Why is the Men's Olympic Trials Marathon on November 2nd, 2007?

lebowite wrote:

Question; if a runner gets a spot on the OTeam in the NY trials does he train for marathon only or does he train for the track season and not start marathon training until he knows if he gets a berth on the 10,000m team or not? Can you do both off the same training?

In this era it's very improbable.

Is there an Olympic qualifying standard in the marathon (as opposed to an OT qualifying standard)? Remember 2000. If so, shouldn't the OT course be flat, fast & qualifying friendly, as opposed to Pittsburgh & Columbia, SC. (Again 2000). Say we have a Briney-type performance (or Pfitzinger) in Central Park that doesn't meet the Olympic standard, then are we going to have a similar situation like Ritz going to Athens. Once again, shouldn't the marathon course at least be (Olympic) qualifying friendly.

Remember in 2005 John Henwood crying about just missing the Commonwealth Games qualie standard of 2:15. He chose to run NYC for business reasons, when he probably would have run sub 2:15 at Chicago instead. Needless to say, he didn't get to run in Melbourne. Henwood erred on that one.

Thoughts please on a fast course versus Central Park. Also, set me straight on OLYMPIC marathon qualifying standards.

oly standard is now 2:15 right? top three are definitely going to be under that this year. probably top three will be under 2:12 anyway.

They have to tag along with the New York marathon race. Marathons aren't that big and they can't afford so hold a marathon only for the trials. The Olys and WC have separate marathons for men and women, and do not need the tens thousand runners to pay for the whole thing. Unfortunately that's what we have to live with with dismal state of running.

Bullcrap. They sure as hell used to hold the OT marathons as completely stand-alone events, and that was when there was even less money in the sport than there is today.

will the oly trials be held on saturday or sunday morning?

i ask because i would like to run nyc marathon. but if the trials are run on sunday, then i will not run the marathon so i can spectate. does anyone know the deal?

rockville management wrote:

i fail to see why 2:22 marathoner would see NYC as a bad option. instead of having the race in some small out of the way place, NYC is more likely to draw his family and lot more friends, as well as get cheered by TONS more people. that 2:22 guy wouldn't have a shot at WC's anyway, and would be aiming for a fall marathon. if anything NYC is a great place for someone who busted their hump to run 2:22.

Agreed. At least this feels like a reward for making the Trials. Last time it was in Birmingham, AL, which rather felt like a punishment.

neb,

thanks for posting the article. the question still remains, will the oly trials be held the day of the nyc marathon? the article does not state the day of the oly trial race.

It's Saturday, the day before the NYC Marathon:

http://www.nyrr.org/races/pro/index.asp

May be a great place but it is a bad time- nearly a year ahead of the actual Olympics. And it's 5 laps inside a park- not out in the streets. Really un-Olympic like in so many ways, and nothing to do with the famous tradition of the NYC Marathon, or the tradition of anything for that matter. By contrast, the women's Olympic Trials, at the Boston Marathon next year, is a much better way to do it. But hey- hats off to NYRRC for pulling off the scam.

Are you a f***ing idiot? The women's trials are the day before the regular Boston Marathon, on a 5 lap course as well.

MarathonMind wrote:

By contrast, the women's Olympic Trials, at the Boston Marathon next year, is a much better way to do it.

The Boston timing may be better, but the format will be the same -- day before the Boston Marathon, 4-loop course.

On the other hand if you make the team you have 10 months to peak for the olympics and not worry about qualifying and thereby maximizing your performance at the Olympics which is great. It's always going to be a balancing act between objective versus subjective criteria. The women for example have to balance peaking in april to make the team then peaking 5 months later for the olympics; is that any better?

former trialist wrote:

rockville management wrote:

i fail to see why 2:22 marathoner would see NYC as a bad option. instead of having the race in some small out of the way place, NYC is more likely to draw his family and lot more friends, as well as get cheered by TONS more people. that 2:22 guy wouldn't have a shot at WC's anyway, and would be aiming for a fall marathon. if anything NYC is a great place for someone who busted their hump to run 2:22.

Agreed. At least this feels like a reward for making the Trials. Last time it was in Birmingham, AL, which rather felt like a punishment.

I am in the same situation as you are and I disagree. My family (and certainly my extended family) can't afford to come to New York on that weekend. We have already investigated the costs. You can't get a room in the city on that weekend for under $400 a night. For me to bring my wife, parent, and inlaws, I will need 3 rooms. That is $1200 a night plus tax. If they stay for 3 nights it is $4000 just for lodging. Meals are ridiculous in New York as well as transportation in the city, flights. I will probably just go it alone as to not make waves in the family and I am sure there are others in the same situation.

former trialist wrote:

rockville management wrote:

i fail to see why 2:22 marathoner would see NYC as a bad option. instead of having the race in some small out of the way place, NYC is more likely to draw his family and lot more friends, as well as get cheered by TONS more people. that 2:22 guy wouldn't have a shot at WC's anyway, and would be aiming for a fall marathon. if anything NYC is a great place for someone who busted their hump to run 2:22.

Agreed. At least this feels like a reward for making the Trials. Last time it was in Birmingham, AL, which rather felt like a punishment.

Don't agree. As a former trialist myself (2x), I like the smaller city feel. Much easier for my family to afford the trip and much easier to get around. Having been in many NYRR races and witnessed many more, I doubt there will be "TONS" of people to support you. More like ten times as many people finding a way to disrupt your race.

And the time frame......don't even get me started. What's happened to our running administrators? Don't they give a damn any more?

My wife found rooms at the "W" near Times Square for 5 days around the marathon through one of the online sites for $129/night...look around and you can find deals.

underwhelmed wrote:

So why even let them in? We should just invite the top 10-15 on the performance lists and let them do it on a 2k-5k loop course. THAT would sell to spectators.

Because then you won't have the spectical of some 2:21:59 guy blasting to the front of the pack wearing his sponsor's t-shirt for 15-16 miles before he get's swallowed by the pack and finishes in 2:40.

4 loops, but at least they're not stuck in a park.

http://www.baa.org/Documents/OlympicTrialsCourseMap.pdf