U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials: Get To Know The Athletes + What You Need To Know

The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials are just around the corner and excitement is growing by the day! The CITIUS MAG team will have on-site coverage live from Orlando. We’ll have a pop-up at the CITIUS Cafe presented by HOKA (151 E Washington St Suite 101, Orlando, FL 32801) with live panels, free product giveaways, a shakeout run and a race-day watchalong starting Thursday, Feb. 1. We hope to see you there! You can check out all of HOKA’s programming and our live show schedule here.

Here’s a quick roundup of CITIUS MAG articles and podcasts that spotlight fan favorites, dark horse contenders, and what you need to know about the trials.

2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Course Tour

We were invited by Track Shack to preview the course for the Trials, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 3. The city of Orlando, Track Shack, the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and USA Track and Field will serve as the hosts for the selection race. 

The Trials serve as the selection race for the men’s and women’s Olympic teams that will compete at the Summer Games in Paris. The top three finishers who also meet World Athletics’ qualifying standards will go on to represent the United States at the Olympics.

The course consists of one 2.2-mile loop and then three 8-mile loops.

Men's Start: 10:10 a.m. ET 

Women's Start: 10:20 a.m. ET

The Stories Behind The Athletes

Get to know some of the men’s and women's qualifiers as they share their favorite running memories, interesting stories, and greatest accomplishments.

The Most Fun Facts From U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Men’s Athlete Bios

Marcos Bailon's Interesting Story:

Getting to the Trials has not been easy. I've had to balance running, life and work to get here. I've had to sacrifice sleep to make this happen. My typical work day begins at 2:40 a.m. to squeeze in my run, strength train and do rehab exercises all before 5 a.m. I start work at 6 a.m. and am usually done by 4:30 p.m. At home, I try to spend as much quality time with my family as possible. I am usually in bed by 10 p.m. and sleep about 4.5 hours before I wake up and do it all over again!

The Most Fun Facts From U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Women’s Athlete Bios

Susanna Sullivan's Interesting Story:

I made first Team USA for the World Championships in Budapest but got a patellar stress fracture (super rare) right before but didn't know it. Doctors said it was bursitis or tendonitis and if I could tolerate the pain, I wouldn't be making it worse. I finished the marathon on a broken kneecap. It took all fall (swimming a ton!!) to recover. I teach 6th-grade math and science and this is my 10th year teaching. I'm also a volunteer assistant coach with George Mason University, where my coach is the head of the track and field/cross country programs.

Dive Deeper | Athlete Q&As

We chatted one-on-one with a few Olympic Trials qualifiers for an in-depth look at their buildup heading into the trials, how their running journeys have evolved and lots more. 

– Zach Panning Chipping Away Toward A Dream At The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

– Who is Joel Reichow? Meet The Dark Horse Candidate For The U.S. Olympic Marathon Team

– Betsy Saina Q&A: “I’m Running For The Whole Family Now”

Hear From Top Contenders On The CITIUS MAG Podcast

Many of the Olympic team favorites joined the CITIUS MAG podcast to break down their prep for racing in Orlando and their mindset towards training and beyond.

– Scott Fauble Ready To Attack U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 'Aggressively And Fearlessly'

– Catching Up With 2:21 Marathoner Betsy Saina Before The 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

– CJ Albertson Explains Why He Went To Mexico To Run 2:11:08 At The Baja California Marathon – One Week After Winning CIM

– Emily Sisson After Finishing Top American At The 2023 Chicago Marathon In 2:22:09

– Jared Ward On His 2:11:44 At The Berlin Marathon While Battling Women's WR Holder Tigist Assefa + Why The Olympic Trials Should Start Earlier

– Conner Mantz (2:07:47) and Clayton Young (2:08:00) Recap Their 2023 Chicago Marathon, Hitting The Olympic Standard

More News To Keep You Looped In

We unpack the details on Emma Bates’ withdrawal from the Trials, the impact of USATF’s last-minute Olympic qualification changes, and how the OTQ women have gone above and beyond to secure their spots on the line in Orlando. 

– Emma Bates Withdraws From The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Due To Injury

– What To Know About USATF’s Changes To Olympic Marathon Qualifying

– 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifiers: How Women Rose To The Challenge Of A Tougher Target

Get ready for another big year of track and field. Stay up to date on all of it via CITIUS MAG. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, X, Threads, YouTube and across all podcast players.