An Easy Solution wrote:
I know LRC and the Brojos have been on a crusade to get the top-3 in the US Trials into the Olympics regardless of WA's qualylifying standards. I couldn't oppose this more.
You already lost. The US Olympic Marathon Trials is a bronze label race which means the top 5 automatically meet the entry standard.
wasn't September 1 another deadline in announcing a race location? the longer no response the more likely there won't be a race, but isn't it good for the sport to have a marquee event that people get excited about?
Runner's World wrote:
And if you’re Chattanooga or Orlando, would you want to shell out $1 million or more to host an event that might not actually determine the Olympic team?
The price tag is insane. The model needs to be blown up and rebuilt into something practical again. Hand it off to the Marathon Project folks to figure out something reasonable.
There are merits both ways. I mean Americans do love upsets like Ward, Riley, Abdi, Tuliamuk, and Cragg. Vs Canada were someone like Levins gets a spot, didn't quite "deserve it" based off 2020/21 results, bombed it, but had previously set the Cdn record, and subsequently destroyed the Cdn record.
You'll always get the trade off between luck in the trials and luck and medal success as the olympics. I think most ppl go for it because either way you'll piss people off but this makes for good TV.
Hshshsheyy wrote:
There is absolutely no need to make this a dog and pony show. The trials should be in elite wave that goes off in front of a regular old road marathon.
What if one of the regulars in taking the old road runs a faster time than the 3rd place elite? Let them all start at the same time and may the fastest runners earn a spot. The "elites" can have their entries and hotel room paid for. The rest can pay their own way.
I think the Atlanta Track Club's post race analysis pretty much showed why there may be little interest in hosting the Marathon Trials. Besides the $1 million fee to host, the club was out plenty of other expenses and with the advertising restrictions, they had no real way to recoup the funds. Anyone willing to host is guaranteed to lose money unless USATF and the USOC change the model and conditions so a local organizing committee can actually make some money or at least break even on hosting the event.
Just run the US Trials at some standard marathon, and have that field go off 30 minutes before the regular start or something.
Am I the only one here thinking that USATF leadership sucks? Also, Rojo you should consider having Gault research an article on this. The whole process seems corrupt. I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to find out who the point person was in Atlanta then find similarly positioned folks in Orlando and Chattanooga and start there.
whataworld wrote:
Am I the only one here thinking that USATF leadership sucks? Also, Rojo you should consider having Gault research an article on this. The whole process seems corrupt. I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to find out who the point person was in Atlanta then find similarly positioned folks in Orlando and Chattanooga and start there.
I'm actually working on a story right now. I've reached out to the heads of the Orlando and Chattanooga bids but neither of them have responded. We did get an update from USATF, though, which we'll be publishing soon.
whataworld wrote:
Am I the only one here thinking that USATF leadership sucks? Also, Rojo you should consider having Gault research an article on this. The whole process seems corrupt. I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to find out who the point person was in Atlanta then find similarly positioned folks in Orlando and Chattanooga and start there.
You aren’t wrong, it’s just that your take is very 1996.
As someone who was born in Orlando and has run every street between Debary and The Four Corners, Orlando sucks to run in. Always. Someone mentioned the weather is unpredictable. Not necessarily. Depending on the time of year, it will probably be warm. But low dewpoints and cool temp mornings are plentiful during winter. Of course there’s anomalies, but if you hold the trials in late February or March, then don’t complain when it’s 85. The morning will still start out reasonable, though. Not any more unpredictable than a Chicago marathon. Additionally there’s so much urban sprawl, the course will probably be mostly in direct sun and incredibly boring. Building after building after McMansion after empty lot. I know the roads will be closed but if you know Orlando drivers, they often try to run over pedestrians and don’t see road barriers as an obstacle. You gonna do 3-4 loops through downtown? Wow! Exciting! Lastly, track shack will probably have a large part in the race and I have a long standing grudge against them. Betsy is great, but it’s a good ol’ boy network and I do not like the way their races are operated. I have my reasons. As a non member of USATF, I have to disrespectfully deny any support for Orlando as the race location. Tampa? Sure. Outside Daytona Beach? Great for road running. Cocoa area? Eh, but better than Orlando. Hell, just move it to Clermont.
And here you go.
I still think USATF has dragged their feet on this but I do understand how the uncertainty of the standards for the 2024 Olympics could affect the Trials. And I do believe USATF wants the Trials to continue to matter in the way we've become used to in recent years (top 3 across the line make the team). I appreciate someone at USATF (Adam Schmenk) finally making a statement on the record about the Trials.
Considering that USATF is continuously dropping the ball on championship qualifying procedures (2019 Pan Ams, 2021 WC Marathon, now this) amongst other dysfunctional things, maybe it's time for the USOC to look into decertifying it?
