The Trials Standard

May 12, 2011 - Issue 4

COUNTDOWN
2012 U.S. Olympic
Trials Marathon
January 14, 2012
246 Days

2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifiers
116 Men
152 Women
the News



Hello from Houston!


Road to London Unveiled


The Houston Marathon Committee and USA Track & Field are excited to share the revamped 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon course.

The improved 2012 course features a one-time 2.2-mile inner loop followed by an eight-mile loop traversed three times. With only one broad u-turn on the eight-mile loop, organizers anticipate faster marathon times. The relatively flat course has a similar configuration to the 2012 Olympic Marathon multi-loop, multi-turn eight-mile course in London.



In addition, 2012 U.S. Olympic hopefuls will run counterclockwise over the entire course, resulting in a roughly 190-meter straightaway leading to the finish line, a benefit to both athletes and spectators.



Check it out here!

Athlete Spotlight:
Boston Blitz


At the 115th Boston Marathon on April 18, the U.S. contingent had high pre-race hopes, and under near ideal racing conditions - cool temperatures and a steady tailwind on the point-to-point course, they delivered spectacularly as Desiree Davila nearly won the women's race as the first U.S. Boston champion in 26 years with a personal record and U.S. course record time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, 38 seconds, just two seconds behind winner Caroline Kilel of Kenya in a thrilling, down-to-the-wire finish.



In fact, the 27-year-old Hansons-Brooks athlete, who said post-race that her legs were "totally spent," came closer than any American to breaking the Boston tape since 1985. Davila also broke Joan Benoit's long-standing Boston course record from 1983 by 5 seconds.



The Rochester Hills, Michigan-based athlete is now the third fastest U.S. woman for the classic distance - only Olympic Marathon medalists Deena Kastor (2:19:36) and Joan Benoit Samuelson (2:21:21) have run faster. Brava, Desiree!



For the U.S. men, Ryan Hall, who finished third (2009) and fourth (2010) at Boston, pushed the pace early to set up the fastest marathon ever run - Geoffrey Mutai's otherworldly 2:03:02 win. The Kenyan star later acknowledged Hall's effort by saying: "He made the race fast for all of us."



Hall, a 2008 Olympian, finished strongly for fourth in 2:04:58, the fastest marathon ever by an American (Boston is not a record standard course because the course drops more than the allowable per USATF rule). Post-race, the 28-year-old California native said: "Whether this is an American record or not doesn't matter - I've got 2:04:58 next to my name and that's all that matters."



Another 2008 Olympian Kara Goucher also finished a solid 5th in 2:24:52, also a PR, and just 7 months removed from the birth of her son.



All three are expected to contend for berths on the U.S. Olympic Marathon team in Houston on Saturday, January 14, 2012.



It was a good day in Boston for U.S. distance running.


Trials Flashback



Perfect Timing for Top Three

2008 Boston, MA



In one of the best running cities and home of the storied Boston Marathon, the top three women at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon shared two common themes. One, they improved their places from the 2004 Trials and two, it was the first time at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon that the top three finishers resided in the same state (California).



With a closing flourish, 2004 Trials runner-up and race favorite Deena Kastor won the race in 2:29:35, her 25th USA, third national marathon title overall and the second fastest time in women's Trials history behind Colleen De Reuck's 2:28:25 at St. Louis in 2004. Near runaway winner and eventual runner-up Magdalena Lewy Boulet set a personal record with her 2:30:19, while Blake Russell redeemed her rash 2004 Trials breakaway by earning the final coveted U.S. Olympic team berth in 2:32:40.



Running icon Joan Benoit Samuelson, 50, the first women's U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon and Olympic Marathon champion in 1984, finished 90th overall in 2:49:08, a new U.S. 50-54 age group record. The running legend and New England native, who fittingly finished the race wearing a Boston Red Sox baseball hat like she did for her first Boston win in 1979, called the crowds "amazing" and congratulated Kastor, Lewy Boulet and Russell on their performances.

Fun Facts


The 1972 U.S. Men's Olympic Trials Marathon hosted by Eugene, Oregon was the first one to use a qualifying time standard.



Eugene- Track Town USA - was also the first city to host the Olympic Trials Marathon more than once - 1972 and 1976.

Top 12 Men's and Women's Qualifying Times*



*As of May 12, 2011



MEN



No.
Time
Name
Event

1
2:04:58
Ryan Hall (CA)
2011 Boston Marathon
2 2:09:15
Meb Keflezighi (CA)
2009 New York City Marathon
3
2:10:00
Dathan Ritzenhein (OR)
2009 London Marathon
4
2:10:36
Brett Gotcher (AZ)
2010 Houston Marathon
5
2:11:06
Jason Hartmann (OR)
2010 Chicago Marathon
6
2:11:30
Nick Arciniaga (AZ)
2011 Houston Marathon
7
2:12:34
Jason Lehmkuhle (MN)
2010 Boston Marathon
8
2:13:00
Jorge Torres (CO)
2009 New York City Marathon
9
2:13:47
Antonio Vega (MN)
2010 Boston Marathon
10
2:13:51
Josh Cox (CA)
2009 California International Marathon
11
2:14:00
Abdi Abdirahman (AZ)
2009 New York City Marathon
12
2:14:02
Sergio Reyes (CA)
2010 Twin Cities Marathon

WOMEN






No.
Time
Name
Event
1
2:22:38
Desiree Davila (MI)
2011 Boston Marathon

2
2:24:52
Kara Goucher (OR)
2011 Boston Marathon

3
2:26:22
Magdalena Lewy Boulet (CA)
2010 Fortis Marathon Rotterdam

4
2:27:03
Amy Hastings (CA)
2011 LA Marathon
5
2:28:40
Shalane Flanagan (OR)
2010 New York Marathon

6
2:29:35
Stephanie Rothstein (AZ)
2011 Houston Marathon

7
2:29:54
Clara Grandt (WV)
2011 Boston Marathon
8
2:30:51
Colleen De Reuck (CO)
2010 Copenhagen Marathon
9
2:30:53
Tera Moody (CO)
2010 Chicago Marathon
10
2:31:01
Katie McGregor (MN)
2010 New York Marathon

11
2:31:49
Ilsa Paulson (NY)
2009 Twin Cities Marathon
12
2:32:51
Zoila Gomez (CO)
2010 Chicago Marathon