Four-day rest break at 2012 Trials? What to do, what to do?
USATF CEO Doug Logan yesterday unveiled a new format for the 2012 Olympic Trials in Eugene: Friday-Saturday-Sunday of competition, then four days off, then a concluding three days of competition. So what do they do during the long “rest” break? How about, uh, the USATF Masters National Outdoor Championships! Masters nationals in 2010 and 2011 are spoken for (Sacramento and Cleveland), but 2012 is up for grabs. Eugene hosted nationals in 2000 and 2003. Time for a return to Hayward Field! At the least, the Oregon Track Club Masters might be willing to put on the Hayward Masters Classic during the Trials. Go for it!
6 Responses
Brilliant suggestion, Ken. There’s not a better track or overall meet venue in the country than Hayward. This would be a great way for the Eugene folks to reinforce their “Track Town, U.S.A.” motto. And maybe, just by proximity to the O.T.’s, Masters Track could get some media attention.
IF ONLY!!! How cool would that be!!!
That would make great sense…….so I guess we’ll cross that one off the wish list.
Actually, it makes absolutely no sense at all.
Let’s see. For starters, how many masters would go to Eugene for a midweek meet? For those who didn’t notice, the four day break is Monday through Thursday.
With the OT taking up the weekends we’d all have to travel mid week, take vacation time for the whole period if still working, not be able to take advantage of airfares that require a Saturday night stay. And that’s before even considering hotel and motel availability for 1000+ masters athletes during the OT!
Who would organize it? Organizing the OT must be a huge task, and it’s not like they have T/F administrators coming out of their ears in Eugene who would simultaneously be able to do both.
In addition, maybe, just maybe, the OT competitors would want to be able to use Hayward during the 4 day lull to train. I suspect they would get preference to a masters meet, even if it were the Hayward Classic, which I don’t think has ever been mid week.
Yes, Eugene is a great place for a Masters National Championships, but not during the middle of the OT. Let’s get real.
I actually really like the idea but this it doesn’t have a chance.
Last year for the Trials, there was a two day break with all-comers meets both days but they had very few events as the track needed to be available most of the day for athletes. No way would they allow the track to be used all day and take away from the Olympic Trials athletes.
Not to be a splash of cold water but that’s just the way it is…
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