November 12, 2011 - Issue 10
In This Issue
NBC to Broadcast Two Hours of Same-day Coverage
Athlete Spotlight: Molly Pritz, Trials Dark Horse
Olympic Trials Flashback
Fun Facts
Top 12 Men's and Women's Qualifying Times
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COUNTDOWN
2012 U.S. Olympic
Trials Marathon
January 14, 2012
62 Days
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2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifiers
150 Men
194 Women
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In the News
Houston Chronicle
Running notebook: Radcliffe reclaims marathon record
The Aspen Times
Basalt runner wins trail marathon title
USA Track & Field
NBC to broadcast 2012 Olympic Trials
The Ithacan
Journey to the finish line
MySanAntonio.com
Austin runner uses half-marathon to train for trials
Click here for more "In the News."
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Quick Links
Houston2012.com
TeamUSA.org
USATF.org
2012 Trials Qualifier List
Volunteer and Join the 2012 Race Crew
Media Credential Application
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Hello from Houston!
NBC to Broadcast Two Hours of Same-day Coverage of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials - Marathon
The U.S. Olympic Committee, NBC, USA Track & Field, and the Houston Marathon Committee announced exciting news on Wednesday that the network will broadcast two hours of same-day coverage of the U.S. Olympic Trials for the men's and women's marathon, to be held Saturday, January 14 in Houston.
The national coverage will air from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET on race day and will be the first time that both men's and women's U.S. Olympic Trials have been televised on the same day.
"We are thankful to NBC, the USOC, and USATF to help us nationally and internationally showcase, not only the finest long distance runners in the world, but also our wonderful city and its passionate running community," said Houston Marathon Committee Executive Director Wade Morehead.
The Houston Marathon Committee also introduced its "We are Houston 2012" marketing campaign and partners on the steps of City Hall on Thursday with City of Houston Mayor Annise Parker to raise the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon flag in celebration of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.
The "We are Houston 2012" program is a partnership of 15 Houston-based supporters who are collaborating with the host committee of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in its fund raising efforts.
"Thanks to the generous support of these great Houston area companies, the Team USA Olympic Trials for the marathon will showcase Houston to a television audience reaching millions of viewers nationwide," said Steven Karpas, managing director of business development and marketing. "This prestigious sporting event bring corporate leaders, dignitaries and spectators from all parts of the world to Houston and will add to the Houston Marathon's $50 million economic impact on the local economy."
And don't forget to check out Houston2012.com, the premier source for event information for media and fans as the top marathoners in the U.S. prepare for the Olympic Trials Marathon and Road to London!
Follow @HMCPressCenter on Twitter for the latest news and updates about the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon and join the conversation #Houston2012!
Athlete Spotlight:
Molly Pritz, Trials Dark Horse
The U.S. Olympic Trials has a history of dark horse champions with Mark Conover (Miramonte HS, Orinda, CA; Humboldt State, Arcata, CA) (1988),(see bio below) Jenny Spangler (1996) and Chris Clark (2000) and now Molly Pritz qualifies as a dark horse candidate for the 2012 Olympic Marathon team based on the 23-year-old's impressive debut at the ING New York City Marathon on November 6. In the Big Apple, the 2011 USA 25km champion was top American woman in 2:31:52, good for 12th overall against a top international field.
Post-race, the Rochester Hills, Michigan resident called her debut, "The most fun you can have on a Sunday" and later added, "The reason I'm here is because ever since I started running I wanted to be a marathoner."
At the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston on Saturday, January 14, with her half-marathon PR of 1:11:05 as 2011 Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras runner-up, Pritz, in her second marathon, will test herself against America's best female distance runners, and the geology and geochemistry major at Bucknell University could provide another Trials surprise.
In high school and at Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, she concentrated on cycling and dance before Pritz, inspired by Desiree Davila's runner-up effort at the 2008 USA Half-Marathon Championships in Houston, found her next love: running. She will face her inspiration, Davila, the fastest women's qualifier (2:22:38) at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.
Pritz, a former member of the Hanson-Brooks Distance Project, is now coached by Mark Hadley.
Olympic Trials Flashback
Good Samaritan Award
1992 Houston, TX
Important events like the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon bring out the best in athletes and this race was no exception. This Olympic Trials race on January 26 was also particularly special for two reasons. One, at the 16-mile water station, 1988 Olympic marathoner Cathy O'Brien displayed true sportsmanship when she went back to help Janis Klecker who had accidentally fallen on the wet pavement. Minnesota resident Klecker, 31, later passed O'Brien at 26 miles to win the Trials in 2:30:12, a personal record. O'Brien, 24, whose hamstrings tightened up, followed fourteen seconds later.
Two, Texas resident and veteran Francie Larrieu Smith (San Jose Cindergals; Cal State Long Beach; UCLA)made her fifth U.S. Olympic team - "beyond my dreams" - by placing third in 2:30:39 and earning the final ticket to Barcelona, Spain. At age 39, Larrieu Smith was, until 2004, the oldest U.S. Olympic Marathon team qualifier - male or female.
In Barcelona, Cathy O'Brien finished 10th in 2:39:42 to lead Team USA to its best U.S. women's combined finish in the Olympic Marathon, 43 total placement: 10th, 12th - Francie Larrieu Smith (2:41:09) and 21st - Janis Klecker (2:47:17).
Fun Facts
At the 1992 Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston, with her heartbreaking fourth place finish, Lisa Weidenbach became the only Trials participant to finish in the unlucky fourth position three times; in fact, at three straight Trials - 1984, 1988 and 1992.
The 2008 U.S. Men's Olympic Trials Marathon (November 2007) was hosted by New York City, the first time that the event was hosted by a major city marathon.
Top 12 Men's and Women's Qualifying Times*
*As of November 12, 2011
MEN
No.
Time
Name
Event
1
2:04:58
Ryan Hall (CA)
2011 Boston Marathon
2 2:09:13
Meb Keflezighi (CA)
2011 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
2:11:46
Ed Moran (VA)
2011 New York City
Marathon
8
2:12:34
Jason Lehmkuhle (MN)
2010 Boston Marathon
9
2:13:00
Jorge Torres (CO)
2009 New York City
Marathon
10
2:13:12
Jeffrey Eggleston (AZ)
2011 Grandma's Marathon
11
2:13:28
Matthew Gabrielson (MN)
2011 Grandma's Marathon
12
2:13:47
Antonio Vega (MN)
2010 Boston 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 City
Marathon
11
2:31:48
Dot McMahan (MI)
2011 Grandma's Marathon
12
2:31:49
Ilsa Paulson (NY)
2009 USA Women's Marathon Championships
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Mark Robert Conover (1960-) is Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track and Field Coach at Cal Poly.
A graduate of Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif., Conover earned his bachelor’s degree at Humboldt State and later earned his master’s degree at Cal Poly. A nine-time All-American distance runner at Humboldt State University, Conover earned the rare distinction of becoming an All-American in all three NCAA divisions. He was the national champion in the 10,000 meters in track in 1981 and in cross country in 1981 (Division II).[1] In 1988, Conover was the Olympic Trials Champion in the marathon and went on to run at the 1988 Summer Olympics where he did not finish. He competed professionally from 1984-1996. He ran 2:18:17 at the 1992 Olympic trials, nearly six minutes slower than in 1988, and did not qualify for Barcelona. He did qualify for the 1996 Olympic trials, but did not make the team.
http://www.wikirun.com/Mark_Conover
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