by Larry Eder
photo by PhotoRun.net
Deena Kastor the 2004 bronze medalist, showed true guts, when she finished sixth, ten months after she gave birth to her daughter, Piper. Deena, a role model for running mothers everywhere, is the current American record holder for the women’s marathon.
Making the team is the important thing, now Ryan gets to focus on what he can do in London next Summer. This was a nice release from ASICS America, his sponsor.
SECOND PLACE FINISH AT U.S. MARATHON TRIALS EARNS RYAN HALL TEAM USA STATUS
FOR THE LONDON GAMES
ASICS Athlete and Olympian
Ryan Hall is headed to the London Games on the U.S. Olympic Team after finishing in second place at the 2012 Marathon Trials in Houston, Texas with a time of 2:09:30. Hall finished just shy of his Olympic Trials record pace of 2:09:02 set in 2007 in New York City.
On a cool, sunny morning, registering 33 degrees at the time of the men’s
start, Hall shot out of the gates quickly, setting the pace for most of the
race. He finished the first half marathon in a time of 1:03:25, but as the
race continued the pace gradually slowed.
In typical
Hall fashion, he was animated throughout the race, notably
talking with his competitors at times. Following a scary moment at the
18-mile mark when he tangled legs with Abdi Abdirahman, at a fluid station,
Hall avoided a fall and broke away with a pack of three runners that never
looked back.
Hall, Keflezighi, 2012 US Olympic Trials-Marathon, photo by PhotoRun.net
Hall
, Abdirahman and eventual race winner, Meb Keflezighi stuck together for most of the final miles. At mile 23, Hall and Keflezighi made their move,
separating themselves from the third place finisher. Hall finished in
second place, 22 seconds behind Keflezighi who greeted him at the finish
line with a hug.
“We’re going, we’re going,” said
Hall to his wife, fellow ASICS athlete,
Sara Hall. When asked why he led the group at such a fast pace, Hall
stated, “I was feeling good. You never know what’s possible on the day.”
Ryan Hall, 2012 US Olympic Trials-Marathon, photo by PhotoRun.net
Hall
, who has been sponsored by ASICS since 2005, also competed at the
Beijing Games in 2008. Hall ran the fastest American marathon time ever
(2:04:58) at the 2011 Boston Marathon breaking his previous personal best of 2:06:17 at the 2008 London Marathon.
ASICS athlete and Olympic Bronze Medalist Deena Kastor also competed in the
trials hoping to earn a spot on the women’s team. In a valiant effort just nine months after giving birth to her first daughter, Piper, Kastor fell
short with a sixth place finish in a time of 2:30:40.
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