Run-Down Forums

[Angelo Z]

I am not too familiar with the business behind sports such as how to apply for a competition, getting sponsored, etc. But are the middle distance runners announced yet for the 2008 Games?
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Dan]

The Olympic Trials are not until next year, and you must hit a qualifying mark (should be on usatf.org) in order to be in the Trials.

Dan
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[Angelo Z]

Yeah, I have seen a table of qualifying marks for each type of race. Women need 11. somethign seconds for 100m, the 1500m is like 3:35, 10k is 27min. so it is somewhat easy. It is amazing how the 10k could be 27 minutes though since I am only 3 minutes away. Do you need anything to apply for the Olympics, they don't just let any person that can run a 26 minute 10k to enter without the individual participating in any other competitions such as the IAAF right?
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Dan]

You have to qualify for the Olympics via the Olympic Trials, i.e. the National Championships. Up to three per event, but that still requires hitting Olympic qualifying standards.

Dan
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[Angelo Z]

Yeah, aren't the trials divided into the term "heat?" I looked at Hicham's Olympic runs and it said like heat 1, heat 2, heat 3.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Dan]

Heats are the generic term for prelims or semifinals (or quarterfinals).

Dan
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[Angelo Z]

Can one compete in the 1500m, 5k, 10k, and Olympic Marathons all in the same time? I have seen people like Hicham compete in 5k and 1500m in the Olympics, but never in almost all running distances. Why is that so? Something like an Olympic quadruple.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Dan]

The 10k/marathon has been done, but even that is pushing the limits of endurance and recovery time.

Dan
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[Angelo Z]

Well, it is not critical if recovery time is short in terms of health. There could be ways around that like taking creatine to boost the recovery rate of damaged muscles, and pretty much using only 1 hour of personal activity, where the other 23 hours should be slept in order to do the next race. Running the 1500m and 5k is easier than 10k and marathon, but if the right time is applied, they could be ran. It becomes more of a survival situation, if you don't get enough sleep as a gazelle, the lion will catch you the next day.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[AM_Runner]

If it were only one race then it might be possible However you must realize that these races have heats and semifinals first... so its many at least double the amount of races... to win the Olympic 1500 you need to race well 3 times... not once that being said there are in my mind only 3 individuals who could accomplish these types of feats.

The obvious one is Emil Zatopec he won the 5000, 10000, and marathon at the 52 Helsinki games.

The next one and my vote for greatest runner ever is Paavo Nurmi was so far ahead of his time and won Golds in 9 events and 3 silvers between 1920 and 1928 (some were team events) would probably have had 2 more medals in the 32 LA games (10,000m and Marathon) but was banned for "professionalism)

Lastly is Lasse Viren possible but not as probable as the former two - only man to win 5,000 and 10,000 twice there were some mitgating factors here but in Montreal he won the 5 and 10 and finshed 5th I think in his first marathon (by the way it has been said that the final 1500M of his 5K time would have placed him 4th in the 1500 M finals that year)
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[Indeurr]

At this point just making it to the Olympics would be great. You would become a member of the Team USA, and the federation would back you up in the preparation for your real goal: the Olympics'2012.
You should try to do it; in sports like in any other form of entertainment name recognition does count.
You are in good shape; I believe that the age limit for the 1500 meter's event also known as metric mile is as law as 16.
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[Angelo Z]

So how would I get on the U.S.A. Team? I keep training, but there is always an issue that prevents me from competing in real events other than racing other individual people. There is an event in Colorado which is called the Bolder Boulder 10k race. I would probably get killed by the older Ethiopians anyways, so even if I do get 3rd place in this newcomer race of all ages, it still won't be enough to turn heads. I don't even know about my plan of running sub four in Highschool anymore..I mean the kid that ran 4:08 received no credit or free sponsorship from the local school coaches. I am expecting that if I do run sub four in 10th grade, that maybe it will automatically get people to back me up. The thing is...I don't know if people here look upon talent in running as in Morocco or anywhere else...My perents work pretty much everyday, they come home late. My dad works on Sundays, but my mom doesn't. My mom is afraid of driving on highways and through mountains...My parents think that it is just a teenage fantasy I have right "now." And now there are coaches that are starting to look upon me, but then again, who would want to invest thousands of $ in a person who has a talent in running.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Angelo Z]

About the mile...do they actually add on the extra 9 meters? 4 laps is 1600m, not 1609.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Dan]

Yes, a true mile race starts ~9m behind the 400m start line. Some tracks have the mile start line painted on as a waterfall start.

Sponsorship of a HS-aged athlete is pretty much unheard of in this country... Good luck with that. The mere mention of it will scare most people away as a recruiting violation, even if you have no plans to run in college.

Dan
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[Angelo Z]

Well college is pretty much a must to live in life...or at least that's what they all say academically I do get good grades; A's and B's. I also speak anotehr language, and learning a third one: French. Academics cannot hold me back from doing sports so I am fine with that. I have looked at college degrees for runners...and most of them only ran. Only Ryun who became Rep. and Bannister who became a neurologist are among a few.

Now I have a question: how was Ryun able to join so many events like the Olympics? Who, and how did he get sponsored. Look at Pre also, he was just a regular middle class citizen with a dream to become the best. How did he get sponsored? It takes around $1000 to pay for a flight, and an extra $2000 for hotel+sponsorship+transportation+food. How was Ryun able to get to Mexico? I guide myself after Ryun. All he did was set an astounding mark in history at such a young age that "I'm guessing" that people hurried from around the country to offer him immediate sponsorship, etc. Running has a 90% chance for a person to become pro, when football, or soccer has around a .01% chance. The other 10% in running would be like real life accidents such as paralyzation, genetical defeciencies. If you work at it, it can happen. For team sports, if they have space, you're in, if not well then that's just bad luck.

Hicham started at the age of 16 with a coach. Prefontaine started at 14 by himself. I have even read about runners that they were in World Championships in their teenage years.

I was also thinking along the lines of gaining fame bit by bit. By joining every competition whether it doesn't fit my speciality or not, and winning each one, will gradually turn the IAAF's attention. If someone can run a 3:46 mile, it is absoluptely ridiculous that they can't participate in the Olympics. If you join a marathon for example, where pretty much it is for newcomers, and you run a 2:03, that will automatically have to alert sponsors.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥