While many have spoken and written about the Kenyan and Ethiopian Trials, much more is happening in London on Sunday. Nearly 40,000 marathoners are running for various causes, 40,000 marathoners who have their own stories….
Liz Yelling, photo by PhotoRun.net
The British Trials: positions are open for two athletes, and it will all about, who runs fastest in this race. Scott Overall, the only man selected for the British marathon team, is pacing his two potential team mates Benedict Whitby and Lee Meerien, focus on running fast and making the British selectors happy. Our keen commentator on British selection, when asked what the selectors want, noted one thing, ” Whitby and Meerien have to run fast.”
On the women’s side, one position is open and four women are contesting that position. Liz Yelling, one of the most respected of British marathoners, will have to contest the marathon with several aspiring to the single open position. That is the nature of the beast: our sport respects persistence, longevity and such, but, in a trials situation, he or she who runs the fastest is the winner.
How will the Kenyan and Ethiopian selectors behave? Will they pick the fastest runners in the world, or will they just negate the results of the month of April?
Virgin London Marathon Press Update 20th April 2012 |  |
WHAT’S NEW
Yelling spurred by painful Beijing memories You
could be forgiven for thinking Liz Yelling might take a relaxed
attitude to qualifying for the London Olympics. Aged 37, with two
Olympic marathons behind her, a medal from the Commonwealth Games in her
locker, and a successful business to fall back on – what more does she
have to prove? Click here for more.
Teamwork’s key for Britain’s men Teamwork
is key for British duo Benedict Whitby and Lee Merrien as they chase
the Olympic qualifying time at the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday
paced by Scott Overall, the one British man already selected for this
summer’s Games. Click here for more.
Interview with world champion Abel Kirui Click here for more.
Interview with Berlin Marathon champion Florence Kiplagat Click here for more.
Interview with Britain’s Lee Merrien before he chases Olympic selection on Sunday Lee
Merrien describes how preparation at the London Marathon altitude camp
in Kenya has boosted his Olympic prospects for the Virgin London
Marathon. Click here for more.
Interview with Louise Damen on her Olympic qualifying hopes Louise
Damen says she has learned lessons from her successful debut in the
Virgin London Marathon last year as she challenges for an Olympic place. Click here for more.
Experience is key, says Gharib As he approaches his eighth London Marathon, Jaouad Gharib, at the age of 39, has earned the right to give advice. Click here for more.
Abitova and co chase Olympic selection Kenyans
have grabbed much of the spotlight ahead of the Virgin London Marathon
on Sunday, 22 April. But Olympic places are on the line for many of the
other elite runners in this year’s field too. Click here for more.
Laid back Kenyans shrug off Olympic pressure For
most of the marathon-watching world, Sunday’s Virgin London Marathon
has become known as an ‘unofficial’ Kenyan Olympic trial. With just
three places up for grabs, the pressure’s on – although not for the
athletes involved, it seems. Click here for more.
London Marathon wheelchair stars arrive from Boston. For the video click here.
Media Guide 2012 To see the 2012 Media Guide, click here |
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Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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by Larry Eder
