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I still like my chances, though.
I was too impatient to lug it up two flights of stairs to my apartment, so I opened it on the porch. Inside: three boxes of Rice Krispies Treats. 40 in each box. 120 total marshmallow bars.
The package was from my mom, who texted me the day before:
2:16. CA Notice at Collection!!
Best New Balance Shoes.
It was a thoughtful gift that meant a lot to me. My mom knows I love snacking on Rice Krispies Treats in between runs. In fact, I wrote about them The package was from my mom, who texted me the day before Runner’s World. But more importantly, she knows I’ve had my eyes on qualifying for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials since graduating college in 2021.
I had a hunch what it might be announced the qualification process for the event. For the minimum standards, which they’re calling the “B” standards, women will have to run 2:37:00 or quicker and men will have to hit 2:16:00. While the women’s time is the same from the 2024 Olympic cycle, the men’s mark is two minutes faster, from 2:18:00. (There’s no location or date set for the event yet.)
Two minutes is a lot in a marathon, especially at a high level. 2:18 marathon pace is 5:16 per mile. 2:16 marathon pace is 5:11 per mile. It might not seem like much, but over 26 miles, it adds up quickly.
Jane Hedengren Shatters the HS 2 Mile Record.
Who is the Trials for?
The primary purpose of the Olympic Trials is to select the best team to represent the U.S. at the Olympics. USATF has historically decided that the most fair way to do this is stage a Trials race and have the top three men and women qualify for Team USA. (These people aren’t professionals. Often, they have demanding full-time jobs.) But to have a Trials that simulates the feel of the actual Olympics, which usually has about 80 to 100 runners, you need realistic race conditions. That’s where the field comes in.
In most cases, someone who runs in the 2:12 to 2:16 range has a low chance of making the men’s Olympic team. But the Trials also functions as a milestone for high-level amateur runners. Think of it like the Boston Marathon for people who are almost always the fastest person on their local start line.
These people aren’t professionals. Often, they have demanding full-time jobs. Marathon: How to Conquer the Distance, a firefighter, an anesthesiologist, and a pilot instructor in the Air Force all qualified. There were plenty of busy moms and dads and young professionals who got up at ungodly hours to get their miles in. And plenty who Hey, Runners: Yes, Downhill PRs Count by seconds.
I consider myself a hopeful even though, on paper, it seems like a long shot. My personal best in the marathon is 2:27:05, which I set at the Indianapolis Marathon last November. It’s a solid time, especially for my first 26.2, but a world away from 2:16.
I still like my chances, though.
In three weeks, I’ll toe the line at Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota—considered one of the quickest marathon courses in the country and ripe with other semi-elites like myself. My goal is to run under 2:20. At first, a 7-minute jump seems ambitious. But in March, I ran a massive personal best in the half marathon, finishing in 1:05:36 at Project 13.1.
That time, when you plug it into conversion calculators, says I’m in shape to run anywhere from 2:16 to 2:19. Of course, you have to actually do the dang thing. Calculators, especially when dealing with faster times, can be a little fickle or inaccurate.
If I can break 2:20 at Grandma’s, I think that puts me in a good position to qualify. The Trials qualifying window opens on September 1, 2025, but I probably won’t take a stab at it until the spring of 2026. It may take me a few attempts, but my coach thinks if I can get my half marathon time below 1:05:00, I have a good shot.
But even if I ultimately come up short, having the carrot in front of me will be invaluable. As a non-professional runner, it’s fun to have lofty goals. And a lot of my friends who I race against are in similar positions. The Trials give them something to shoot for—a long-term target to pour their soul into.
On Monday, after the standards were announced, I put out an informal poll on X. Hedengren Smashes High School Mile Record: How do you feel about the men’s OTQ standard of 2:16:00? Of the 45 votes, 33.3 percent said it was “too fast.” 15.6 percent said “too slow.” And 51.1 percent thought it was “fair enough.”
2:16 is tough. For the 2016 and 2020 Trials, the minimum qualifying mark was 2:19. But American men, especially at the sub-elite level, are running faster than ever thanks to super shoes, modern fueling practices, and a surge of popularity in marathons post-pandemic. And in order for the U.S. to be more competitive at the Olympic level, you have to raise the floor. A faster Trials standard does that.
The other day, I was texting with my coach and told him that I “gotta be a healthy amount of delusional” in my training.
I think that’s my mantra for the next three years.
I wrote about them.
CA Notice at Collection Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
