US Marathon Olympic Trials

jobs said:

Did anyone see this live? Or on the Internet?

That was a tragedy - Ryan Shay.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-071103marathon,0,2329247.story?coll=chi_features_promo

I did. I stuck the sucker with an ice pick.

jobs said:

Did anyone see this live? Or on the Internet?

That was a tragedy - Ryan Shay.

Yeah, caught them at the start then another 6 or so times on the loop
course.

None of us - except maybe a few hundred spectators who must've been
near where he went down - knew about Shay at the time. I headed for a
subway fifteen minutes after Hall finished and learned about his
demise at home on the net. Tragic, absolutely. NYTimes online has a
photo of Mary W's face which tells the story.

- - -

As for the race itself, what a great Trials! Terrific races by Ritz
the oft-underachieving Michigan high school phenom, and Sell the
"slow" (10:00 two mile) high school guy, now running for Hanson's in
Michigan, who's made up for it by working even harder than most of
these guys (160 mile weeks etc). Gutsy efforts by many including Dan
Browne who surprised most of us sticking with the leaders so long, and
Khalid K who couldn't quite catch up for a top 3 finish having run
alone in the wind much of the way after losing contact with any pack
pretty early on.

But Ryan Hall, oh man, this kid's astonishing. Moderately hilly (by
marathon standards, though of course pancake flat compared to the
trail races beloved by many wreck.runners) course, gusting winds, no
competitors anywhere near him the last, what, eight or ten miles - yet
he runs the second half just a few sec/mile off marathon WR pace. In
his second marathon. With such a smooth graceful effortless looking
stride, you'd think he was just a few miles into an easy morning jog.

Sure looks to me like a serious contender against the world's best.

postrace interview videos and such:
http://www.flocasts.org/flotrack/coverage.php?c=117&id=5516

a couple photo galleries:
http://skylon.smugmug.com/gallery/3765074#P-1-15
http://spear.smugmug.com/gallery/3764848#216708609

"jobs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Did anyone see this live? Or on the Internet?

That was a tragedy - Ryan Shay.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-071103marathon,0,2329247.story?coll=chi_features_promo

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Too bad about Shay. I wonder though about forcing a separate event just for
qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't equal the NYCM
prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to have a separate
event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners only have 2 good
marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to choose the trials as one
of those events.

-Tony

"jobs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Did anyone see this live? Or on the Internet?

That was a tragedy - Ryan Shay.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-071103marathon,0,2329247.story?coll=chi_features_promo

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Too bad about Shay. I wonder though about forcing a separate event just for
qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't equal the NYCM
prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to have a separate
event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners only have 2 good
marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to choose the trials as one
of those events.

-Tony

"jobs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Did anyone see this live? Or on the Internet?

That was a tragedy - Ryan Shay.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-071103marathon,0,2329247.story?coll=chi_features_promo

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Too bad about Shay. I wonder though about forcing a separate event just for
qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't equal the NYCM
prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to have a separate
event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners only have 2 good
marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to choose the trials as one
of those events.

-Tony

Tony said:

I wonder though about forcing a separate event just for
qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't equal the NYCM
prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to have a separate
event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners only have 2 good
marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to choose the trials as one
of those events.

There was a ton of dialog on letsrun about this months ago after it
was announced that New York had been accepted out of the three cities
bidding. I forget the precise details but I think there's various
USATF regulations and certainly sponsorship stipulations that demanded
a separate event. In future Olympic years maybe they'll rethink this,
though it's also been speculated that they may do away with the
marathon trials altogether and select our three via committee.

Which would be a mixed bag. It could enable more big paydays for the
top guys (1). At the same time, while maybe 8 or 10 runners have a
legitimate shot at making the Olympic team, there's a much larger tier
- at least a couple hundred - whose big moment in the sun to which
they aspire is qualifying for and running the trials themselves. It's
a big deal to these guys (and presumably gals, though they're a lot
less vocal anywhere I know of); they work their asses off for years
with the prospect of making the trials their primary tangible
motivation. It kinda slots in between making the Olympic team and
qualifying for Boston, for guys who could absolutely jog a 3 hour
marathon, will never run 2:10 or win a halfway competitive marathon,
but might be able to crack 2:22 with lots of hard work.

The bottom-line purpose of the trials is to select the team of 3, but
I think it's pretty cool that these guys have a solidly prestigious
goal to aim for.

(1) Though only Hall - and Meb and Abdi, who DNF'd this time around -
out of Saturday's crowd could be considered serious contenders at a
big city marathon.

Tony said:

I wonder though about forcing a separate event just for
qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't equal the NYCM
prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to have a separate
event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners only have 2 good
marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to choose the trials as one
of those events.

There was a ton of dialog on letsrun about this months ago after it
was announced that New York had been accepted out of the three cities
bidding. I forget the precise details but I think there's various
USATF regulations and certainly sponsorship stipulations that demanded
a separate event. In future Olympic years maybe they'll rethink this,
though it's also been speculated that they may do away with the
marathon trials altogether and select our three via committee.

Which would be a mixed bag. It could enable more big paydays for the
top guys (1). At the same time, while maybe 8 or 10 runners have a
legitimate shot at making the Olympic team, there's a much larger tier
- at least a couple hundred - whose big moment in the sun to which
they aspire is qualifying for and running the trials themselves. It's
a big deal to these guys (and presumably gals, though they're a lot
less vocal anywhere I know of); they work their asses off for years
with the prospect of making the trials their primary tangible
motivation. It kinda slots in between making the Olympic team and
qualifying for Boston, for guys who could absolutely jog a 3 hour
marathon, will never run 2:10 or win a halfway competitive marathon,
but might be able to crack 2:22 with lots of hard work.

The bottom-line purpose of the trials is to select the team of 3, but
I think it's pretty cool that these guys have a solidly prestigious
goal to aim for.

(1) Though only Hall - and Meb and Abdi, who DNF'd this time around -
out of Saturday's crowd could be considered serious contenders at a
big city marathon.

Tony said:

I wonder though about forcing a separate event just for
qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't equal the NYCM
prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to have a separate
event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners only have 2 good
marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to choose the trials as one
of those events.

There was a ton of dialog on letsrun about this months ago after it
was announced that New York had been accepted out of the three cities
bidding. I forget the precise details but I think there's various
USATF regulations and certainly sponsorship stipulations that demanded
a separate event. In future Olympic years maybe they'll rethink this,
though it's also been speculated that they may do away with the
marathon trials altogether and select our three via committee.

Which would be a mixed bag. It could enable more big paydays for the
top guys (1). At the same time, while maybe 8 or 10 runners have a
legitimate shot at making the Olympic team, there's a much larger tier
- at least a couple hundred - whose big moment in the sun to which
they aspire is qualifying for and running the trials themselves. It's
a big deal to these guys (and presumably gals, though they're a lot
less vocal anywhere I know of); they work their asses off for years
with the prospect of making the trials their primary tangible
motivation. It kinda slots in between making the Olympic team and
qualifying for Boston, for guys who could absolutely jog a 3 hour
marathon, will never run 2:10 or win a halfway competitive marathon,
but might be able to crack 2:22 with lots of hard work.

The bottom-line purpose of the trials is to select the team of 3, but
I think it's pretty cool that these guys have a solidly prestigious
goal to aim for.

(1) Though only Hall - and Meb and Abdi, who DNF'd this time around -
out of Saturday's crowd could be considered serious contenders at a
big city marathon.

"Tony S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8oIXi.1317$sN.105@trndny02...

Quoted message said:

Too bad about Shay. I wonder though about forcing a separate event
just for qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't
equal the NYCM prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to
have a separate event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners
only have 2 good marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to
choose the trials as one of those events.

Money aside, the purpose of the trials is to find the best of the US
runners and there is no better way then to have them compete against
themselves for those top three slots. As soon as you have those trial
people mixed in with open international runners you will hear the
rumblings of pacing etc. I'm sorry about them losing a major payday but
this about running for the Olympics which we sadly know is vow of
chastity and poverty in the US to wave the flag every four years.

-DF

"Tony S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8oIXi.1317$sN.105@trndny02...

Quoted message said:

Too bad about Shay. I wonder though about forcing a separate event
just for qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't
equal the NYCM prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to
have a separate event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners
only have 2 good marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to
choose the trials as one of those events.

Money aside, the purpose of the trials is to find the best of the US
runners and there is no better way then to have them compete against
themselves for those top three slots. As soon as you have those trial
people mixed in with open international runners you will hear the
rumblings of pacing etc. I'm sorry about them losing a major payday but
this about running for the Olympics which we sadly know is vow of
chastity and poverty in the US to wave the flag every four years.

-DF

"Tony S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8oIXi.1317$sN.105@trndny02...

Quoted message said:

Too bad about Shay. I wonder though about forcing a separate event
just for qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't
equal the NYCM prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to
have a separate event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners
only have 2 good marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to
choose the trials as one of those events.

Money aside, the purpose of the trials is to find the best of the US
runners and there is no better way then to have them compete against
themselves for those top three slots. As soon as you have those trial
people mixed in with open international runners you will hear the
rumblings of pacing etc. I'm sorry about them losing a major payday but
this about running for the Olympics which we sadly know is vow of
chastity and poverty in the US to wave the flag every four years.

-DF

"Tony S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8oIXi.1317$sN.105@trndny02...

Quoted message said:

Too bad about Shay. I wonder though about forcing a separate event
just for qualifying. Even though there was prize money, it wasn't
equal the NYCM prize money. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why to
have a separate event, but when it's generally agreed that top runners
only have 2 good marathons a year, it seems wrong to force them to
choose the trials as one of those events.

Money aside, the purpose of the trials is to find the best of the US
runners and there is no better way then to have them compete against
themselves for those top three slots. As soon as you have those trial
people mixed in with open international runners you will hear the
rumblings of pacing etc. I'm sorry about them losing a major payday but
this about running for the Olympics which we sadly know is vow of
chastity and poverty in the US to wave the flag every four years.

-DF