NEW YORK – It seems as if it would be difficult to overlook someone like Alan Culpepper in any type of running race, let alone one to determine the U.S. Olympic team for the Beijing Games in 2008. Culpepper, after all, has made the past two Olympic teams in two different events. In 2000 he went to Sydney as a 10,000-meter runner and went again in 2004 to Athens as a marathoner.
On Saturday in New York City, Culpepper is looking to make it two Olympic marathon teams in a row. Only Frank Shorter has won two consecutive trials marathons.
But the funny thing about that is there aren’t too many pundits or fans giving him a chance. Oh sure, everyone knows Culpepper is talented and as savvy a pro as one can be in distance running. At age 35 he’s been through the wars enough to have forgotten more about running than most people will ever know. Yet despite a garage full of trophies from an NCAA Championship in the 5,000 meters (1996); victories in the Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meters (2000) and marathon (2004), as well as a “surprise” victory” in last February’s National Cross-Country Championship, it’s hard to believe that Culpepper isn’t the pundits pick in this weekend’s big race.
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Why is that?
Good question.
As far as distance runners go, Culpepper isn’t flashy. Sure, the press loves him as evidenced by the lengthy New York Times profile this week featuring Culpepper and his two-time Olympian wife, Shayne. And, yeah, he has some big-time victories and times under his belt (a 2:09:41 in his marathon debut at Chicago in 2002 and back-to-back Top 5 finishes at Boston in 2005 and 2006), but he performs his best when he gets into a rhythm and sets a solid pace for the entire race. To some it might not be the most inspiring style of racing, but it’s smart, solid and professional…
Just like Culpepper.
Nevertheless, when talking to the media less than 48 hours prior to this Saturday’s Olympic Trials Marathon – a race in which the hilly, criterium dash through Manhattan’s Central Park could be beneficial to his rock steady style – Culpepper seems to enjoy the fact that he isn’t the focus of all the attention in the deepest all-American field ever.
Whoever finishes in the top three to make the U.S. Olympic team will be a threat to win a medal in Beijing, says Culpepper.
“I do think now that due to the professionalism of the sport the level, of competition now is raised to a whole new level worldwide, just with the progression of the sport as a whole and I think that's clearly the case now,” he said. “The three that make the team will, in my mind, clearly be ones to look out for in terms of sneaking in there to get a medal at the Olympics, and (silver medalist) Meb (Keflezighi) proved that in the last Olympics. He didn't win our trials, but he went on to win a medal. I would say we're definitely at a new level.”
But just because the media isn’t focusing in on Culpepper – 23-year old Californian Ryan Hall is the favorite, by virtue of his 2:08:24 run at London in April – doesn’t mean that his competition isn’t paying attention. Dark horse contender Peter Gilmore told reporters that Culpepper is, “definitely not a guy who’s going to show up on race day and give you half an effort.” Meanwhile, 10,000-meter specialist (and Millersville University alum) James Carney reportedly says his strategy in his first-ever marathon is quite simple:
Find Culpepper and stay as close as you can.
Finding Culpepper won’t be too difficult. At 6-foot-1 he’s one of the taller runners out there. Besides, chances are Culpepper will be running at the front of the pack with a bunch of others clinging to him like barnacles to a ship. Still, knowing this isn’t going to change the savvy Coloradans’ plans for Saturday.
“We all have run a lot of races for a lot of years and you kind of just know on the day what you need to do. You trust your instincts and you trust your intuition,” Culpepper said during a conference call from New York’s Tavern on the Green restaurant with Hall and co-favorite Abdi Abdirahman. “That's what I'll be focusing on for myself, but also not ruling out the fact that there are some things that I thought about ahead of time that could possibly happen.”
That’s the thing about marathoning – anything can happen. A runner could have had months of perfect training and run personal records in his training races leading up to the event, but none of that matters over 26.2 miles. That’s what draws people to the sport – the marathon distance searches for even the tiniest of weaknesses and exploits it. Perfection is impossible.
Knowing all of that and having had the chance to fly in to New York from his home base near Boulder, Colo. for reconnaissance over the course, Culpepper doesn’t believe the rugged terrain in Central Park will dictate the terms of the race.
“I don't think any of us want to lollygag around because that allows guys that maybe shouldn't be up in there to be in there, but we also don't want to sacrifice,” Culpepper explained. “To be honest I don't think it's going to be as slow as we all initially thought. Or like when I first saw the course I thought, ‘Man, I'd be lucky to run 2:15.’ I don't think that's necessarily going to be the case. For me personally, I made that mistake in the (Athens) Olympics in limiting what I felt I could run on the course. You don't want to over think it too much.”
That’s especially the case when so many other runners will be thinking about you.
More: Two-time Olympian Culpepper looking for 'threepeat'
Khannouchi still chasing the Olympic dream
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