I recently heard a lady say that she was a member of the 1980 US women's Olympic marathon team. However, the first women's Olympic marathon wasn't until 1984. Since I was only 4 years old in 1980 and didn't really pay as much attention as I should have to the Olypics I was wondering if there is something I don't know about that happened in 1980 with the women's Olympic marathon. Thanks for your help.
Was this woman's name Rosie Ruiz by chance?
There was an exhibition race held in 1980 in Washington.
That was also boycott year for USA, however, there was no women's marathon to run in.
I guess she was saying she was top three.
google her name to see if she was a legit. runner 27 years ago and then it would be a matter of you heard her wrong... or if she doesn't have decent sub 34 min 10k times or sub 2:35 marathon times then she is pulling a Rosie Ruiz
Do you know if there are any articles online about the exhibition race in Washington? That very well may have been what she was talking about.
It was in Olympia Washington I believe. I found the results online once upon a time, but have tried to find them myself to verify a co-worker story. I have not been able to relocate them again.
Some of the women on Let'sRun were actually there and ran. You could start another thread. or contact USATF.
I'd be interested in seeing the results.
In 1979-1980 it would not have taken a 2:35 to become a top American runner. Benoit's AR was set about 1979 at 2:35:15; then she got GOOD/GREAT. The qualifying time for 1984 was probably 2:52 or so.
Remember that in 1974 the WR was 2:47. I actually ran the first 3-5 miles of the 1974 Culver City Marathon with Jackie Hanson (spelling, even name ), thinking that the WR time was 2:47 and how fast could this woman be going (it was my first road race of my life and did not know my pacing). At either 3 or 5 miles the time was much faster than I thought that I could run so I slowed way down, thinking that I needed to recover, but at 16 I realized I was not getting tired and returned to the earlier pace and ran 2:52; Jackie ran 2:43:54, I think.
Wineturtle started a thread about some wacky woman making that claim. I missed it, but it must have taken a bad turn as it got yanked. There is still a thread over at TFN though.
http://mb.trackandfieldnews.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=27970
After reading that other thread I'm guessing I either completely misunderstood this lady or she has no concept of reality.
Bham wrote:
After reading that other thread I'm guessing I either completely misunderstood this lady or she has no concept of reality.
I'd bet on the latter.
mcgato wrote:
http://mb.trackandfieldnews.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=27970
As this link notes, the IOC didn't approve a women's Oly Marathon until Feb '81. Thus, there could not have been an '80 women's US Oly Trials Marathon.
legally blond has it right that the '84 US OTM was held in Olympia, WA, May 12. I have the final report, including full results at my left elbow.
Some results:
1. Joan Benoit, 26, Freeport, ME 2:31:04
2. Julie Brown, 29, Eugene, OR 2:31:40
3. Julie Isphording, 22 Cincinnati, OH 2:32:26
4. Lisa Larsen, 22 Battle Creek, MI 2:33:30
5. Margaret Groos, 24 Eugene, OR 2:33:38
6. Jan Ettle, 25 St Cloud, MN 2:33:41
7. Nancy Ditz, 29 Menlo Park, CA 2:33:52
8. Martha White, 24 Cambridge, MA 2:34:09
9. Cathy Schiro, 16 Dover, NH 2:34:24
10. Sue King, 25 Mobile, AL 2:34:29
Others:
12. Carol Urish-McLatchie, 32 Houston 2:35:09
16. Patti Catalano, 31 Dedham, MA 2:36:13
26. Janis Klecker, 25 Hopkins, MN 2:38:56
33. Jenny Spangler, 20 Iowa City 2:40:18
53. Kim Merritt, 28 Racine, WI 2:43:31
78. Elaine Kirchen, 41 NY 2:46:43
86. Mary Shea, 23 Raleigh, NC 2:47:30
131. Sister Marion Irvine, 54 San Fran 2:52:02
Future Olympians in places 5, 7, 9 & 26. Administrator McLatchie, junior & masters star Spangler, BAA marathon winner Merritt, first masters finisher Kirchen, junior star Shea & a story worth telling over & over in Irvine!
You forgot future Olympian Spangler, winner of Trials in '96.
Was she amazing or what. I seem to recall she ran with the lead pack for a long time. Makes you wonder if Hasay could it too.
Newsflash wrote:
You forgot future Olympian Spangler, winner of Trials in '96.
Right you are...oversight on my part regarding her Olympian status. She did set junior & masters marathon records, displaying quite a range of accomplishments.
Also: Trials qualifying standard was 2:51:16. 238 women qualified, 123 ran faster than the QS & 164 broke 3:00. The QS was based on the 100th fastest time in '82.
I left out a lot of names, many which might be of interest.
Those 1984 results can't be right!!! I thought 2007 was the "great new era in distance running"??
Yes, they are right.
http://bostontrials2008.com/index.cfm?pid=10263
Still curious about her claim of being a 1980 Olympian.
She may have run in the T&F Trials during that boycott year.
Remember, the men ran their marathon trials in Buffalo in May, but went nowhere...thank you Jimmy Carter!
I believe Ray was being facetious.I should've said 238 started the OTM, not there were that many qualifiers. A total of 267 qualified (!). Interesting how the link changes the states for many of the finishers and in at least one instance, the last name of a runner.
right said he wrote:
http://bostontrials2008.com/index.cfm?pid=10263
There have been, of course, many faster women's marathons since, even some all-women's marathons but at some point, for place & time, the results from Olympia '84 are still the best ever. The women of '84 wrote history that may never be duplicated in that regard. Check to see if 50th place in any marathon can equal the 2:43:01 of 1984.
1-10 3:25 spread
163 breaking 3:00
31 sub 2:40
... in 1984! very impressive all around
look closely and you'll see neither scotth nor I finished in top 205
it was not too long before that a 2:4xx marathon was considered more than decent for anyone. Switzer must have been smiling and Semple scratching his head
right said he wrote:
Still curious about her claim of being a 1980 Olympian.
She may have run in the T&F Trials during that boycott year.
Carter!
One would think if she ran in the Trials, she would know which event she ran.