Update on the Olympic Trials Process

So now people need a year to recover from a Marathon.

Also...

I believe all this hoopla is ONLY concerning the MEN'S race. I don't think ANYTHING has been said about the women.

Alan

While not highly paid, elite and sub-elite runners are some of the most picky athletes around. Do you think NBA players want to play on Christmas? Minor League baseball players like the ridiculous promotions they put up with? Golfers want to play the Masters on Easter Sunday (sometimes)? Can playing every Sunday lead to peak football performance or more likely a ton of injuries and a short career?

The strong administrative arms associated with these sports have balanced the dollars, the entertainment factor, and as a result the athlete has become more of a gladiator. However, there are tons of athletes lining up for jobs in these sports. Runners want perfection everywhere.

I'm not an elite runner and it might be unfair of me to single out a specific person. But there was a guy on a prior thread who asked all about the Chicago Marathon and how to get an elite/comped entry. You don't get invited to the Masters - you earn it. This guy has zero chance of winning the Chicago Marathon but seemingly wants something for nothing.

Runners complain about the lack of recognition and paltry dollars but they're going to have to do a much better job of banding together (or being forced to band together) and command the public's attention. I seriously feel that running in NYC or Boston is a much better call than the alternatives for this reason.

That's not what I said.

Actually in Culpeper's interview, he distinguished a TRIALS year from an OLYMPIC year, which might imply two separate years. He seems to race infrequently and might be a runner that would prefer to run in the fall of 07 and the summer of 08. Nowhere does that imply a full year to recover from a marathon.

#1 they don't hand out comp entries without asking for them.

#2 if they had a website like this one setup for NBA players they would all be whining on it. the only reason that you hear the whining is because you are on here.

stipe wrote:

Actually in Culpeper's interview, he distinguished a TRIALS year from an OLYMPIC year, which might imply two separate years. He seems to race infrequently and might be a runner that would prefer to run in the fall of 07 and the summer of 08. Nowhere does that imply a full year to recover from a marathon.

If you are talking about the one in RW daily today you might want to read it again.

Any one know the Central Park Marathon record?

2:19:27 NYC M 1975 Tom Flemming is my guess. If the Trials come to NYC I bet that time would be top ten..........

(place emoticons of disbelief,sadness and incredulity here)

I propose that TFFlyer be Official Starter in NYC Trials.

Sounds like he is talking like they are both in the same year to me.

RWD: So does that mean you might not do the usual two marathons a year in 2007?

AC: Most likely I won't. That's my thought at this point. Just with having done that the last couple of years, and then leading into an Olympic Trials year and an Olympic year, I think you've got to be a little more careful. But I think it will be beneficial just to keep things fresh, and I think it will benefit my marathon.

I see how it could be taken either way. My point is simply that if I were one of the top 3 American Marathoners, I would rather be sitting in Nov and Dec 07 already knowing that I am on the team, rather than waiting until April.

Just seems like 9 months ahead is a bit excessive for picking your Olympic team. But then 4 months seems a bit short. I think the 6 months last time was ideal.

#1 - really? I'll admit I'm not privy to the process. But the elite coordinator at London can't be waiting for Haile G to give him a call.

#2 - Fair point. To extend this point many of those athletes have ruined a good thing a few times with their ridiculous "labor strife" walkouts. Until running gets a national association that commands respect the sport will never grab the public. The other sports make it too tough to compete against, for the viewing public.

#3 - NBA scrubs and sub elite runners are hardly in the same pay scale (at least in terms of their athletic financial earnings). the stupid NBA players were bitching about having to spend money on buying suits when they make millions. I'm not saying the policy was right or wrong, but that was one of the key arguments for them. if a dude wants to get a comped entry, let him ask. nothing wrong with that. like questioner said, if you don't ask, you don't get one unless you are at the very top of the marathon spectrum.

Questioner wrote:

#1 they don't hand out comp entries without asking for them.

#2 if they had a website like this one setup for NBA players they would all be whining on it. the only reason that you hear the whining is because you are on here.

Central Park Hawk wrote:

#1 - really? I'll admit I'm not privy to the process. But the elite coordinator at London can't be waiting for Haile G to give him a call.

That's one. I would be that other then world record holders would have to ask. Chicago, NYC, London, etc. aren't driving around looking for guys to bring into the race that aren't the best but are still desearving of at least a comp.

If Boston does win the trials, I hope they reserve enough rooms for B qualifiers. I don't expect free rooms just an available room. I would hate for a B qualifier to be stuck with no available rooms because they're all booked by the runners in the big race.

You don't think this room blocking was part of the bid process. Already done - but thanks for caring.

already reserved wrote:

You don't think this room blocking was part of the bid process. Already done - but thanks for caring.

Why are you involved in the bidding?

Ask Jim Estes or Glenn for the requirements to host a trials, many of the idiots here are back to square one, the folks at USATF have the athletes interests much more protected than one might think!I.E., rooms blocked, fluids contracted, funding for camps & training stipends (appearance or incentive not to run another marathon, etc), travel for A qualifiers, and all the perks for a trials qualifier are all in the packages or they are not seriously considered.

A much better question: Is it fair that the women and men could be both at Boston with 145 women of which maybe 15-12 get the A (which is easier than the men's A by any table conversion, oh, and 80 will come from 2:45-2:47) and yet 90-110 men and 10-15 will likely have the Olympic A Standard and potentiall have the field with the Olympic Games B standard. For example the same perks for 2:39:59 as 2:19:59, but two efforts that are worlds apart. Not to mention the same things for 2:46:50 and 2:21:50 (totally different people with men still at this level training twice to threee times per day and a 2:46:50 woman could be just off pregnancy and run 40-60 miles on 7 trainings a week for this effort, not really a top teir athlete). Look the US born best efforts Al Sal 2:08 and Deena 2:21, ok, this is 13 minutes. We can even go as far as Kahlid 2:05 and Deena 2:21, still just 16 minutes. The world records are 2:04:55 and mid 2:15, so 10 minutes again. Take these three and combine and the best conversion is 11:40 or for arguments sake 12 minutes.

Ok, 2:39 female which equals a male running, 2:27 gets her way paid. A female going 2:47, which is a 2:35 for a male is getting an entry and some perks? Wow, what a disparing phenomenon! Literally, most of the Hanson guys could run 2:35 for a long run in training and 2:27 likely in a tempo run. This is where the whole combined trials sucks big d..k! The Women's LDR are selling themselves so short and have such a 1984 feel to there sport that has change dramtically since 2000, when the no name from Alaska won and so many were shocked!

When the expectations are at 2:47, you lose no one if you take that to 2:40-42, where is should be minimium. There was talk of 2:45, but the women's leadership changed and too many old timers were involved who have never broken 2:40 and think they are decent. What woman at 2:46 is going to develope to 2:25-2:29 (competitive in champ races)? Answer, NONE! Why? Because by not elevating the expectations, the athletes will not train harder. I am sure that 90% of the 2:46 qualifiers could easily run 2:39-40 if they had to do it and train 10-12 times per week. Most 2:46 gals work full time and have no problem paying $2,500 to be a part of the trials, so the travel incentive does not elevate expectations!

If the women want to have one person within 6 minutes of Deena (hell, they gave Aish an award last year for running 19 minutes slower than Deena, totally ridiculous, 2:40 is not a great debut for a sub 32:30 10k runner), the women should raise the level of expectations to 2:34-36 A standard and 2:40-42 B standard, which on the easiest conversons are close but still slower than 2:20 and 2:22. When you have a min expectaton of 2:47, you get loads of people at 2:45-46. When the men have an expectation on athletes at 2:22, you get loads of guys on a fast course/ good weather in Austin (besides J Jurch) who are relatively unknown running close to a 2:15:00 Olympic Games A standard. If 2:36 is the A again for the women, I predict purely on the expectatons they have set on that group to produce maybe 8 people that could be on the team if not a lower number.

On the other side, if the men have 2:15 again there will be easily 15-25 people there. Not to mention if the IAAF World Champs standard of 1 B if you sent 2 A (s) would mean anyone under 2:18 with a top 3 finish has a chance at the team. The men's leadership is way more advance in asking men to perform a great standard to be there, it is not right to have both trials in the same place, period. Read hard Glenn's interview, he does not want to showcase the men with the 20-30 really elite guys and 10-12 contender for the team in the same place as the Deena, Jen, Blake, and Colleen show. I mean the women have 4 who can run fast. Deena is the best US distance runner ever. Jen proved in 2004 she can get it done at the trials, so really the women should just have a race off between 44-45 year old Colleen and Blake to see who they send to China. Honestly, Deena and Meb should have return tickets with medal in hand and the trial shoud be for two spots. Think about it!

Friend, do you have a Cliff's Notes version of your comments handy? Please.