Ed Torres Writes: LA Got 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials Despite Offering $100k Less in Prize Money

Ok , lets confirm the standard please.

If the 2:17 stated stands you have 28 guys in 2013 , 1/2 marathon at 1:04 as stated 29 guys. Women at 2:37 , 19 women ! When you are shrinking the standard you are reducing the number of athletes given the chance to compete in the trials , not allowing them to develop. Not all of the b qualifiers will have the money to pay for their travel , room and board.

Look at the 2012 qualifiers- there's 109 women and 120 men who meet the 2016 standards. There will be more than this in 2016. I don't know what you're complaining about?

http://www.usatf.org/Sports/Road-Running/OlympicTeamTrials/2016QualifyingStandards.aspx

The Men’s and Women’s LDR

committees have set the qualifying

times for the trials as follows: Men:

2:17:00 (B standard, no expenses,

of 1:04:00 for a half marathon);

Women: 2:37:00 (B standards of

2:43:00 and 1:15:00 for a half

marathon). Men’s chair Edwardo

Torres defended the toughening of

the standard, “It [the Olympic Trials]

is not a come one, come all race. . .

we are there to select a team. . . it’s

not a fun run.”

This is different from what is posted on the USATF website. There would be about 20 guys who think they've qualified, but would be left out at this point.

Sadly even Ed who sounds like he's supporting athletes by voting for Houston, has no clue and doesn't represent the athletes best interests!

As mentioned it's a typo, and there will be at least 109 women and 120 men at the 2016 Trials. There should not be any complaining about hurting development.

I don't know what's worse, the decision to have the marathon trials in LA or your stock photo of Edwardo from when he was 18!

As mentioned it's a typo, and there will be at least 109 women and 120 men at the 2016 Trials. There should not be any complaining about hurting development.

Of those 229 athletes, how many are true professionals who derive 100% of the income from running? Maybe 5% I would guess. Running is a rich person's sport. A wealthy family is necessary.

Im not sure how you are getting your numbers. We have no idea how will qualify.

Based on the 2013 times you have about 19 a qualifiers at the now noted 2:15 a standard. The qualifying times for men are the hardest they have ever been and athletes are not getting faster. Do your home work.

Ed is not qualified in the slightest to be the LDR chair , period.

Stupids pills please wrote:

Im not sure how you are getting your numbers. We have no idea how will qualify.

Based on the 2013 times you have about 19 a qualifiers at the now noted 2:15 a standard. The qualifying times for men are the hardest they have ever been and athletes are not getting faster. Do your home work.

Ed is not qualified in the slightest to be the LDR chair , period.

No, YOU do your homework, including on Ed. You take the 2012 lists of qualifiers and you get 109 women and 120 men who have run under 1:05/2:18 and 1:15/2:43. This isn't hard to do. As with 2004/2008/2012, these numbers will increase for 2016.

Ed is plenty qualified, moreso than the doofus before him. At least Ed actually competed as an athlete at a high level and understands the needs and concerns of athletes. It takes an athlete to know the athletes.

There is a new standard and its not what you just posted , what you posted is for 2012.

The new 2:15 a standard is a jump from 2:18. You will not qualify the number of athletes as prior trials. We simply do not have the depth of athletes. Times run in 2013 clearly indicate athletes are not running to this standard.

Im not sure what qualifies Ed as LDR head. Being once an elite certainly does not do it , its a much bigger position than what you perceive. He has already embarrassed himself out of the blocks with his elitist approach and not devising a way to counter block the decision of a $100k prize purse loss. Lets hold him accountable to a higher standard.

Stupids pills please wrote:

There is a new standard and its not what you just posted , what you posted is for 2012.

The new 2:15 a standard is a jump from 2:18. You will not qualify the number of athletes as prior trials. We simply do not have the depth of athletes. Times run in 2013 clearly indicate athletes are not running to this standard.

Im not sure what qualifies Ed as LDR head. Being once an elite certainly does not do it , its a much bigger position than what you perceive. He has already embarrassed himself out of the blocks with his elitist approach and not devising a way to counter block the decision of a $100k prize purse loss. Lets hold him accountable to a higher standard.

Idiot, if you look a few posts above, I posted the USATF link to the 2016 standards. If you take the 2012 qualifying lists (the link above), you get 109 women and 120 men who meet the 2016 standards. These numbers will be larger for 2016. You sound like you have no idea who Ed is and are judging him from a few quotes in an article.

Hmm , Please take a look at T & F news lists for 2013 , please for me count the number of athletes meeting the a standard , please do not double count athletes who have met both the half and full marathon standards.

Ed lives in the small enclave of Boulder , a great place for elites and the view of the world from there is limited. Ive lived there I know. Forget the comments we can only judge his actions and results , dismal at best for the time he has been chair. The big picture Ed doesn't not get and you as well. Letting more athletes run the marathon trials expands and builds the sport. Sure most of them don't have a chance of making the team but they go back into their communities as trials qualifies ambassadors of the sport. They get the local press , they become local hero's , its a big picture long term view of the sport. You don't have the experience to know that nor Ed , its ok.

Forget Ed being a nice guy , forget Ed once being an elite , judge him on performance remove the emotion. Its our job to push and challenge Ed to better the sport not lie down and hope he does a good job.

Are you on drugs? USATF does NOT double count. If you want a comprehensive idea of how many are going to qualify for 2016, you take the qualifying lists from 2012, which was a time window of Twin Cities 2008 (for men)+2009-Dec. 2011, NOT just a single year. You get 109 women and 120 who have met the new 2016 standards.

I personally know Ed and know how long he's been involved in the sport AND with USATF (including decisions on past Olympic Trials). You have no idea how qualified he is, so shut your trap.

No drugs , facts , BTW its 2014 , we are now talking about a new qualifying period. Just as an exercise , your 2012 list shows just 21 men who would qualify with the new "a" marathon standard of 2:15.

I look at history of past LDR chairs and 40 + years in the sport , no emotion , no personal attachments as you display , look at on the job performance. If you think about what you just stated then he did have a say in the lost $100k in prize monies , thats not a very good decision. He will be judged on what he brings about in change and betterment of the sport. I wish him no ill will and want him to succeed , we need him to succeed , we should not though give him a free pass. Demand better.

We're not talking about how many meet the A standard-- it's how many TOTAL are likely to qualify for 2016. Development is not being hurt when there will be at least 120-140 men on the starting line in 2016.

For choosing the Olympic Trials, the choice is up to the CEO, not the USATF committee. He's speaking out to put pressure on LA to match what Houston offered. The person you should be angry with is Max, not Ed.

Stupids pills please wrote:

No drugs , facts , BTW its 2014 , we are now talking about a new qualifying period. Just as an exercise , your 2012 list shows just 21 men who would qualify with the new "a" marathon standard of 2:15.

I look at history of past LDR chairs and 40 + years in the sport , no emotion , no personal attachments as you display , look at on the job performance. If you think about what you just stated then he did have a say in the lost $100k in prize monies , thats not a very good decision. He will be judged on what he brings about in change and betterment of the sport. I wish him no ill will and want him to succeed , we need him to succeed , we should not though give him a free pass. Demand better.

Why don't you get off the drugs and learn how to write a sentence before posting more of your gibberish?

Truth huts doesn't it... you should be embarrassed.

msuxc1 wrote:

The Men’s and Women’s LDR

committees have set the qualifying

times for the trials as follows: Men:

2:17:00 (B standard, no expenses,

of 1:04:00 for a half marathon);

Women: 2:37:00 (B standards of

2:43:00 and 1:15:00 for a half

marathon). Men’s chair Edwardo

Torres defended the toughening of

the standard, “It [the Olympic Trials]

is not a come one, come all race. . .

we are there to select a team. . . it’s

not a fun run.”

This is different from what is posted on the USATF website. There would be about 20 guys who think they've qualified, but would be left out at this point.

Sadly even Ed who sounds like he's supporting athletes by voting for Houston, has no clue and doesn't represent the athletes best interests!

I agree, this guy in charge is an idiot. What's wrong with 2:20 as a standard?

The Donger wrote:

I agree, this guy in charge is an idiot. What's wrong with 2:20 as a standard?

Because you'd get 250-300 guys. You don't belong at the "Olympic" Trials as the 300th best American.

5 rings wrote:

We're not talking about how many meet the A standard-- it's how many TOTAL are likely to qualify for 2016. Development is not being hurt when there will be at least 120-140 men on the starting line in 2016.

For choosing the Olympic Trials, the choice is up to the CEO, not the USATF committee. He's speaking out to put pressure on LA to match what Houston offered. The person you should be angry with is Max, not Ed.

Lets take the 2012 qualifiers , the new standard would have qualified 26 for "a" , 25 for "b" , balance would have to come from the half which shows to be a very weak standard not meeting Ed's elite criteria. 2/3's of the field pay their own way if you get your desired numbers.

We know the CEO made the final decision purely self motivated that hopefully some day we will find out why. Ed's job is to fight for the athletes, Get his butt on a plane to LA meet with the organizers and hatch a plan to get the $100k back into play.