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RunnerSpace will be onsite for coverage of the 2008 Women's Olympic Marathon Trials with athlete interviews, highlight videos, photos, news and more. Don't just sit there, Redefine Participation with Community Event Coverage!



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"Nine years after the Boston Athletic Association was founded, six of its members won gold medals in the first modern Olympic Games. While in Athens in 1896, the men from the B.A.A. were so inspired by the majesty of that first Olympic marathon that, not long after returning home, they chose a stretch of road west of the city that mimicked the tough Olympic course and gave birth in 1897 to the Boston Marathon, now the oldest annual marathon in the world.

The B.A.A’s historic ties to the US Olympic Trials are just as deep, and go back almost as far. Between 1908 and 1960, no U.S. Olympic Marathon Team was chosen without relying directly on the results of the B.A.A. Boston Marathon. Indeed, Boston has been used as a selection race – in combination with at least one other race each Olympiad -- for 50 percent of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Teams ever named, and for 12 of 14 teams before a discrete, single-race format was adopted in 1968. (For the first three Olympic Games, teams were not chosen; rather, marathoners competed by their own choice.) Of the U.S. team members selected from the Boston races, six went on to finish in the Top 10 in the Olympics, including a bronze and a gold medallist." - by Barbara Huebner, bostontrials2008.com

 

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Website:Click here
Sport:Marathons
Level:Pro/Semi Pro
Location:Northeast
Start Date:Apr 20th 2008
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Live Video Webcast
NBCsports.com - Sunday at 8 a.m ET.

Additionally, MSNBC will broadcast a one-hour highlights show on Sunday, April 27 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET, with analysis by Trautwig and Eyestone. The one-hour show will be the first episode in a series highlighting a number of Olympic Trials events leading up to the Beijing Olympic Games in August.


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Latest Blog by Women's Olympic Marathon Trials attendee e whid

Beantown, Baby!

Letting myself heal from an injury requires a more rugged path than I recall when I'm feeling good and/or fit. Considering how anxiety may be stymied by inspiration, I am very much appreciating the inspiration that coaching may provide. I see how some of the academically over-achieving athletes bear their pressurized burdens stacked on their pony-tailed heads. Yes, the world may weigh heavily on our weary shoulders as we furrow our long distance-hardened brows. In attempting to lighten some loads of what consumes them, or of what distracts them from the realm of possibility on the track, I get to revisit sources of de-stressing as well.

A phenomenal source of inspiration is stellar role models and/or showcase of such leading ladies. See: this weekend in Boston. Tonight, I embark on an adventure to Beantown, planned months in advance after my boyfriend qualified to run the marathon. Boston MarathonI am obviously excited for this trip for a variety of reasons, but as it turns out, one of them is to be able to witness the Women's US Olympic Marathon Trials on Sunday. I admire these women not only for their athletic abilities, but for the maturity – let alone attention span - required to race 26.2 miles. Tangent: I’m bummed I won’t be able to watch Marla Runyan or Colleen De Reuck tear it up, but it ought to still be a sweet showdown; and I hope to see Joan Samuelson run her last trials. And, for the record, the first time women were allowed to compete in the Olympic Marathon was in the 1984 games, when I was almost three months old and when Joan (then Benoit) dominated the field. Joan Benoit Samuelson

When talking about pushing the realm of possibilities, it’s hard not to talk about Katherine Switzer. Contemplate being tackled by a race official at mile 2, only continue through each grueling stage the marathon offers; and your furrow might raise some degree to the sky in astonishment.

A mentor of mine, who gave birth to my close friend and lends sound advice on my endeavors, heard Switzer speak. After giving me an autographed copy of Switzer's book for an early birthday present, she reminded me how this story reminded her of her daughter's running ambitions, of how those ambitions encouraged her own leap into running. Switzer's story epitomizes a pertinent lesson for all, but especially for the injured, stressed and/or discriminated: persist.

Switzer's persistence is – and was – largely fueled by the hope to embolden other women to run. This is her retort to the abundance of critics. If she – or we – were to listen too closely to those naysaying words so easily thrown around, derailment from any goal's path may seem eminent. Sound advice exists, but filtering the plethora of telling voices requires learning to really liisten to oneself, and especially to those one trusts and admires.

Last Updated: Apr 19 2008, 01:28 AM
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Viewing Page 1 of 1 - 3 posts total
Apr 18 2008, 10:33 AM, travis wrote:

Kev. I'm up late working on some stuff and was watching the news and there was a feature on Emily LeVan and her daughter. Emily is running the trials and unfortunately her daughter is fighting leukemia. It's an inspiring story to continue on through such adversity. The feature was short and I would like to see an interview with her if you can. Here is their website: http://twotrials.org/

Thanks man, hope the trip goes well for you.

 
Apr 16 2008, 07:42 PM, Mammone wrote:

I got one for you Kevin, and it just happens that she went to Iona College, hahaha. Her name is Michelle Gallagher and she's from California. She was pretty good in high school, won some races in college and then popped a good marathon time. I would definitely like to know what made her jump up in distance and just hear her overall outlook. Good luck!!!

 
Apr 15 2008, 04:42 PM, kevin wrote:

I will be fortunate enough to be on site covering the Women's Marathon Trials.  Do you have a favorite lady marathoner?  Do you have specific training questions you would like to ask her?  As always, post your requests here!

 
 

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Highlight Video - Women's Olympic Marathon Trials 2008
 
Top 3 Finish! - Women's Marathon Trials 2008
 

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Pre Race Press Conference