Canada takes established road races and names them as a national championship for the distance, with a separate elite wave that goes before the masses. Cheap and seems to attract good runners for the championships.
Good riddance. Road racing has become vaporfly racing. But before that gets the boot, walking should go first. Anything requiring style judging should be considered gymnastics
Canada takes established road races and names them as a national championship for the distance, with a separate elite wave that goes before the masses. Cheap and seems to attract good runners for the championships.
Good idea and very workable. The problem is that USATF wants a $30K "bidding fee" and expects the race organizer to bear all costs including the prize money pool for the runners. Does Athletics Canada extort race directors like this or do they actually provide some material support to the event?
I wish that USATF would come up with something better and stage their own road championships in places like Chicago, LA, Atlanta, etc. for ease of access and cheaper travel costs.
That won't happen in a billion years, let's get real. We have to make do with the races that currently exist.
The way to improve the competition would be to beef up prize money. Which of course won't happen either.
How many different "National Championship" distance races are there between USATF and RRCA.
It's almost as comical as boxing back in the 80s and 90s with their 28 weight classes and 5 different organizations all claiming a "World Champion". Nothing like holding the IBA, WBF and NBF World Bantamweight Championship belts, but not the IEBF, NABA, IOAB, DMB, UBO and WBAB World Bantamweight Championship belts. But hey you're a world champion....
I dont agree. USATF is the governing body for our sport and olympians and trials. Most sports have one official governing body from horseshoes to swimming.
Good riddance. Road racing has become vaporfly racing. But before that gets the boot, walking should go first. Anything requiring style judging should be considered gymnastics
Try race walking sometime. Let us know if you can crack 15 for a mile!
I don't think we need a yearly marathon championship- they can only run two or three and there are so many to choose from.
Maybe have 10K and 1/2 marathon championships and leave it at that.
Use existing raises and USATF adds prize money to the existing prize money the race already offers.
Have some kind of appearance fee incentive- expenses plus a little money based on credentials of some kind.
For the marathon championship specifically, rotate between 3 - 5 of the established big marathons like NYC, Boston, Chicago, maybe Houston. Ideally, it would have a separate prize purse for the U.S athletes. So a top US finisher can win money from the race and from winning the USATF Marathon Championship title. Would make a nice payday. Go 10 deep on winning $$. For the shorter distances, also use established races with similar prize structure.
The current 'road championship' is silly and useless and should be cancelled.
They need to make it regional so people can actually go, bring in star power from the clubs, make it have some meaningful prize money, and in good locations. But not too expensive for hotel rooms.
This is a classic case of all the money going to Max Siegel so nothing is left for actual you know runners. Toss a million dollars at a road championship in the Northeast or So Cal, have it not conflict with a big local race such as NYRR or Boston, get some stars to show up and you have a race.
But Max just takes all the money for himself so I guess it can't be done.
A 1 mile USATF road racing championship is silly. The mile should just stay on the track. At least with the 5K, it is the most popular road racing distance. So even the 'hobby joggers' can understand what a sub 14 minute time means. I would propose a 5k, 10k, 15k or 20k, half, 30k, marathon. Maybe no 30k? I can see the need for something between the half and full, but realistically, how many 25k/30k/35k races are really out there?
The current 'road championship' is silly and useless and should be cancelled.
They need to make it regional so people can actually go, bring in star power from the clubs, make it have some meaningful prize money, and in good locations. But not too expensive for hotel rooms.
This is a classic case of all the money going to Max Siegel so nothing is left for actual you know runners. Toss a million dollars at a road championship in the Northeast or So Cal, have it not conflict with a big local race such as NYRR or Boston, get some stars to show up and you have a race.
But Max just takes all the money for himself so I guess it can't be done.
I like the idea of a more regional championship, making it more important. The US is a big place and people will only travel across the country if they are elite or sub-elite hoping to crack into the top echelon.
A 1 mile USATF road racing championship is silly. The mile should just stay on the track. At least with the 5K, it is the most popular road racing distance. So even the 'hobby joggers' can understand what a sub 14 minute time means. I would propose a 5k, 10k, 15k or 20k, half, 30k, marathon. Maybe no 30k? I can see the need for something between the half and full, but realistically, how many 25k/30k/35k races are really out there?
Agree mile on track. But 20K and 13.1? Are there 20K specialist that dont fair well in the half?
A 1 mile USATF road racing championship is silly. The mile should just stay on the track. At least with the 5K, it is the most popular road racing distance. So even the 'hobby joggers' can understand what a sub 14 minute time means. I would propose a 5k, 10k, 15k or 20k, half, 30k, marathon. Maybe no 30k? I can see the need for something between the half and full, but realistically, how many 25k/30k/35k races are really out there?
Disagree on no road mile. Road miles are great - you show up, run your own heat, hang out, watch friends and then watch the pros go flying by effortlessly
Fu$% the USATF. Have a conference call easily set up with BAA, NYRR, ATC, Hansons, Track Shack, Chicago, CIM, Grandma's, Beach to Beacon, Carlsbad, Shamrock etc. directors, and anyone else and put on your own dam US Championships using the USATF fee (ie. extortion) as part of the prize money. Heck, most of these races already have other events over the weekend that would be perfectly suited to 5/10/15/10m/half. And, don't forget the Masters.