If memory serves me correctly, he didn't pull out of the trials, but rather pulled out of another race while trying to run a qualifying time to make it to the trials.

I'm probably wrong thought...too lazy to research it.

my memory is a bit fuzzy on this but the way I remember it, after a really good 10 mile time (49 something) at Cherry Blossom, Mark headed off to Rotterdam Marathon to get a US Olympic Trials marathon qualifying time and fell short, so he never actually raced in the trials because he never got a qualifying time.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

It was at either Rotterdam or Berlin, but I'm pretty sure it was Berlin. He needed about 2:25/4 to get into the olympic qualifying race. While on the right pace he pulled out at about 15 miles. The comments I read from him at the time (what was reported anyway) were that the sustained pounding at that pace was too much for his quads, so I suppose you could call it a quad strain.

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Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy- Sir Isaac Newton.

I believe I read he also took about a year (?) off to focus on this goal. He may have had the ability to qualify for oly trials (2:22) but running a truly competitive marathon (2:12) is another matter, something only a few Americans do each year ... Barcelona was in 1992, BTW.

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the replies.
and yes, [slaps forehead] I remembered too late about the year of Barcelona. :)

Bar bet settled.

Now, will Lance pull up lame trying to go too hard on Sunday?

I wonder.

PoC

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geoffwhite.ws