I watched the Olympic Marathon trials last week to see which three runners will represent the USA in Paris this summer. I get asked why I watch a bunch of runners for almost three hours. There isn’t the exciting game winning score that other sports have. I think a person has to be a runner to appreciate the level of training that goes into running a marathon. When I use the term runner I am referring more to a person trying to run a fast time and win an award. The jogger that enters to get a tee shirt is not able to understand how fast the runners are moving for the distance of 26.2 miles. I had one woman comment about a friend of hers that ran a marathon. When she was told the distance was 26.2 miles she commented, “My goodness, that is like running to Austin.” Then she asked, “How many days did it take her?” That is why I think a person running for a fast time and 26.2 miles would understand the effort that was being put forth by the competitors.
The one thing that is different about the Olympic Trials Marathon is that only the top three runners will represent the USA in the marathon race. Time is important, but if a runner is not in the top three they will stay home this summer. The marathon is a long race, and the ability to sustain a fast pace for the distance takes on different strategies of when will the runner step up the pace and go for that spot on the Olympic team.
Watching the women’s race was an interesting strategy by the lead runners. At 15 miles there was a group of 12 women running a 5:30 per mile pace. Then the lead runner put on a spurt of speed for a mile at a 5:15 pace. The pack of 12 was now starting to stretch out. Another spurt after another mile and Fiona O’Keefe was running in front by herself. It reminded me of the first Women’s Olympic Marathon when Joan Benoit ran to the front of the expected winners. Most of them thought that her fast pace will cause her to falter in a few miles, and they will catch her. It didn’t happen and Benoit went on to run by herself to the finish line. O’Keefe ran a record trial time of 2:22:10 for the win. Emily Sisson came in second at 2:22:42 and Dakotah Lindwurm was third at 2:25:31.
