Why is the Half Marathon distance not in the Olympics?

What about a

111 Meter High Hurdles

99 Meter Dah

300M Sprint

2000 Meter Steeplechase

60 Meter Sprint

Shuttle Relays

DMR

I mean, there's no end to watering down the Olys.

They should cancel the Winter Games, and events with horses, guns, gravity power as well.

What about a

111 Meter High Hurdles

99 Meter Dah

300M Sprint

2000 Meter Steeplechase

60 Meter Sprint

Shuttle Relays

DMR

I mean, there's no end to watering down the Olys.

They should cancel the Winter Games, and events with horses, guns, gravity power as well.

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Just a question...Do any of those have Major Championship races?

Nutella1 wrote:

Personally, I feel we have too many running events at the Olympics already. Looking at how many athletes could double (at least in theory, practically this is often restricted thru so many heats) the 100/200, 200/400, 1500/5000, 5000/10000, this is what I'd leave for the Olympics:

100m

400m

800m

5000m

Marathon

Why is the ability to double the standard of whether there should be an event? By that standard you would end up with 1 men's swimming event and 1 women's swimming event.

You would also be getting rid of the 1500m, which is the premier distance event. That wouldn't help track and field, and neither would limiting the number of people able to participate. If all you care about is a quick, exciting TV event, the TV networks can and do that by being selective about how much to show.

They shouldn't add the half marathon to the Olympics. If anything, they should TAKE AWAY the marathon. The World Championships and Olympics already conflict with the World Marathon Majors Series. They should either take the marathon out of the World Championships/Olympics or get rid of the series.

Letsthinkthisthrough.com wrote:

Why is the ability to double the standard of whether there should be an event? By that standard you would end up with 1 men's swimming event and 1 women's swimming event.

Wouldn't that be great? Who wants to see all these back stroke breast, dolphin bla bla events? Freestyle 100m, freestyle 400m and freestyle 10000m. Done

You would also be getting rid of the 1500m, which is the premier distance event.

I always thought that the 1500 is an odd distance. 3 3/4 laps.

Really??? wrote:

They should cancel ... events with ... gravity power as well.

That rules out all Pose running.

The half marathon could maybe be in the World Championships and you could scrap the separate World Half Marathon Championships.

But I would not have it in the Olympics.

I always liked the 3,000 metres event, but realise that you would be reducing the depth in talent greatly in the 5,000 metres if if was added to the program. The Olympics can stay as it is, but they could vary the program from one World Championships to the next, especially as it is now held every 2 years instead of 4. I like the idea of swapping the 3,000 and 5,000 metres events for each World Championship. Also for the World's, I would allow 5 athletes from each country in each event instead of 3 to give the distance races more depth. Keep this as just 3 at the Olympics because there needs to be representation from even the likes of Fiji in the 10,000 there. The Olympics always has its place to encourage the less competitive nations.

There should be a IAAf Outdoor Champs every year but the Oly year.

no way wrote:

[quote]No Way wrote:

Actually quite the opposite. How many east africans are sitting on the sideline because of only 3 runners per country in 10k and marathon. Lets face it the final in the 10k is weak because its the olympics. The half would give lots of more deserving talent to compete.

That reminded me of this:

They shouldn't add the half marathon to the Olympics. If anything, they should TAKE AWAY the marathon. The World Championships and Olympics already conflict with the World Marathon Majors Series. They should either take the marathon out of the World Championships/Olympics or get rid of the series.

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I'm curious as to why you believe this when both the Olympic and World Championship Marathon races offer World Marathon Major points. In fact, they are both Marathon Majors. It's 5 yearly+World Championship Marathon every two years and Olympic Marathon every 4 years.

Those are majors in name only. Tokyo, Rotterdam, Fukuoka are marathons which are big enough to be on their own.

Oh..I see...The word "half" in it's title defines it's actual WORTH. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I know I'm not so bright.

Ever run the Half? It'll bitch-slap you back to the 10,000.

Really??? wrote:

They shouldn't add the half marathon to the Olympics. If anything, they should TAKE AWAY the marathon. The World Championships and Olympics already conflict with the World Marathon Majors Series. They should either take the marathon out of the World Championships/Olympics or get rid of the series.

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I'm curious as to why you believe this when both the Olympic and World Championship Marathon races offer World Marathon Major points. In fact, they are both Marathon Majors. It's 5 yearly+World Championship Marathon every two years and Olympic Marathon every 4 years.

Correct, but the only difference is that in the Olympics and World Championships you are limited to three people per country (or four if you're the defending champion in the WC) and this is not the case for the other races. Therefore, they are not just another "equal" race in the series.

^So...Why should you take it away? If you don't get selected you run another Marathon. I'm sure Wanjiru or Baldini wouldn't want it to be changed.

IAgreeShouldBeAdded. wrote:

Oh..I see...The word "half" in it's title defines it's actual WORTH. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I know I'm not so bright.

Ever run the Half? It'll bitch-slap you back to the 10,000.

I've run literally 38 half marathons and none of them made me want to run a 10k.

And, it's okay, I know you're not that bright either.

Really??? wrote:

^So...Why should you take it away? If you don't get selected you run another Marathon. I'm sure Wanjiru or Baldini wouldn't want it to be changed.

...Because you then a no longer a "World Champion." You are not the best in the world, you are in a handicapped race where the good countries can only send three of their runners to give you a chance to medal instead of being able to put as many as they want from their country (like in the marathon majors races) and really determine who the best marathoners in the world are against non-handicapped competition

...Because you then a no longer a "World Champion." You are not the best in the world, you are in a handicapped race where the good countries can only send three of their runners to give you a chance to medal instead of being able to put as many as they want from their country (like in the marathon majors races) and really determine who the best marathoners in the world are against non-handicapped competition

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^Same with the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m,5000m, and 10000m. You have to qualify through heats and get selected, so if you can't make the heats or have a bad day or mess up at the Olympics it is a "handicapped" race because your clearly not really the best compared to a track meet. The Olympics are about who manages to get there, who has the best day, who has the most guts, whos best at the Weather Conditions, etc... That all really depends on skill and luck.

The original marathon is from primitive Greece. They also had Olympic training barracks where athletes lived and trained full time. They should build such a facility for track and field in Los Angeles where the weather is good for trainming all year around.

The popularity of the half marathon is strictly about money. Race directors are able to qaudruple their pool of runners and revenue by including a manageable distance.

I'm not sure this has a place in the olympics. However, I would like to see the ironman tri distance added.