Olympic marathon trials qualifier moved from 2:19:00 to 2:11:30

Correct me if I'm wrong, please, but the standards have only changed for the Olympics. The US trials remain the same. So this isnt really relevant at this point, unless USATF decides to change their standards now.

Also, while you may see no downside to a large trials field, many of us have posted here in the past that we believe it is out of control. Atlanta will likely have well over 200 men and 200 women toe the line. I believe this is too many to allow the top runners to have a good start every time. I would prefer to see them change the times to set a target of 75 competitors in each gender for trials. This is a more realistic number for a mass start. This should take about a 2:17 or so as the Olympic trials standard.

I'm not sure how you can be for lower standards but also be not in favor of lowering the standard. Maybe you can explain further what you mean?

What am I missing with this stuff? At the very least, the new rules seem confusing & they could leave decent runners out of the game. I get that the Olympics are for the very best athletes but I like seeing every country represented and having a small chance to do well with only 3 athletes from each country. Why not just add in a couple more athletes from some of the countries that do well -- i.e. give Kenya 4 or 5 runners. I feel like that detracts from my original point but I'd rather see that then runners getting cut. What was driving this decision? I don't feel like people were complaining about the way things were done in 2016 in terms of athletes, coaches, fans. It feels more like a bureaucratic move that didn't include input from those groups.

douglas burke wrote:

The Qualification Period for the Marathon looks like it starts on May 1st 2019 and ends in May 2020, So lets say Chris Derrick and Mollly Huddle run faster than the Standards In London which is in late April IT WONT COUNT, so they have to run a Fall Marathon, hit the Standard and be top 3 at the Trials, or be top 3 at the Trials and try to hit the Standard afterward Is this correct, it seems like the way it is written, the Marathon has 2 less months of a Window than the Track events.

https://www.flotrack.org/articles/6394026-2020-olympic-qualifying-standards-released

According to the Letsrun article, the marathon qualifying time starting 1/1/2019.

Op here... It would be nice if we could close this thread since it was cleared up back in page 1 to prevent confusion.

If lowering the standards keeps potentially better athletes out of Olympic contention, I'm not for it. I would rather watch a race than constant time trials with pacers.

Am I good? I'm thinking I'm good. See you at the trials.

thoroughrice wrote:

douglas burke wrote:

The Qualification Period for the Marathon looks like it starts on May 1st 2019 and ends in May 2020, So lets say Chris Derrick and Mollly Huddle run faster than the Standards In London which is in late April IT WONT COUNT, so they have to run a Fall Marathon, hit the Standard and be top 3 at the Trials, or be top 3 at the Trials and try to hit the Standard afterward Is this correct, it seems like the way it is written, the Marathon has 2 less months of a Window than the Track events.

https://www.flotrack.org/articles/6394026-2020-olympic-qualifying-standards-released

According to the Letsrun article, the marathon qualifying time starting 1/1/2019.

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2019/03/did-the-iaaf-just-kill-off-some-of-the-significance-of-the-olympic-trials-iaaf-announces-new-qualifying-system-entry-standards-for-2020-olympics/

After reviewing the IAAF website, I don't see where Letsrun saw that it will start on 1/1/19. It appears that Flotrack is right and it will start on 5/1/19 unless Letsrun sees something I'm missing.

thoroughrice wrote:

thoroughrice wrote:

According to the Letsrun article, the marathon qualifying time starting 1/1/2019.

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2019/03/did-the-iaaf-just-kill-off-some-of-the-significance-of-the-olympic-trials-iaaf-announces-new-qualifying-system-entry-standards-for-2020-olympics/

After reviewing the IAAF website, I don't see where Letsrun saw that it will start on 1/1/19. It appears that Flotrack is right and it will start on 5/1/19 unless Letsrun sees something I'm missing.

This is from the pdf (that you have to register to download):

"Qualification period:

 Marathon and 50km Race Walk: from 1 January 2019 to 31 May 2020

 10,000m, 20km Race Walk and Combined Events: from 1 January 2019 to 29

June 2020

 All other events: from 1 May 2019 to 29 June 2020"

It’s in the IAAF PDF explaining the process, which can be found here (you need to plug in some personal info to be able to download):

https://www.iaaf.org/competition/standards/2020

The Olympic Marathon qualifying window opened on 1/1/19.

Oh my goodness this thread is stupid

Better question is how will this affect Boston and NYC?

More Americans are now going to be more likely to run Chicago, London, Berlin, and Tokyo. At least this is good news for Chicago. Yeah, there's the descending order list that they will be using, but you can't always bank on that.

Hardloper wrote:

Oh my goodness this thread is stupid

Says the hobby jogger who can't break 80 minutes in the half marathon.

But you can also get it being top 10 at a WMM so that's promising. The only problem is you essentially only get 2 attempts if you run 2 marathons per year because the trials are February. Maybe you can fit in a spring and summer marathon then fall, but if you try to do 2 late in the year, you'll most definitely be shot for the trials. Or if you do World's you have to get top 15. There's limited opportunities but I guess you only have 1 shot once you get to the Olympics anyways.

ncrecuvuer wrote:

Better question is how will this affect Boston and NYC?

More Americans are now going to be more likely to run Chicago, London, Berlin, and Tokyo. At least this is good news for Chicago. Yeah, there's the descending order list that they will be using, but you can't always bank on that.

Not that much. Boston and NYC have the deep pockets that will attract quality fields - both American and international.

This move may have more countries import Kenyans/Ethiopians to a fast track citizenship. What is the meaning of a country in the Olympics anymore?

HahaRiiiiiiight wrote:

ncrecuvuer wrote:

Better question is how will this affect Boston and NYC?

More Americans are now going to be more likely to run Chicago, London, Berlin, and Tokyo. At least this is good news for Chicago. Yeah, there's the descending order list that they will be using, but you can't always bank on that.

Not that much. Boston and NYC have the deep pockets that will attract quality fields - both American and international.

I'm hoping it will push more Americans into running Fukuoka. A marathon no American has won since Bill Rodgers. Such a shame since it is one of the best marathons from a historical point of view.

Hobby jogging Loper wrote:

Hardloper wrote:

Oh my goodness this thread is stupid

Says the hobby jogger who can't break 80 minutes in the half marathon.

No, Hardloper is right. I totally misinterpreted the initial release and wish this thread would close already. 80 minutes for a half isn't horrible. It's not elite, but it's respectable enough. I doubt HL ever claimed to be more than a hobbey jogger anyway. No need to be a jerk.

Olympic Trials Qualifier != Olympic Qualifier wrote:

62 minute half marathon is worth about same amount of points as 2:13, and 2:13 marathon seems to be what ranks a person in top 400 or 500 which will likely be the cutoff for world rankings cutoff

So does that mean jim won't make it into the olympics after winning the trials?

We'll cross that bridge when we never come to it.

Richard piano wrote:

HahaRiiiiiiight wrote:

Not that much. Boston and NYC have the deep pockets that will attract quality fields - both American and international.

I'm hoping it will push more Americans into running Fukuoka. A marathon no American has won since Bill Rodgers. Such a shame since it is one of the best marathons from a historical point of view.

Meb is American and won recently. He has lived here since age 12