Let Them Run! Men's 5k Drama

Fairness in the process. That'€™s all we really want. So when we get word that maybe 12 of the original 18 entrants in the men'€™s 5k will run this afternoon, we assume that they’ll make up for the lost spots. Right? Wrong. USATF will apparently stick to their guns and keep the original field. Or what’s left of it. Unofficially, the scratches include Dathan Ritzenhein, Evan Jager, Will Leer, Chris Derrick, and Dan Huling. There may be more, but no updated list can be found on meet’s official website. We’re perfectly fine with those athletes not running the 5k. They entered the race as a precautionary measure in case something unfortunate happened in their primary event. We should be trying to send our best athletes to the IAAF World Championships. However, it'€™s the little guys that lose out. Former collegians like Maverick Darling (Wisconsin), Andy Bayer (Indiana), and Joe Stilin (Princeton/Texas) will have to watch the race from the stands. Hope they can find a seat on the filled-to-capacity backstretch. It'€™s not like these guys don'€™t have the credentials. Darling was the top American finisher at NCAAs. Bayer is an NCAA champion, who almost made the 1500m team last year. Stilin has been on fire and don’t forget - he was bumped out last year by Alan Webb. The lack of transparency in the declaration process makes it tough to have high aspirations. If an athlete'€™s ultimate goal is to try and make the U.S. Championships, what's a college coach supposed to say at the start of the season? "€œHope the system is in our favor?" What about athletes who want to follow their dreams and compete post-collegiately? Not running at the U.S. Championships and trying to negotiate a professional contract is a bad combination. USATF - Let these athletes run.