2012 USA Olympic Team Trials Marathon - As It Happens

Refresh this page every few minutes to see the latest updates. We'll have all of the updates for all races on this one page - trying to make it as easy as possible for our readers to see what's happening.

Note, as you read these reports, updates will appear in reverse chronological order. Newest updates will be at the top of each section.

Men's Race | Women's Race

Notes: At the start, the weather service tells us it is 33 degrees, with a 4 mile west wind. It's a little cold for some, but better cold than hot...

The 2012 USA Olympic Marathon Trials - Men

The Finish - Meb Keflezighi finishes in 2:09:08 (unofficial) - a new personal best. Ryan Hall finishes in second place in 2:09:13 and Abdi Abdirahman holds on for third place in 2:09:47 against a hard-charging Dathan Ritzenhein in 2:09:55, who also ran a personal best.

Mile 25. Keflezighi is extending his lead. He was the favorite for the 2007 Trials, but failed to make the team - this will be a huge redemption for him. And his pace is set to put him across the finish line in under 2:09 - a new personal best. Can he hold that pace?

Mile 24 (1:57:47). Meb Keflezighi is powering away. He really wants this win. Ryan Hall is looking ready to settle for a comfortable second place finish. Abdirahman is fading, but maintaining his place for now. Ritzenhein can see Abdirahman, but will he have enough left to catch him?

Mile 21 (1:42:41), Mile 22 (1:47:38), Mile 23 (1:52:45). Abdirahman is falling back and is in clear trouble. He is even looking back - clearly afraid that Ritzenhein is somehwere close behind.

Mile 19 (1:32:19), Mile 20 (1:37:30). The group of three - Hall, Keflezighi and Abdirahman - is slowing somewhat, but still way ahead of any others. They will be our 2012 Olympic Marathon team.

Mile 18 (1:27:28). As the runners passed the stands to begin their final loop, Abdi Abdirahman looks especially comfortable, playing with the crowds and waving his arms to get them to cheer. Dathan is completely off the pack; the top three are almost now destined to be some order of Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman - the 2008 Olympic Trials favorites (this will be redemption for Keflezighi and Abdirahman).

Mile 16 (1:17:36), Mile 17 (1:22:35). Abdi is leading. He looks comfortable. Dathan Ritzenhein is begining to fade off the back.

Mile 13 (1:02:53), Mile 14 (1:07:48), Mile 15 (1:12:44). Mo Trafeh has fallen off the pace. There are four men at the front, all of the favorites from the last years - Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein, meb Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman.

Mile 12 (58:16). Abdirahman has now moved to the front - the pace suggests the winning time might be sub-2:08. That is faster than any of these men - save Ryan Hall - have ever run a marathon. It will prove too fast for many of them. Expect some ugly carnage in the last miles of the race.

Mile 11 (53:19). Abdi Abdirahman seemed to have a conversation with Ryan Hall and takes over the lead. But as the men go through a water stop, Ryan Hall resumes his place at the front.

Mile 10 (48:30). The men's race is running at a good clip, but it is a good race. Ryan Hall continually looks at his watch. At some points, Ryan has talked with Mo Trafeh, Abdi Abdirahman has stepped to the front, Dathan Ritzenhein finally took off his top shirt (struggling to do so), and Meb Keflezighi still seems strong. Brian Olinger is now 12 seconds behind the leaders and the rest of the runners, are another 40 seconds behind him.

Mile 9 (43:20). Ryan Hall has looked back a couple of times and honestly seems surprised to see so many people behind him. Brian Olinger is starting to fade.

Mile 8 (38:30). Meb Keflezighi briefly took to the front, but Ryan Hall has stepped back up. Joseph Chirlee has dropped back.

Mile 7 (34:45). Ryan Hall is keeping the pace - it is his race. The six other men do not want to let him go...

Mile 6 (29:53). Ryan Hall still leads, and Dathan Ritzenhein is just behind. Mo Trafeh is in place, Meb looks strong in the group. We're not sure why Joseph Chirlee is there. Dathan wins the award for most stylish, wearing all black: (black half-tights, black shirt, black arm warmers, black gloves, black glasses, black hat).

Mile 5 (24:03). The pace is increasing for the men.

Mile 4 (19:20). The men remain on a strong pace. The chase pack is basically out of site.

Mile 3 (14:32). Ryan Hall, Mo Trafeh, Dathan Ritzenhein, Brett Olinger, Meb Keflezighi, Abdi Abdirahman, Joseph Chirlee are well ahead of all others.

Mile 2 (9:41) The group has tightened, but is running in a line. Mo Trafeh has tucked in behind Ryan and Joseph Chirlee has run up to the lead group. The men are finishing the first short loop and will pass over the start line and where the women will soon begin their race. The lead group is seven seconds behind, led by Brett Gotcher.

The first mile is passed in 4:50. With Ryan Hall definitely setting the pace. He is already creating a gap on all other runners. He told us before the race that he doesn't run well in the back and he will just run the way he likes to run. He has been regularly checking his watch for feedback.

The men's race has started. Of course it is too early to tell anything, but at the front of the pack is Ruyan Hall, leading from the left side and Meb right with him... Ryan seems to be setting the pace, Abdi Abdirahman, Mo Trafeh, Dathan Ritzenhein and marathon debutante Brian Olinger are actually separating from the rest of the field. Nick Arciniaga is in the front of the second group.

The men's race is set to start at 8:00AM CT.

The 2012 USA Olympic Marathon Trials - Women

The Finish. Shalane Flanagan runs away and wins in 2:25:38, her best marathon finish ever. Desiree Davila is second in 2:25:55 and Kara Goucher finishes third in 2:26:06. And Amy Hastings is fourth (first alternate) in 2:27:17. The previous Olympic Trials record was Colleen De Reuck's 2:28:25 finish in 2004 - all of the top three women were faster than the old Trials record!

Mile 23 (2:07:59), Mile 24 (2:13:23). Flanagan and Davila are keeping their pace - if it stays like this, we'll expect Flanagan's kick to win out. Goucher is about seven seconds behind the two leaders, but doesn't seem to be losing much ground....

Mile 21 (1:56:58), Mile 22 (2:02:29). Kara Goucher is fading, but we'll expect her to hold on for third place. Davila and Flanagan are alone at the front and both seem intent on winning the day.

Mile 20 (1:51:33). Davila and Flanagan look the strongest. Goucher is holding on...

Mile 19 (1:45:31). Amy Hastings is fading... Davila, Flanagan, Goucher - but in what order at the finish line.

Mile 18 (1:40:26). Davila has moved to the front, but all four women look equally strong.

Mile 16 (1:29:33), Mile 17 (1:35:01). Amy Hastings has pushed to the front and starting to create a gap on the other women. Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher and Desiree Davila are just behind. Hastings and Flanagan look the strongest. Davila is running just behind - either tired or just waiting. They are on pace for a 2:26:33 marathon.

Mile 14 (1:18:34), Mile 15 (1:24:12). Amy Hastings had fallen a few steps back, but has returned to the pack, it is a race between these four women.

Mile 13 (1:13:01). The women are down to four - Desiree Davila, Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher and Amy Hastings. Just a few seconds behind are Deena Kastor and Janet Cherobon-Bawcom.

Mile 8 (45:10), Mile 9 (50:52), Mile 10 (0:56:29), Mile 11 (1:02:04), Mile 12 (1:07:36). Katie McGregor has fallen off the back.

Mile 7 (39:52). Desiree Davila has returned to the front. It is interesting to see the differences in the women - some appear to run with a more labored fashion and some more comfortable. It is still early in the race, however.

Mile 6 (34:14). The women's pack has settled on nine women and the pace has slowed a bit. Desiree Davila has settled into the pack, no longer feeling the need to set the pace - perhaps that is why it has slowed.

Mile 5 (28:30). Desiree is building a small lead. Behind her, a strong pack has developed consisting of Shalane Flanagan, Amy Hastings, Kara Goucher, Deena Kastor, Janet Cherobon, Clara Grandt, Adriana Nelson and Serena Burla. Katie McGregor has also joined the front pack.

Mile 4 (23:08). Desiree continues to lead and set the pace - she impressed us at the Boston Marathon and we predicted her to be the strongest. So far, she is proving us right. Eleven women are in the front group.

Mile 3 (17:34). The pace is really increasing for the women, led by Desiree Davila. Shalane Flanagan is just off her side, Amy Hastings, Janet Cherobon-Bawcom at the front as well.

Mile 2 (12:00). Desiree Davila has forced the pace to increase and the second mile was an honest 5:49. That mile pace is a 2:32 total marathon. Now the group is beginning to split with Amy Hastings also working at the front.

Mile 1 (6:11). This is an incredibly slow race - at this pace, they will finish a marathon at 2:42. Most of the women in the field have run faster than this time. Before the, race, some of the women were telling us it might take 2:22-2:24 to win this race, that can't happen now... Having seen the first split, Desiree Davila has moved to the front - she had told us that she wanted an honest pace from the start - she must be upset with the slowness of the race.

The women's race has started. The women seem to be gong out at a very slow pace. In fact the women in the back seem boxed in. At the front are Atalelech Asfaw, but they are just jogging! Not what we expected. 182 women started the racce...

The women's race will start 2-3 minutes after the men finish their short loop and cross over the start line. Race organizers originally stated that would be at 8:15AM, but told the runners at the technical meeting that it will be flexible and may be 8:17AM or 8:19AM CT.