Chris Siemers Qualifies For The Trials The Hard Way
- By Duncan Larkin
- Published Oct. 11, 2011
- Updated Oct. 11, 2011 at 9:20 AM UTC
He ran sub-2:19 at altitude.
The road to the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials is not an easy one. But why make it harder than it has to be?
That’s the question some are posing to Chris Siemers. At Sunday’s Sports Authority Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon, he clocked a 2:18:49–at altitude. For Siemers, he could have gone about a qualifying time an easier way. After all, he grew up in Chicago and could have flown to stay with his parents in order to take part in the flat and fast Chicago Marathon.
But he didn’t; he made the standard by 11 seconds in Denver.
“I love Colorado. It’s the best state for running,” Siemers said. “Everyone knows that who lives here.”
Presumably, Siemers could have run five to eight minutes faster in the Windy City. Along with winning the Denver race, he set a state record that had stood since 1993.
For More: Denver Post
FILED UNDER: News TAGS: Altitude / Bank of America Chicago Marathon / Chicago / Chris Siemers / Denver Marathon / marathon at altitude / Olympic Trials qualifier / Rock 'n' Roll Denver Marathon / the hard way / U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon
Duncan Larkin
Duncan Larkin is the news editor at Competitor.com and a freelance journalist who’s been covering the sport of running for over five years. He’s run 2:32 in the marathon and won the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race in 2007. His first running book, RUN SIMPLE, was released last July.