by Jeff Benjamin
The glory days: Ed Eyestone, Todd Williams and Pat Porter,
Jeff Benjamin and Coach Ed Eyestone, photo by Jeff Benjamin
This is the second piece in our series on the Marathon Trials, by Jeff Benjamin.
Countdown To The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials With Olympic Runner & Coach Ed Eyestone
By Jeff Benjamin
When the gun fires at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta on Saturday, one can say that while he might be in the neighborhood, 2-Time Olympic Marathoner and BYU Coach Ed Eyestone will only be there in spirit.
“My team will be in the DMR at the JDL Fast Track Meet in Winston-Salem, North Carolina,” said Eyestone, who made both the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic Marathon teams. “Then there’s our Conference Meet in Seattle.
Nevertheless, Eyestone is still deeply involved in this year’s race, as quite a few of his BYU charges will be toeing the line in Atlanta. “There are about 8 or 9 runners competing who came through the BYU system.”
Eyestone still coaches top marathoners Jared Ward (who competed at the Olympic Marathon in 2016 at Rio, where he finished 6th) and Connor McMillen (who ran an 11-minute (!!) Personal Best Marathon at NYC in 2019, clocking 2:12:07). But, Eyestone warms, don’t count out Nico Montanez, another former BYU runner under the title edge of Ryan Hall who ran a half-marathon time of 1:01:38 last month in Houston.
“Jared and Connor are approaching it with the right mindset,” said Eyestone, and who should know better. Besides making 2 Olympic teams, Eyestone (Whose Personal Bests include 27:41 for the track 10K and a 2:10:59 Chicago Marathon) has competed at the 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympic Trials!
“As an athlete, the nerves are always heightened at the Trials,” said Eyestone. “During the competition you could be thinking that “This is it!”, said Eyestone, who through his own career as both athlete and Coach, always seemed to be ready on the Day.
“You never know where you’ll be 4 years from now.”
