Kim Conley marathon debut in NYC; Ritz returns!!

You would think Pennel lead the way for Americans seeing as he was only 2 spots off the Olympic team.

Michael Wardian still is considered elite? How old is he now?

God those times are embarrassing compared to the East Africans. 3 women under 2:30 and 1 guy under 2:10. Yeesh.

Exciting fields - LOTS of guys who could take the top American spot.

Has Smyth come back to traditional road racing instead of trail racing after a good showing in the Trials? Looks like he was the top American at Wharf to Wharf last weekend.

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Rita Jeptoo, a three-time winner of the Boston Marathon and two-time Chicago Marathon champion, was handed a two-year doping ban Friday in a case that has cast a shadow over Kenya's famed distance runners.

Jeptoo tested positive for the blood-booster EPO in an out-of-competition test last September, a few weeks before winning her second straight Chicago Marathon title. Both the "A" and "B" samples were positive

It's crazy to me that a female with a 2:49 PR makes the list as a top American professional runner.

Conley leads the way over Huddle?

The US needs as much developmental support for its marathoners as possible, especially given the constant doping cloud over the E. Africans. The US also needs to have their top runners competing against each other more often rather than getting scattered over several different races. This helps promote racing versus time trialing. That is also a big benefit for US runners.

Huddle no question. What on earth is Conley thinking?

2:49? wrote:

It's crazy to me that a female with a 2:49 PR makes the list as a top American professional runner.

Yes, the list is less impressive by including those last couple entries.

Do any of them at least have elite level PRs at other distances?

I think some B-rate runners are going to get paid. If NYRR thinks it is a good use of their money, why not?

This is a good move. Chicago should have done this years ago. NYRR must just have a lot more $. Chicago must be getting squeezed by sponsors...was pretty weak last year (and presumably this year). With London claiming all the top talent in the spring, NYC Marathon is really the strongest marathon in the US in terms of top elites.

I guess NYC is desperate and feeling charitable when you look at the mens american field. Ritz is all but done and the rest, well, gulp, embarrassing.

Women? Its the Kim and Molly show, the rest are, well lets just say nice runners.

Who does Chicago have?

Could be last minute add if Olympic fall out of one of our three don't finish.

Always thought that more races in the US should offer more US only money (I wouldn't be against top American getting more than first overall).

Not to sound xenophobic, but I think the sport would get noticed more by the general public if the big races were won more often by people whose names they recognize and can easily pronounce.

More prize money being allocated for Americans only means more resources for top Americans to train and develop and less incentive for foreign runners to compete here.

Salami wrote:

Huddle no question. What on earth is Conley thinking?

Conley is probably thinking that there is $25,000 going to the top american, and she has a reasonable chance. She also probably figures that she might as well hold onto some fitness for the 2 months after Rio before taking some downtime after a presumably tiring olympic cycle.

who has the better marathon debut: huddle or conley?

u have to think that conley is also pretty strong as the distances get longer.

good to hear ritz is healthy

Make America first again

We analyze the announcement here:

3 Takeaways:

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2016/07/three-thoughts-much-improved-american-field-2016-new-york-city-marathon/

> What do you think of the American-only prize money?

It's fine. The race organizers are making a bet that this will draw additional interest from the types of people the race sponsors want to reach. This is entertainment.