Olympic marathon trials tomorrow LIVE on NBC (5 laps around Central Park)

[underpants]

Basically the Olympics start tomorrow-in NYC. Several interesting elements to this:
1. the trials are a day before the NYC marathon (the women will have theirs the day before Boston in the spring).
2. Several top 10K and 5K runners as well as some amateurs and a steeplechase guy are in the race. When someone breaks early everyone has to figure who they are? Are they for real? Will the "speed" guys be able to be around at the end and what will their kick be like THEN?
3. 1.4 miles to get into Central park and then 5 - 5 mile laps (or something like that)

The start will be live on the Today Show tomorrow.

November 2, 2007
At stake: Top three finishers qualify for the 2008 Games in Beijing, provided they have run an Olympic qualifying time of 2:15 or faster.

When: Tomorrow, 4:35 a.m. (PDT)-7:25 Eastern


Where New York, the final 25 miles in Central Park. The New York City Marathon is Sunday over the traditional five-boroughs course. It's the first time a major marathon has hosted the trials.


Weather forecast: Mostly sunny with temperatures in the low 40s at the start.


Prize purse: $250,000 total. 1st – $60,000; 2nd – $40,000; 3rd – $30,000. Top three finishers earn $20,000 bonus for starting the 2008 Olympic marathon.


Broadcast: Streaming video live on www.nbcolympics.com; half-hour special on Channel 7/39, 11-11:30 a.m. tomorrow.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20071102-9999-1s2marabox.html

[AllegroRondo]

1. Awesome. I saw the women's marathon trials 4 years ago.

They ran it in St Louis the day before the marathon. Some amazing athletes. Even after 25 miles, any of them ran the last mile faster than I could ever run just one mile.

[meegbear]

2. Do they get extra for ...

not getting mugged

avoiding panhandlers

avoid being stuck behind Chantell talking to Jardee on the cell about how that cute UPS guy came to her office AGAIN! and she KNOWS he was hitting on her, but she saw his ring and since she's dating Tom again, not REALLY dating Tom, but kinda ...

not stopping to get a sausage

[underpants]

4. First three to the line get to go to Beijing

and run in one of the most polluted places on Earth

BONUS!!!

ON EDIT- there is a set time restriction. This way some Prince or some lone runner from a tiny country can't decide that he is going to run the marathon and hold everything up for 4-5 hours.

[Jimbo S]

3. Ugh, I don't have broadband

I still have dial-up, 'cause why pay for something I will rarely need. Tomorrow would have been one of those times.