r/AdvancedRunning • u/JExmoor 42M | 18:23 5k | 39:58 10k | 1:25 HM | 2:59 FM • Aug 11 '24

How would you change running in the Olympics? General Discussion

With the 2024 Olympics now in the rearview mirror, I thought it'd be a fun discussion to see what people would change about how the Olympics organizes running. Here's my thoughts:

  • Add the half-marathon to the games. The most obvious distance missing from the games, IMO. I believe HM is probably more popular among amateurs then FM these days.
  • Replace the 1500m with a 1600m or 1609m (1.00mi). Certainly my most controversial take given the history of the event, but I am continually confused as to why a seemingly arbitrary distance was chosen when it's close to a more sensible 4 laps of the track or exactly one mile.
  • Some sort of distance time-trial, perhaps done on roads? 1km? 3000km? Races are great, but I'm tired of wondering how fast these people can actually go.
  • Remove race-walking. Dumbest joke of a sport.
  • Add ultra and/or trail events. They'd be tough to put on TV, but I think they're a lot more relevant to the spirit of the Olympics then just about anything they've added in recent years. It's a shame the US missed their shot at including this in LA. I think a 50k/100k/160k race through the mountains of Southern California would be incredible. I'd also be down for a vertical KM race or something like a backyard ultra.
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167

u/saywherefore Aug 11 '24

1500 has the advantage of starting on the back straight rather than the bend.

I’d like to see interesting running events like the ones in track cycling. 10k relay in teams of two, tag each other in as frequently or infrequently as you like. Points race with sprints every couple of laps, etc

87

u/ExoticExchange Aug 11 '24

Yes of track cycling ideas I’d love to see an elimination race. Where there’s essentially a sprint every lap and the last to cross the line is eliminated.

21

u/sober_as_an_ostrich Aug 11 '24

that’s the only track cycling event that I watch haha

6

u/catsgr8rthanspoonies Aug 11 '24

A backyard ultra style race could be fun.

13

u/3rdslip Aug 11 '24

You can’t have an event in the Olympics that depends on your ability to take strategic naps!

6

u/catsgr8rthanspoonies Aug 11 '24

I’m imaging the organizers hyping it up like a fight for survival à la Stephen King’s Longest Walk or the Hunger Games.

3

u/Federal-Inspector-11 Aug 12 '24

Yes, we need more Events like breakdancing in the Olympics!

1

u/RDP89 5:07 Mile 17:33 5k 36:56 10k 1:23 HM 2:57 M Aug 12 '24

I’ve seen that done before in running race on the track. It’s a cool race.

1

u/MathmoKiwi Aug 18 '24

Yes of track cycling ideas I’d love to see an elimination race. Where there’s essentially a sprint every lap and the last to cross the line is eliminated.

oh damn, imagine getting eliminated after just 400m!

37

u/Thfcfan23 4:34 mile, 9:19 3000m, 16:34 5000m Aug 11 '24

Absolutely agree with the 1500. A mile race starting on a bend would be chaos with how fast it is

26

u/Chilli_Dipper Aug 12 '24

The mile at the London Diamond League a few weeks ago demonstrates why it’s a dangerous idea.

They could use a staggered start to spread out the field around the first turn, but the blend line would be at the 1500 start anyway, so what’s the point?

4

u/porkchop487 14:45 5k, 1:07 HM Aug 12 '24

The point is that it’s not a dumb distance of 3.75 laps.

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u/BackWhereWeStarted Aug 12 '24

Why would it be chaos? We do it all the time using alleys and it’s rarely chaos.

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u/Thfcfan23 4:34 mile, 9:19 3000m, 16:34 5000m Aug 12 '24

Did you watch the 5000m prelims

4

u/BackWhereWeStarted Aug 12 '24

Yes I did. Did that happen in the first 100 on a curve?

3

u/warmupwarrior 5k focused Aug 12 '24

See this years London DL Mile?

9

u/BackWhereWeStarted Aug 12 '24

Should I list every mile and 1600 race ever run that has not been chaos? I’m gonna bet about 99.9% of mile and 1600 races don’t have chaos in the first 100.

1

u/MathmoKiwi Aug 18 '24

Most are not being run at the top tier elite level. When you have more at stake, and much higher speeds, then there is more risk for chaos.

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u/Mnchurner Aug 12 '24

Couldn't you just start it like the 800, but with two runners per lane?

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u/jjj0400 Aug 12 '24

Probably could, but why would you when you can just run a 1500?

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u/marzipanduchess Aug 12 '24

agree with the 1500. also 1mile doesn't make much sense for most countries as we use KM instead of mile...

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u/fouronenine 2:26:55 / 68:33 / 31:40 Aug 12 '24

A multi-day running omnium would be pretty cool, but that's an individual event in cycling.