Josh Cox: Qualifying (Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #5)
Posted March 20th, 2008 at 3:42 PM by Josh Cox
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Josh Cox
Welcome to the official blog of U.S. marathon runner Josh Cox. Every other Wednesday visit http://joshcox.thefinalsprint.com for Cox’s latest blog entry and for more information, also please visit: www.joshcox.com
“It doesn’t hurt to ask, the worst they can say is no.”
- Bob Larsen
July 2007. Dan Browne, Bob Larsen, and I were sitting around the kitchen table at our Mammoth Lakes condo discussing racing and training plans for our buildup to the Olympic Marathon Trials in Central Park.
Bob asked where I wanted to get my qualifier – I had taken time away from running to care for my dad and the only recent record time I had logged was my drive from Laguna Beach to Mammoth Lakes.
I explained I had found a race in September at an Ohio Air Force Base but I had weather worries, as Ohio in mid September could be nasty. We decided that although Chicago and St. George would only allow four weeks recovery, those would be our best options.
But Bob interjected, “They are taking 5k and 10k qualifiers, do they have a half marathon qualifying time?”
I was fairly certain they didn’t. Dan, being a member of the USATF’s LDR committee, was certain they didn’t. In the end, Bob suggested I write Jim Estes, the former USATF Men’s LDR Chair, to see if he could make some headway with the new LDR chair, Glenn Latimer, on the issue.
So to the written word I went. The following is my letter:
Sun, 5 Aug 2007
Hi Jim,
Hope all is well. Things are coming along great. For the past month I have been training up in Mammoth Lakes with Meb, Dan Browne and coach Bob Larsen. Ryan Hall should be up on Wednesday so we should have a great group heading into the fall.
Last week Bob and I were talking about my qualifier, or rather my lack thereof, and were discussing plans for the fall. We are aware that this year has seen a change in qualifying marks for the marathon trials as the 5k and 10k track athletes were given B qualifiers for performances bettering 13:45 and 28:45 respectively.
Since you serve the USA’s long distance runners - including marathon guys like myself who race exclusively on the roads - we thought it would make sense to have a half-marathon standard as an acceptable “B” level (unfunded) entry.
Certainly a man who runs better than 1:06:00 is as deserving - if not more so - as one who runs 13:45.
Coach Larsen reminded me that changing standards at the eleventh hour is not without precedence. You will recall the IAAF easing the Olympic Marathon “A” standard from 2:12 to 2:15 preceding the 2004 games.
Qualifying a guy for a 26.2 mile race off a 3.1 mile race and not a 13.1 is like qualifying a guy for the 10k with a 1500m time and not a 5k.
The track standards are accepted until 30 days prior to the marathon. If the same was applied to a half-marathon then every 13.1 mile race from now until the BAA’s race in October would have huge American fields and Trials implications. Granting a new qualifying standard at this time would only help promote our sport and the race in November. Guys would
be fighting for those last minute spots and hopefully a few would qualify, thus adding more depth, more fans and more interest to the Trials race. And by granting only non-funded entries not a penny is taken from the USATF pocket.These are our thoughts. Dan and Meb also feel this makes sense and lend their support.
Thanks for your time and consideration in this matter.
Thanks again for the time.
Sincerely,
Josh Cox
Jim contacted Glenn, and was told, “It was discussed in length by executive committee and in open forum at MLDR and it was voted A and B marathon times and 5000m and 10000m track. Half marathon qualification was rejected. No retro review.”
In hindsight, it was a blessing that Latimer didn’t approve the proposal, as winning the Air Force Marathon by 12 minutes – and visiting Johnny Cash’s Unit One tour bus at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland - turned out to be the highlight of my 2007 marathon endeavors.
I spoke with Glenn at the Trials and he explained that he didn’t want to change the standard midstream, which I totally understand.
Then came the USATF winter meetings this past December. The committee voted to drop the 5k, lower the standard to 2:19 and include the half marathon qualifier – 1:05 rather than the 1:06 I suggested - but the change is appreciated nonetheless. It’s always special to play a part in policy reform.
Good moves for US Marathoning; the tightened standard is great for the sport. Any time you raise the bar you’ll hear some bickering but in the end the best men always find a way to get over.
Written while listening to the four-song loop of Postal Service’s “Against All Odds”, Sigur Rós “Track 1″ and “Track 4″, and U2’s “M.L.K.”
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