The issue was that AC was trying (whether they should or not is another matter) to keep, since Marathon is under under the aegis of "Athletics - track & field", qualifying standards somewhat equal across the board. The 2h43 was a joke - and don't tell me that the IAAF "knows what it is doing"! As a bureaucracy it is no better than AC or USATF - as it was far too easy relative to other events, in fact equivalent to a 17 minute 5k and 35 minute 10k (do these people belong in the Olympics?). If the IAAF/IOC idea was to get "other" countries representation in that event (marathon) and since it is easier to put more people on the road than the track, then that is all fine and dandy but what has that got to do with setting "real" standards? The 2h28 set then by AC is now justified to me as they did eventually run that time, but not two years ago. I would have been okay, frankly, with 2h32 instead, but that is still the equivalent of a 33 minute 10k.
I recall the same kind of controversy with Nicole Stevenson a few years ago (2h32) -Stevenson ran the CG after not making the Olympic team and ran 2h40 - should she have gone? Ironically, I believe that she coached Krista for some time prior to Rick Mannen taking her on.
Given the histories of development of these two women, it makes me wonder where the heck other athletes, both from the CIS and NCAA, have gone? Canada had no representation in the Steeple, 5000m or 10000m at Moscow for the women. Perhaps there would be more women at this 2h28 level if keeping women in the sport to run at least reasonably well (B standard anyway)were happening - the US has its own problems in this regard as well, their depth isn't a whole lot better (relatively anyway) than Canada's (how many US women are running under 2h30? certainly not dozens, as should be the case given the depth of the NCAA). I put this squarely on the coaches (CIS in particular as they seem to feel athletes should stay in Canada - maybe Boyd excepted))as they are taking on these women, almost excusivlely. What has happened to Megan Brown, Tamara Jewett (9.15 3k as a HSr), Jess Pearo (CIS XC champ a couple of years ago)? etc. These women should be finishing College ready to step onto National teams (as did Hasay in the US), and so ready to make standards. Perhaps instead of lauding mediocre performances (from a world-class perspective) and saying how many medals are won (9.40's can medal at CIS in 3000m!! are you kidding me?) with the attendant pedestals they are put on for so doing, there is a better attempt to get the ladies to a higher performance level. As it is most of Canada's National team has US ties (the 800m is the lone exception) with the NCAA (Reid, Sifuentes, etc.) and as good as Speed River is with the men there is still a ways to go with the women (Hilary went to Wisco) - winning alone, but running slowly, shouldn't pass muster as acceptable. I am still waiting for Schnurr's records to go down (Brown did take one OUAA record I recall) as they are almost as old as Ruegger's marathon. There is no reason for women running 4.20-25 in HS to not be running 4.10-15 5 years later, or something is wrong. The NCAA isn't blameless here either, as too much talent has disappeared either never to return, or to return as damaged "goods" with running career in tatters.