Well, I didn't win the $250,000 from LetsRun.com for correctly predicting the top ten male and female finishers in the trials marathon. I did have two of the three top men and women, but in the wrong order (Hall & Meb, Goucher & Davila).
The top four men with their times were; Meb Keflezighi (a pr) 2:09:08 to win over Ryan Hall (2:09:30) with Abdi Abdirahman (2:09:47) barely hanging on for an 8 second win over Dathan Ritzenhein, (2:09:55). The top six men went through 13.1 miles in 1:03:25 before "slowing". Meb's 2:09 averages out to 4:55 per mile.
The top four women were; Shalane Flanagan (2:25:38) beat Desiree Davila (2:25:55) with a strong surge over the last mile and Kara Goucher was third in 2:26:06. Amy Hastings broke the old Trials record at 2:27:17 but didn't make the team. Deena Kastor (age 38) was 6th in 2:30:40. Unlike the fast start of the men's race, the women began at a modest 6:15 or so pace before gradually picking it up. Flanagan's 2:25 comes to an average of 5:34 per mile. Shalane won a Bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics in the 10,000 meters, so she definitely has the speed. Melissa White (Naples, NY, SUNY Geneseo) finished 13th in 2:34:33.
The Houston course seemed interesting and great for spectators. The weather was perfect for marathoning, beginning with a temperature of 43 and ending up around 50. With NBC and the USATF agreeing to not allow any live coverage via television or the web, viewers were left with a two hour highlight show in the afternoon. Actually it wasn't the full two hours since a hockey game went over and NBC cut out over ten minutes of coverage.
The announcers were knowledgeable, but the lack of telling us what mile the runners were at on the course was maddening. NBC kept showing the elapsed time, which really doesn't mean much in a race where top three is the only real important factor. Viewers were left with figuring out the miles ran based on the pace they kept telling us the runners were going at. Once in a while you could pick out a mile marker on the road and know where they were. Also, as usual, they never mentioned anyone past sixth place in either the men's or women's race. Especially with a tape delay the station could have at least had something scrolling across the screen. Even NASCAR and golf gets that.
Keep treating the sport like minor league and it will fulfill that prophecy.
The Erie Canal, Running Paradise
Showing posts with label Desiree Davila. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Desiree Davila. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
USA Olympic Marathon Trials
The marathon trials are being held in Houston, Texas on Saturday, January 14. The course is set up in loops for easier spectating. Currently there is no live official coverage on television or streaming online. NBC is having a highlights program from 3-5pm eastern time.
Female athletes could qualify by meeting a time standard in a 10k (sub 33:00), 13.1mile (1:15) or full marathon (2:46 B standard, 2:39 A standard). Only the A standard runners completing a certified marathon course received funding to attend the trials.
Male athletes qualified with a 28:30 10k (track only), 1:05 half-marathon, or sub 2:19 full marathon. Only men with a sub 2:19 marathon received funding to attend.
Three "local" athletes of note are competing; Jen Rhines from Liverpool High School near Syracuse has a 2:29 marathon pr, Melissa White, SUNY Geneseo grad and longtime member of the Brooks-Hanson project, with a 2:33 pr will also be running. On the men's side, Jeff Eggleston from Greece, NY with a 2:13pr is racing and definitely in contention (he won last year's Pittsburgh Marathon).
Other athletes worth watching include; Ryan Hall (2:04pr), Meb Keflezighi (2:09), Jason Lemkuhle (2:13), and Dathan Ritzenhein (2:10marathon, 27:22 10k, 1 hour flat 13.1m). The women's competition should also be tough with Desiree Davila (2:22pr), Shalane Flanagan (2:28), Kara Goucher (2:24), Tera Moody (2:30) and Deena Kastor (2:19pr, but hasn't been under 2:30 since 2009).
It's always difficult to know who is peaking at the right time, is willing just to take the race out and punish the other runners with a strong pace, or who might be nursing an injury or illness. Many times races that reward the top three come down to strategy and finishing time becomes less of an issue. Just because a runner has a better personal record doesn't mean someone can't be stronger and run more intelligently during the trials.
Female athletes could qualify by meeting a time standard in a 10k (sub 33:00), 13.1mile (1:15) or full marathon (2:46 B standard, 2:39 A standard). Only the A standard runners completing a certified marathon course received funding to attend the trials.
Male athletes qualified with a 28:30 10k (track only), 1:05 half-marathon, or sub 2:19 full marathon. Only men with a sub 2:19 marathon received funding to attend.
Three "local" athletes of note are competing; Jen Rhines from Liverpool High School near Syracuse has a 2:29 marathon pr, Melissa White, SUNY Geneseo grad and longtime member of the Brooks-Hanson project, with a 2:33 pr will also be running. On the men's side, Jeff Eggleston from Greece, NY with a 2:13pr is racing and definitely in contention (he won last year's Pittsburgh Marathon).
Other athletes worth watching include; Ryan Hall (2:04pr), Meb Keflezighi (2:09), Jason Lemkuhle (2:13), and Dathan Ritzenhein (2:10marathon, 27:22 10k, 1 hour flat 13.1m). The women's competition should also be tough with Desiree Davila (2:22pr), Shalane Flanagan (2:28), Kara Goucher (2:24), Tera Moody (2:30) and Deena Kastor (2:19pr, but hasn't been under 2:30 since 2009).
It's always difficult to know who is peaking at the right time, is willing just to take the race out and punish the other runners with a strong pace, or who might be nursing an injury or illness. Many times races that reward the top three come down to strategy and finishing time becomes less of an issue. Just because a runner has a better personal record doesn't mean someone can't be stronger and run more intelligently during the trials.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Boston Marathon Elite
At a great moment in the race Jan and I found a live feed from a Boston news station that showed the women's finish. Evidently the feed was available for free for the entire race, but it took awhile to locate this and it wasn't advertised well. The feed was from CBS Boston, WBZ, and was supposed to be free for New England area only, but we got it with no problem here in upstate NY. The station continued to carry live feeds from Heartbreak Hill and the finish line throughout the day.
After New Zealand runner Kim Smith led the race for 14 miles, she was overcome by cramps and the lead pack gobbled her up. Unfortunately Kim couldn't complete the race. American Desiree Davila came on strong with 10 miles to go and battled two Kenyans over the last 2-3 miles for the lead. Desiree faded back a few times by 10-15 yards and looked broken, but wouldn't give up and put in a great surge up an incline just before turning right onto Boylston street, taking the lead from Caroline Kilel and Sharon Cherop. Turning left onto Boylston Kilel came back and surged ahead, but Davila stayed strong and picked up the pace again. At this point Cherop was dropped. Kilel put in one final surge and won by 2 seconds over the feisty American. Desiree set a personal best by 4 minutes. 1- 2:22:36, 2-2:22:38, 3-2:22:42, (5:25/mile pace) 5 (Kara Goucher, USA) 2:24:52 a personal best and just 6 months from having her first child!
The men's race was just as exciting as Geoffrey Mutai edged out Moses Mosop (both from Kenya) for first place in a world record 2:03:01, an average of 4:41 per mile. Ridiculously fast. This is a Boston course record by 3 minutes. Ryan Hall of the USA ran great, set an American record in 2:04:58 and finished 4th. How soon will it be before the 2 hour mark is broken for a marathon? Mutai earned over $200,000 for the victory, course and world record.
After New Zealand runner Kim Smith led the race for 14 miles, she was overcome by cramps and the lead pack gobbled her up. Unfortunately Kim couldn't complete the race. American Desiree Davila came on strong with 10 miles to go and battled two Kenyans over the last 2-3 miles for the lead. Desiree faded back a few times by 10-15 yards and looked broken, but wouldn't give up and put in a great surge up an incline just before turning right onto Boylston street, taking the lead from Caroline Kilel and Sharon Cherop. Turning left onto Boylston Kilel came back and surged ahead, but Davila stayed strong and picked up the pace again. At this point Cherop was dropped. Kilel put in one final surge and won by 2 seconds over the feisty American. Desiree set a personal best by 4 minutes. 1- 2:22:36, 2-2:22:38, 3-2:22:42, (5:25/mile pace) 5 (Kara Goucher, USA) 2:24:52 a personal best and just 6 months from having her first child!
The men's race was just as exciting as Geoffrey Mutai edged out Moses Mosop (both from Kenya) for first place in a world record 2:03:01, an average of 4:41 per mile. Ridiculously fast. This is a Boston course record by 3 minutes. Ryan Hall of the USA ran great, set an American record in 2:04:58 and finished 4th. How soon will it be before the 2 hour mark is broken for a marathon? Mutai earned over $200,000 for the victory, course and world record.
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