Run Down wrote:
Perhaps it would provide younger American athletes with speed an opportunity to test themselves at the half marathon and marathon if they and their coaches thought it more suited for them at a young age.
It would likely help Americans catch up to Japan. The Japanese run long road races while young, as do the East Africans. Ryan Hall moved to the marathon early. Jared Ward ran a marathon (Chicago in 2:16 range IIRC) while attending BYU. Now, he’s arguably our second best.
Primo Numero Uno wrote:
No NCAA coach will want their athletes to do the marathon because it will essentially eliminate one of their college seasons other than that race. You cant have a marathon in conference champs, and NCAA championships too close together. And no athlete training for the thon will be at their peak for track races. Were talking 20 year old kids. Not seasoned guys like Rupp with years of training who can be top 10 in the Olympic 10k and a week later medal at the marathon.
It really isn't feasible with the rest of the college program and most Americans aren't going to have the base of miles at that age to perform well.
I think this thinking has to change. That is why Americans suck at the marathon. Africans are doing it at a younger age. I'm not suggesting that athletes at NCAA schools train specifically for the marathon, but I do think it would improve things if the opportunity were at least presented. Hell, simply one half marathon champs outside of the outdoor track championship would be great.
no.
I see adding a marathon race like adding another sport or additional competors, not another event to what the current college runners are doing.
Like when they added the women’s pole vault.
Someone would be a 5/10 runner or a marathon runner, not both.
But I wouldn’t make it an NCAA event or part of any teams track scholarships.
Honestly no.
If you’re going to add events to the NCAA championships, I’d add three relays—a football 4x100m, a coed 2x2x 400 and a football lineman 4x100.
I disagree. My son has been running marathons since he was 14. It has made him an excellent 3/5/10 runner. The training he does for the marathon makes the other distances easy-peasy. Much like the 800 and 1500 are natural builders for a 3000 runner
VickiD1026 wrote:
I disagree. My son has been running marathons since he was 14. It has made him an excellent 3/5/10 runner. The training he does for the marathon makes the other distances easy-peasy. Much like the 800 and 1500 are natural builders for a 3000 runner
How old is your son now?
If he is going to run track for an NCAA school, he won't be running marathons anymore.
You just don't see any NCAA championship distance runners also run a marathon or two during the year.
No coach will fit that into a training or racing schedule.
That's why I said a college marathon championship should be separate for the NCAA track programs.
I could see doing XC in the fall and a spring marathon but any serious NCAA XC program also has those athletes run track.
And vice versa any distance runner that does spring track does XC in the fall even if it makes sense to do a fall marathon and spring track.
There is no good time of the year for all top NCAA distance runners to fit in a marathon race.
Star wrote:
VickiD1026 wrote:
I disagree. My son has been running marathons since he was 14. It has made him an excellent 3/5/10 runner. The training he does for the marathon makes the other distances easy-peasy. Much like the 800 and 1500 are natural builders for a 3000 runner
How old is your son now?
If he is going to run track for an NCAA school, he won't be running marathons anymore.
You just don't see any NCAA championship distance runners also run a marathon or two during the year.
No coach will fit that into a training or racing schedule.
That's why I said a college marathon championship should be separate for the NCAA track programs.
I could see doing XC in the fall and a spring marathon but any serious NCAA XC program also has those athletes run track.
And vice versa any distance runner that does spring track does XC in the fall even if it makes sense to do a fall marathon and spring track.
There is no good time of the year for all top NCAA distance runners to fit in a marathon race.
It only really takes a week to recover from a marathon. And, back to regular training in 2 weeks. I don't know why the marathon has so much fear in people. You could easily add a marathon at the end of XC season and at the end of outdoor. For 10k focused runners, doing marathon type training makes much more sense than doing 3k/5k training.
No
1. I think it would be a logistical nightmare for the host city.
2. I don't see any real track team using one of their scholarships for just that one event, I couldn't imagine someone trying to double 10k/ marathon at a high level.
Just my opinion, I have been a collegiate coach and would rather use my scholarships differently.
Old Man 2 Lapper wrote:
1. I think it would be a logistical nightmare for the host city.
Marathon on a track.
Old Man 2 Lapper wrote:
No
1. I think it would be a logistical nightmare for the host city.
2. I don't see any real track team using one of their scholarships for just that one event, I couldn't imagine someone trying to double 10k/ marathon at a high level.
Just my opinion, I have been a collegiate coach and would rather use my scholarships differently.
1. Have it around a 5-10 kilometer loop. Logistics of the race made way easier.
2. Alberto Salazar won the NYC marathon while in college. Amby Burfoot won the Boston Marathon while in college. Japanese men do the marathon while in college all the time.
Over reacting wrote:
It only really takes a week to recover from a marathon. And, back to regular training in 2 weeks. I don't know why the marathon has so much fear in people. You could easily add a marathon at the end of XC season and at the end of outdoor. For 10k focused runners, doing marathon type training makes much more sense than doing 3k/5k training.
Be that as it may you see zero NCAA runners doing marathons right now.
I don't think you would see any coaches endorsing a plan of adding a marathon.
For example, did you run a college 5000 or 10000 and a marathon in the same year?
We do see pros do it.
Farah and Rupp.
Gebrselassie.
I just don't see this happening with any NCAA program.