Help save the US Olympic Marathon Trials - A call to action

Meh, the Olympics are a massive waste of money. Time to get rid of them and ergo, the trials.

Let’s get real wrote:

Meh, the Olympics are a massive waste of money. Time to get rid of them and ergo, the trials.

+1

A question for RoJo:

You obviously don't like this change but your reasons seem to oscillate between "It destroys the trials" and "Not enough time to adapt" . For 2020 the women's side seems to have sorted itself out. There are already 8 women with the standard and probably a few more by the time the trials come around. So the women's trials will be a normal competitive trials. On the men's side the situation is less bright, only two qualifiers so far and the danger the trials become a jog if there are only three with the standard.

My question: Is your main objection the suddenness of the change? Assuming the same rules apply for 2024 then all athletes, male and female have five years to plan their strategy, to find a fast marathon or a qualify by place marathon , get their standard then focus on the trials. Also, the trials course could be selected with a focus on fast times so athletes close to the standard still have a chance. I don't think we are ever going to get 40 athletes going into the trials with the standard but I would think that having 10 or so should make it a competitive race and having a couple chasing the standard should also make it a fast race.

So, in your opinion is this just a 2020 problem and specifically on the men's side?

I think this is a fair point. Personally I don't have an issue with the stronger marathon countries like the US or Japan getting this exemption for the Trials and think that is the best solution.

But I think your solution is fine in theory as well as I think it's likely the top three at the Trials will all have enough rankings points to go. While it would be unfortunate if the third place finisher didn't have enough points, it wouldn't be a travesty if that athlete didn't get to go to Tokyo. It would be a travesty if that athlete would have enough ranking points to go but USATF wouldn't send him because he doesn't have the auto standard.

The one issue is that USATF still hasn't clarified how it's picking the team. Athletes need to know NOW what the qualifying criteria is so they can plan out their schedules. Hence the call to action.

Maybe we should raise our exceptions for US runners and hold them to a higher standard, instead of whiny about qualifying times. We are over hear celebrating because 2 dudes run within 9 minutes of the WR. The US men aren't good at marathoning, just like we aren't good at soccer. They don't let bad teams into the World Cup, they shouldn't let slow runners into the Olympics.

Wholeheartedly agree. I mentioned before that this is a sad sense of entitlement. Get the new "standard" beforehand - it was never a guarantee that top 3 in an event at the Trials went to the Olympics - see 2000 with DeHaven being the only representative. Did Fauble and Ward outwardly whine about it? Maybe? But they got down to business and ran 2:09 at Boston a month or so after it was announced. That's what these new rules are supposed to do - get people to run at a higher level.

why?? wrote:

I agree that the trials are awesome, but I still can't get past the argument as to why should the USA (or Japan) get this special treatment...

Make the B standard 2:11:30. Problem solved.

Run faster.

Problem solved.

Give King Ches citizenship on the conditions he needs to switch to 'Thon training. Likely he'll be better than most current Americans.

Round up all the homeless population in US and send them to Albuquerque to begin forced detox and 'Thon training. Likely will find one or two good prospects and will make American cities less smellier. A win win.

T.M.A.D.H.A.S.F.N.E.

One point missing is this could make the OT more intriguing if you have 10 or so guys and girls pushing the pace enough to stay on track to hit the standard while getting top 3.

Quick - before this past Boston, how many American men besides Rupp ran under 2:10 in the marathon in the last 5 years? Surprised you can say what you said below with a straight face. I looked at the marathon list since Jan 2018, and there are 12 countries who have 2 runners with times faster than what Fauble (the 2nd fastest in the US) just ran. On record eligible courses, we have 1 boy under 2:12, and there are 20 countries with at least 2 under that mark. It's like the US is a AA ball team with an all star from the majors spending time down there after being on the DL. Don't even think of putting the US in Japan's league - 45 runners under 2:12 on record eligible courses since Jan 2018 - 41 runners under the 2:11:30 standard. They don't need the entitlement. I know y'all like to point at Ward's 6th, but that was 3 years ago, and it's clear to me that if the standards were different back then, he probably would have gotten it done.

Jonathan Gault wrote:

Personally I don't have an issue with the stronger marathon countries like the US or Japan getting this exemption for the Trials and think that is the best solution.

Help me understand.

You need to run 2:11:30 AND be ranked in the top 80 in the world.

Is this correct?

runfrancisco wrote:

.Don't even think of putting the US in Japan's league - 45 runners under 2:12 on record eligible courses since Jan 2018 - 41 runners under the 2:11:30 standard. They don't need the entitlement.

This. Keep Japan's name out ya mouth, pseudojournalists.

AMO RAN wrote:

Help me understand.

You need to run 2:11:30 AND be ranked in the top 80 in the world.

Is this correct?

No. More like you have to run 2:11:30 OR be ranked in the top ~400.

Why not just work with the trials host to make a less brutal course? I know Atlanta is hilly, but a shorter loop would be spectator friendly and allow for faster times.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!

I wish it was just as simple as:

(1) You need the time standard of 2:11:30 or faster and

(2) You need to be top 3 at the Olympic trials

That's such a basic concept.

I guess runners need to re-calibrate their idea of the Olympic dream because it's trickier now.

guy who assumes a lot wrote:

I wish it was just as simple as:

(1) You need the time standard of 2:11:30 or faster and

(2) You need to be top 3 at the Olympic trials

That's such a basic concept.

I guess runners need to re-calibrate their idea of the Olympic dream because it's trickier now.

IAAF and NCAA got together to make things as complicated as possible for such a simple sort.

The WCAP athletes can move up and easily claim the top three spots on the team or at least hit the "A" 2:11.30 standard. We're good.