U.S. Has Options in Marathon

The United States can again send three men to the Olympic marathon. Now, the question is who will they be?

Alan Culpepper, Meb Keflezighi and Dan Browne qualified for the Athens Games during the U.S. Olympic Trials on Saturday, but they’re also considered the nation’s best at 10,000 meters.

Culpepper and Keflezighi have already competed in the Olympics in that event.

“My intentions are to run the Olympic marathon,” said Culpepper, who won the trials in 2 hours 11 minutes 42 seconds. “I’m 31 years old, and I feel like this is the best opportunity for me to run competitively.

“I probably will not even run in the [10,000] trials.

Culpepper won the 10,000 at the USA Track and Field Championships and has run only two marathons.

Trent Briney, Clint Verran and Eddy Hellebuyck are next in line if the top three qualifiers back out.

The abundance of qualifiers was a relief after only Rod DeHaven qualified for the United States in 2000.

Culpepper pulled away from Keflezighi in the last mile of a race that began in nearly freezing weather to make his second Olympic team.

“This is what you train your whole life for,” said Culpepper, who ran the fourth-fastest time for the U.S. Olympic Trials. “I’m just so thankful to make another team.”

Keflezighi (2:11:47) and Browne (2:12:02) also easily cleared the “A” qualifying standard of 2:15 for the games in August, three minutes slower than the 2000 standard.

Culpepper tied Alberto Salazar for fastest U.S. marathon debut (2:09:41) in 2002 and hadn’t run another since.

“I felt like my muscles were going to tear in half,” he said.

A largely flat course and relaxed qualifying standards helped ensure that the United States would send three runners to Athens. The U.S. had at least three marathoners qualify for each Olympic marathon for a century before 2000, a low for the country in the sport.