Actually once Houston filled their Elite entries, they closed it to all elites. There are some guys who have run under their 2:22 standard who cannot get in. They are supposedly on that waiting list, so if your friend "only" ran 2:22 he really has no chance of getting in now. Seems as though Houston is going to lose a lot of respect from the elite crowd.
Anyone know which American elites will be running Houston?
Someone mentioned fast cats wanting to preview the course for next year. I'm hoping Houston comes up with a crit course for the trials. Watching the men's trials last time in Central Park was awesome because of the course. Boston was fun to see on tv also. Has there actually been any word on this already?
gerw wrote:
Anyone know which American elites will be running Houston?
i heard brett gotcher will run again this year.
Apparently James Carney is running there also.
gerw wrote:
Apparently James Carney is running there also.
I predict that he will tell us all that he is in the best shape of his life. He will attempt to run sub 2:10. This will be going thru halfway at 64:30-65:00. He will finish somewhere between 2:16-DNF.
Oh wait, that is what he has done in all of his previous attempts.
not so so fast wrote:
Someone mentioned fast cats wanting to preview the course for next year. I'm hoping Houston comes up with a crit course for the trials. Watching the men's trials last time in Central Park was awesome because of the course. Boston was fun to see on tv also. Has there actually been any word on this already?
Uh, yes. The half course will effectively preview the course for the OT.
HoustonDeny wrote:
Actually once Houston filled their Elite entries, they closed it to all elites. There are some guys who have run under their 2:22 standard who cannot get in.
This is true. I've met the standards for elite entry into the half marathon and a month ago when I e-mailed Camille Yarbrough I was told that the field was full and that I would be placed on a wait list. Seems ridiculous...I'm willing to pay for my own airfare and hotel and in a half you don't need special bottles out on the course, all I want to do is line up and race. They should allow that opportunity to anyone who's met the standards.
This is a job for your agent. If you are not good enough to have an agent, then you are not a pro and should never ask a race for anything. That includes an entry without going through the same entry process as a 5 hour marathoner.
I know for a fact that any agent can get any athlete in this race next month.
If you're American aren't they required to allow qualified athletes into the US championships fields? If they're not doing that, then you need to go over their heads to USATF and file a complaint - unless the rules have changed recently.
NOT TRUE. The LOC agrees to:
1. Have a certain number of elite athletes (usually 25 of each gender)
2. Provide a certain number of rooms
3. Provide a certain amount of Prize Money
4. USATF usually expects travel for at least 10 athletes.
Then change the name from "US Championships" to "First 25 Americans who had the standard and got entered." If qualified American runners are being turned away from a so-called US Championship race, then that is pathetic and goes directly to the root of what's wrong with our sport and our federation. I totally understand limiting rooms, travel, etc., but the added burden of having additional athletes is so minimal, that there is zero justification for turning away qualified athletes who are willing to foot the bill for getting themselves to the start line.
They will not turn away any WORTHY athletes. NONE. It is just your definition of worthy. Guys that are hoping to run 65 minutes are NOT worthy. They will not finish top 10, or bring anything to the race.
Have the agent call Houston aand I promise a positive response.
Padre Tiempo wrote:
Then change the name from "US Championships" to "First 25 Americans who had the standard and got entered." If qualified American runners are being turned away from a so-called US Championship race, then that is pathetic and goes directly to the root of what's wrong with our sport and our federation. I totally understand limiting rooms, travel, etc., but the added burden of having additional athletes is so minimal, that there is zero justification for turning away qualified athletes who are willing to foot the bill for getting themselves to the start line.
Agreed. Houston sucks and I will be sure to tell them that at the trials when they are putting me up.
know for a fact wrote:
They will not turn away any WORTHY athletes. NONE. It is just your definition of worthy. Guys that are hoping to run 65 minutes are NOT worthy. They will not finish top 10, or bring anything to the race.
Have the agent call Houston aand I promise a positive response.
and to you d-bag, anyone that is going to qualify for the olympic trials marathon is a worthy athlete, since that is one of the things the race is a qualifier for. So they are effectively denying several dozen people one of the best chances/opportunities to qualify. What better race than the 1/2 national championships with deep fields on a fast course. The best part is that is would be zero extra burden on the Houston staff.
The only true person worthy enough of being in the 1/2 is the winner, the rest are all pretenders.
What did they tell your agent? Hmmmmmmm. That is what I thought.
Probably pissed that they wouldn't give you fluid bottles in Chicago as well?
gerw wrote:
Anyone know which American elites will be running Houston?
Anyone know of any other Americans other than Carney and Gotcher?
HOUSTON (Nov. 17, 2010) – The Houston Marathon Committee, in conjunction with presenting sponsor Aramco Services Company, has announced that the country’s best distance runners and Olympic hopefuls will compete at the 2011 USA Half Marathon Championships on Saturday, January 29, 2011, one day prior to the 39th Chevron Houston Marathon. The championships will give athletes a chance to preview the course for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, which will be held on January 14, 2012.“We had some very basic information about early versions of the proposed Olympic course in London that proved beneficial to our course design,” said Brant Kotch, Race Director and President of the Houston Marathon Committee. “Of course, the confluence of the already-awarded 2011 USA Half Marathon Championships together with the awarding of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon was just too great an opportunity to pass up. This preview should bring out the country's strongest Olympic marathon hopefuls en masse.”The eight-mile loop route will give U.S. athletes a “test drive” of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials course which is similar to the 2012 Olympic marathon multi-loop eight-mile course in London. The national championships will also allow athletes to experience the Houston Marathon Committee’s operating plans for the 2012 Trials.“Getting a preview of the course while in race mode will be an invaluable experience for anyone hoping to run in the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials,” said 2009 USA Half Marathon champion and 2008 Olympian Magdalena Lewy Boulet. “There’s no better way to begin to mentally prepare for a race than to actually race it. I’m excited to return to Houston to run another USA Half Marathon Championship.”The 2011 USA Half Marathon Championships will mark Houston’s seventh and fifth year to host the men’s and women’s national half marathon championships respectively. Last January, Antonio Vega and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan won U.S. titles in 1:01:54 and 1:09:41, respectively.Houston will host the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon on Saturday, January 14, 2012, a first for a single city to host both the men’s and women’s events at the same Olympic Trials. To-date, 93 U.S. men and 111 U.S. women have qualified for the 2012 Trials. The top 150 male and female distance runners are expected to compete in Houston January 2012 to qualify six marathon runners for the U.S. Olympic Team at the London Olympic Games.The general public has been given an exciting opportunity to run with elite athletes competing in the 2011 USA Half Marathon Championships on the same course that will determine the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team in 2012. A limited number of "Olympic experience" VIP packages are available to the public through the event website (houstonmarathon.com).Additional details about the USA Half Marathon Championships including a course map can also be found on the event website under “Half Marathon” (houstonmarathon.com/halfmarathon).
not so so fast wrote:
Someone mentioned fast cats wanting to preview the course for next year. I'm hoping Houston comes up with a crit course for the trials. Watching the men's trials last time in Central Park was awesome because of the course. Boston was fun to see on tv also. Has there actually been any word on this already?