but in this case there are several factors that need to be considered.

Nickel and Dimeing is one thing and that can be lived with but to provide a crappy and borderline unsafe racing enviroment is completely unacceptable. You reference Meb being willing to pay for a cab. Remember the financial situation for Meb is a lot different than for many of the runners. Meb probably could have even got sketchers to reimburse him for the cab ride if he wanted to.

Also the athletes wanted the trials to be in Houston. Not only did USATF veto this but then provided a far lower level of experience than Houston has provided in the past. I agree it is a little petty to complain about a lack of shirts, gear, whatever given to the athletes. But to request a reasonable amount of fluids available during a hot day and to have some nutrition available at the finish line rather than have exhausted athletes fight their way through the heat and crowds a half mile to the hotel, if they were even staying at the meet hotel, just to get something to eat or drink is completely different. I don't think anyone would have really mentioned lack of swag given to the athletes if the overall race experience was better.

LA trials fanboy wrote:

polevaultpower wrote:

Do athletes at the track and field Olympic Trials get a free t-shirt?

I definitely think USATF/USOC dropped the ball by not having more merchandise that was more prominently displayed, it sounds like a lot of people were willing to pay money for some nice swag and never figured out how to do so.

Do you think with such as small market there the USATF would bother?

They sell a lot of clothing through their website, and product is part of their Nike contract. So even if the number of people at the event is relatively small, they have a good chance to sell more after the event.

I'm not sure how much of the issue was the product available and how much was placement. Were they set up selling merchandise at the hotel the day before? If not, they should have been...

Wow. Me, me, me! This entire thread screams of the current entititlement generation. Good job everyone!

If the LA trials were so bad, worst than the thousands of 5K gatherings you have in your background, so be it. I'll hold it against not just running events, but three or four other sports I know quite well. And you all are bitching about T-shirts, free rides from the airport, a warm day when you are living where it's still winter, water nobody handed you, smells, and a request that you help make TV/this event look good to people who have never seen it before?

This event was designed to pick U.S. teams for the Olympic marathon, and it did that. Sorry you didn't qualify. Prepare better next time, or just realize maybe you're a 2:18 guy and that's that. And sorry that this event looked quite nice on TV, which WILL help with a whole bunch of other exposure crap you guys complain about non-stop. You can't have it both ways! And yeah, sorry about the handouts and freebies. I forgot whole the sun rises on sets on each of you winners, individually.

And uh, Rio. Um, you'll see.

Plus I want to mention that I'm a total retard! in case none of you have yet figured it out.

Pcrunrun wrote:

I'm someone that gives a rat's tail that a high percentage of the field work full time and train when they can for the right to compete in a race they have no shot of making the team, let alone placing high enough to get a pay day...but then I'm someone that cares about the development of the sport. Anyone else feel the same?

3-40 year bored soccer moms aren't developing the sport.

How do you quantify a wannabe? Anyone who doesn't finish top 3? I suppose everyone would be a wannabe at some point then. I always wannabe 1st. I would call you a jerk, but even in your situation I have to admit that it is not a "measurable fact".