The U.S. Olympic Marathon ....

The U.S. Olympic Marathon ....

The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials will long be remembered for the triumphs of three Beijing-bound runners, who emerged from one of the deepest fields in history, as well as the tragic death of their friend and fellow Olympic hopeful. NBC Olympics recaps the events through stories.

Hall's Trials record marred by death of friend Shay

By Joe Battaglia, NBCOlympics.com

He has been called the next great U.S. marathoner.

Now he can be called an Olympian.

After running with the pack for 17 miles, Ryan Hall pulled away en route to winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials marathon in an event record 2:09:02. The time by Hall, who had never run a marathon before April, shattered the previous Trials record by one minute and 17 seconds.

Dathan Ritzenhein, a 2004 Olympic in the 10,000m, finished comfortably in second in 2:11:07, a personal best by over three minutes. Brian Sell placed third in 2:11:40 to grab the final qualifying spot for Beijing. It will be the first Olympic marathon for all three.

(Full race results here.)

Place Bib Name Age Hometown Affiliation Finish 1 2 Ryan Hall 25 Mammoth Lakes, CA 2:09:02 2 9 Dathan Ritzenhein 24 Eugene, OR 2:11:07 3 5 Brian Sell 29 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:11:40 4 1 Khalid Khannouchi 36 Ossining, NY 2:12:34 5 47 Jason Lehmkuhle 30 Minneapolis, MN Team USA Minnesota 2:12:54 6 127 Daniel Browne 32 Beaverton, OR Nike 2:13:23 7 20 Nathaniel Jenkins 27 Lowell, MA 2:14:56 8 4 Meb Keflezighi 32 San Diego, CA 2:15:09 9 126 Josh Rohatinsky 25 Portland, OR Nike 2:15:22 10 24 Jason Hartmann 26 Boulder, CO 2:15:27 11 128 Matthew Gonzales 26 Albuquerque, NM Nike 2:16:14 12 15 Mike Morgan 27 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:16:28 13 38 Fasil Bizuneh 27 Flagstaff, AZ 2:16:47 14 125 James Carney 29 Boulder, CO New Balance 2:16:54 15 92 Steve Sundell 25 Redwood City, CA 2:16:54 16 87 Christopher Raabe 28 Washington, DC 2:17:01 17 28 Nick Arciniaga 24 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:17:08 18 11 Clint Verran 32 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:17:10 19 46 Matt Pelletier 28 Warwick, RI Running Heritage 2:17:17 20 14 Chad Johnson 31 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:17:58 21 23 Joshua Ordway 27 Dublin, OH Columbus Running Company 2:18:10 22 27 Jacob Frey 26 Oakton, VA 2:18:19 23 42 Joe Driscoll 28 Blowing Rock, NC ZAP Fitness 2:18:22 24 53 John Mentzer 31 Monterey, CA U.S. Navy 2:18:23 25 99 Allen Wagner 27 San Diego, CA 2:18:25 26 65 Patrick Rizzo 24 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:18:30 27 132 Sergio Reyes 26 Los Osos, CA Asics Aggie Running Club 2:18:31 28 22 Patrick Moulton 25 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:18:35 29 58 Mikhail Sayenko 23 Bellevue, WA 2:18:35 30 49 Donovan Fellows 28 Woodbury, MN 2:18:45 31 21 Miguel Nuci 28 Turlock, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:18:47 32 32 Michael Reneau 29 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:18:51 33 109 Macharia Yuot 25 Chester, PA 2:18:56 34 34 Dan Sutton 27 Madison, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team 2:18:59 35 102 Nicholas Cordes 28 Ashland, OH Brooks 2:19:01 36 52 Teren Jameson 30 Taylorsville, UT 2:19:05 37 31 Chris Lundstrom 31 Minneapolis, MN Team USA Minnesota 2:19:21 38 88 Eric Post 28 Centreville, VA 2:19:25 39 77 Matthew Folk 31 Canfield, OH Team Good River 2:19:47 40 41 James Lander 28 La Habra, CA 2:20:09 41 108 Michael Cox 32 Princeton, WV 2:20:12 42 95 Greg Costello 26 Chicago, IL Nike Central Elite Racing Team 2:20:28 43 18 Luke Humphrey 26 Rochester, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:20:34 44 43 John Lucas 27 Eugene, OR Team XO 2:20:48 45 103 John Service 27 San Jose, CA Asics Aggie Running Club 2:21:12 46 123 Adam Tribble 27 Fayetteville, AR 2:21:21 47 89 Todd Snyder 30 Shelby Township, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:21:30 48 26 Nick Schuetze 25 Portland, OR Team XO 2:21:36 49 121 Alan Horton 27 Knoxville, TN 2:22:03 50 90 James Nielsen 28 Palo Alto, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:22:11 51 100 Robert Cannon 24 Toms River, NJ 2:22:23 52 117 Daniel Ellis 24 Birmingham, AL 2:22:26 53 36 Paul Petersen 28 Logan, UT 2:22:34 54 39 Steve Meinelt 24 Winchester, MA 2:22:40 55 83 Christopher Zieman 35 Chapel Hill, NC West Valley Track Club Inc. 2:23:04 56 50 Justin Young 28 Superior, CO 2:23:06 57 116 Nathan Wadsworth 25 Andover, KS Kansas City Smoke 2:23:08 58 124 Konrad Knutsen 31 Carmichael, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:23:31 59 51 Steven Moreno 30 Oakland, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:23:34 60 35 Ryan Meissen 29 Mukwonago, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team 2:23:38 61 82 Terrance Shea 33 Cambridge, MA Boston Athletic Association 2:23:44 62 66 Matt Levassiur 26 Alamosa, CO 2:23:58 63 75 Zachary Schendel 29 Minneapolis, MN Team Ortho 2:24:10 64 70 Aaron Sharp 27 Port Hueneme, CA Nike Team Run LA 2:24:15 65 72 Corey Stelljes 26 Madison, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team 2:24:19 66 133 David Williams 36 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team 2:24:57 67 37 Cecil Franke 39 Dublin, IN 2:25:01 68 94 Eric Heins 30 Cape Girardeau, MO Kansas City Smoke 2:25:01 69 122 James McGown 33 Sidney, NE Team Nebraska Brooks 2:25:10 70 64 Marzuki Stevens 33 San Francisco, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:25:18 71 56 Lance Parker 26 Austin, TX 2:25:32 72 57 Jason Delaney 27 Golden, CO Boulder Running Company/adidas 2:25:57 73 33 Michael McKeeman 31 Ardmore, PA 2:26:15 74 67 Andy Martin 32 Los Osos, CA Asics Aggie Running Club 2:26:23 75 63 Trent Briney 29 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:26:29 76 93 Thomas Kutter 27 Loganville, GA Atlanta Track Club 2:26:34 77 104 Edward Baker 28 Palo Alto, CA 2:26:37 78 76 Nick Stanko 26 Haslett, MI 2:27:23 79 84 Chris Wehrman 31 Chicago, IL Nike Central Elite Racing Team 2:27:33 80 12 James Jurcevich 31 Columbus, OH Columbus Running Company 2:27:33 81 96 Thomas Greenless 25 Walnut Creek, CA 2:27:44 82 86 Pete Gilman 32 Rochester, MN Gear Running Store 2:28:09 83 19 Casey Moulton 25 Pelham, NH Greater Lowell Road Runners 2:28:29 84 114 Matthew Byrne 32 Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia Runner Track Club / PUMA 2:28:40 85 106 Danny Mackey 27 Portland, OR 2:28:45 86 115 Brad Poore 29 Davis, CA West Valley Track Club Inc. 2:29:14 87 74 Karl Dusen 25 New York, NY 2:29:31 88 54 David Danley 27 Roosevelt, UT 2:29:32 89 111 Christopher Banks 29 Albuquerque, NM 2:30:22 90 44 Sean Sundwall 34 Snoqualmie, WA Club Northwest 2:30:41 91 79 Jeff Jonaitis 26 Tinley Park, IL Universal Sole-Reebok 2:30:45 92 105 Michael Wardian 33 Arlington, VA Pacers/Brooks 2:30:54 93 73 Marc Jeuland 28 Carrboro, NC Carrboro Athletics Club 2:31:31 94 91 Kyle Baker 31 Grand Rapids, MI 2:31:37 95 80 Donnie Franzen 28 Chicago, IL Fleet Feet -Nike Racing Team 2:31:53 96 55 Jason Ryf 36 Oshksoh, WI 2:32:26 97 113 Jonathan Little 26 Kansas City, KS Kansas City Smoke 2:33:03 98 29 Martin Rosendahl 29 Rochester, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:33:58 99 81 Nicholas McCombs 26 Toquerville, UT 2:34:56 100 78 Ben Rosario 27 St. Louis, MO Big River Running Company 2:36:09 101 69 Justin Patananan 27 Palmdale, CA Nike Team Run LA 2:38:36 102 71 Antonio Arce 30 Santa Clarita, CA 2:39:20 103 119 Steven Frisone 36 Placentia, CA 2:39:32 104 101 Thomas McGlynn 35 Burlingame, CA 2:42:41 -- 131 Matthew Downin 30 Madison, WI New Balance DNF -- 112 Logan Fielding 25 Ogden, UT DNF -- 3 Abdi Abdirahman 28 Tucson, AZ DNF -- 8 Mbarak Hussein 42 Albuquerque, NM DNF -- 130 Edwardo Torres 27 Boulder, CO Reebok DNF -- 68 David Gramlich 25 North Canton, OH DNF -- 17 Brandon Leslie 31 Albuquerque, NM DNF -- 107 Zachary Freudenburg 29 St. Louis, MO DNF -- 118 Michael Heidt 24 Shoreline, WA Club Northwest DNF -- 25 Hobie Call 30 Toquerville, UT DNF -- 62 Matthew Hooley 25 Madison, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team DNF -- 97 Garick Hill 26 Winston-Salem, NC Twin City Track Club DNF -- 85 Josh Cox 32 Laguna Beach, CA DNF -- 7 Peter Gilmore 30 San Mateo, CA DNF -- 6 Alan Culpepper 35 Lafayette, CO DNF -- 40 Chris Graff 32 Crofton, MD DNF -- 48 Carlos Carballo 25 Cathedral City, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team DNF -- 59 Michael Smith 27 Flagstaff, AZ Team Altius DNF -- 45 David Ernsberger 25 Mt. Pleasant, MI DNF -- 98 Nathanael Usher 24 Lansing, MI Front Line Racing Team DNF -- 120 Edward Callinan 33 Haddonfield, NJ Philadelphia Runner Track Club / PUMA DNF -- 10 Simon Sawe 33 Santa Fe, NM DNF -- 129 Westly Keating 25 Edinburg, TX DNF -- 16 Kyle O'Brien 27 Shelby Twp, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project DNF -- 61 Dan Kahn 28 Durham, NC DNF -- 110 Sage Canaday 21 Sheridan, OR Cornell University DNF -- 30 Chris Seaton 28 Raleigh, NC DNF -- 134 Gene Mitchell 40 Franklin Lakes, NJ The Running Company DNF -- 60 Andrew Cook 26 Denton, TX DNF -- 13 Ryan Shay 28 Flagstaff, AZ

Their jubilation was soon replaced by sadness when it was announced that Ryan Shay, 28, had died. Shay, a 2002 Notre Dame graduate running in his second U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, collapsed just 30-minutes into the race, and was taken by ambulance to Lenox Hill Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:46 a.m.

"Today was a dream come true for me," Hall said. "I've been dreaming about this moment for 10 years. But as great as the moment is, my heart and my thoughts are with Ryan Shay and his family."

Shay's father, Joe, told the Associated Press that his son was first diagnosed with a larger than normal heart at age 14, was cleared for running this spring by doctors, but was told he might have need a pacemaker when he is older.

After Shay was in a car accident as a 16-year-old, Joe Shay said doctors re-evaluated Ryan's heart and determined it had gotten even larger. Each time, he said, they believed it was because Ryan was a runner.

"But he never complained about it," Joe Shay said.

Shay collapsed near the boathouse at the East Side of Central Park, a popular Manhattan tourist spot. It was on the second lap near East 75^th St, about 5 1/2 miles into the race. At the 5k mark (3.1 miles), he was in 21st place, part of a large pack between 16:44 and 17:02.

"I got a call that Ryan had fallen down ... then I got another
call that his heart had stopped," said Joe Shay, who received the call while driving to Michigan's state cross country competition.

"We have absolutely tragic news confirmed that Ryan Shay passed away today," Mary Wittenberg, CEO of the New York Road Runners Club said. "We ask you to join us in extending our very deepest condolences to Alicia, to Ryan's family and the Notre Dame running community. It's certainly not the way we expected any part of the race to go."

According to Runner’s Gazette photographer Clay Shaw, who was nearby, emergency medical personnel responded swiftly, using a defibrillator to try to revive him.

"He just hit the ground," Shaw said.

Wittenberg said Shay received immediate medical attention.

"There were several layers of medical response," she said. "It was very quick."

A recreational runner died during last month's Chicago Marathon. This death, however, was especially startling considering Shay was an elite athlete.

USA Track and Field CEO Craig Masback called Shay's death a "tremendous loss for the sport"

"We all are devastated over Ryan's death," he said. "He was a tremendous champion who was here today to pursue his dreams. We are heartbroken."

Shay was born May 4, 1979, in Ann Arbor, Mich., the fifth of eight children in a running family. His parents are the cross country and track coaches at Michigan's Central Lake High School.

Shay won the 2001 NCAA 10,000m title at Notre Dame, the first national individual title won at the school. He was a favorite going into the 2004 trials but was hampered by a hamstring strain and finished 23rd. He was the 2003 U.S. marathon champion and was third at this year's U.S. 25K championships. He also won the U.S. half marathon in 2003 and 2004, and took the 2004 U.S. 20K road racing title, making him a four-time national champion.

It was in New York two years ago while watching the marathon that Shay met his future wife, Alicia Craig, also an elite distance runner. Alicia was a two-time NCAA champion and the collegiate 10,000-meter record-holder during her days at Stanford, and was hoping to make it to Beijing in the women's 10,000m.

Shay and Craig were married on July 7. Sara Hall, Ryan Hall's wife, was a college teammate at Stanford with Craig and was a bridesmaid in their wedding.

"He had an incredible ability to push himself to the limit," Sara Hall said of Shay, with whom she and her husband used to train.

"It's a big loss for the running community," said 2004 women's marathon Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor, who once trained with Shay. "It's a day we should be celebrating. It has cast a pall. The distance running community is very close."

"If you probably asked him if there was any way he wanted to go, it was out on the race course," said Terrence Mahon, who coached Shay in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

Abdi Abdirahman, who dropped out of the marathon because of injury, trained with Shay for the past 3 1/2 months in Flagstaff, Arizona.

"I'm speechless. I still don't believe it," he said. "I probably was the last person to talk to him. We ate breakfast together, we ate lunch together, went to bed at the same time."

Shay had high hopes entering these Trials. In 2004, he ran a personal best of 2:14:08 while finishing ninth at the ING New York City Marathon, and was looking forward to running in blustery conditions.

"The heat and I do not get along," Shay said. "Now if it’s cold that day, then that works to my benefit. I know a lot of runners who don’t like the cold, but I love the cold. Hopefully, the weather will be beneficial. If it’s weather that I can run well in, 2:11 or 2:12 is not out of my range."

Hall, 25, had no problem getting under that time range. Hall broke away from the leading pack of five runners with a 4:32 18th mile, believed to be the fastest ever run in Central Park. Hall continued to run sub-five minute splits the remainder of the race. He looked relaxed and fresh the entire race, pumping his fists, high-fiving spectators, and bellowing as he drew closer to the finish.

"I'm just thrilled with the day the Lord gave me and thrilled to be part of this Olympic team," Hall said. "I was thinking about the Olympics when I was out there on that last lap and the fitness it will take. The last mile, I knew I was going to be OK. I know I can run considerably faster. There's definitely more gears in there. I'll get to test those in Beijing."

When Hall made his move, none of the other five runners was able to go with him. Although he couldn't keep Hall's blistering pace, Ritzenhein was able to separate himself from the remaining runners over the final eight miles, building a 30-second lead over the third-place contenders.

"My hat's off to Ryan," Ritzenhein said. "That time is amazing on this course."

Sell was unable to keep up with the race leaders early in the race and it appeared his hopes of making the Olympic team were slim. But Sell, who said before the race that he would quit competitive distance running if he did not qualify for Beijing, surged passed Daniel Brown with about six miles to go to punch his Olympic ticket.

"The original plan was to let the field determine the pace for the first couple of miles," Sell said. "When we were out in 11 flat for two miles, I knew I Had to keep it honest to have a chance at all. Honestly, I was trying to run around 5 flat [per mile]. I didn't have too many miles above 5 flat. That tells you how fast these guys were up front. I was just fortunate to pick up the carnage from (Hall and Ritzenhein)."

Khalid Khannouchi, the 35-year-old former world-record-holder who has never made an Olympic team, finished fourth in 2:12:34, nearly a minute behind Sell. Khannouchi, who has battled injuries, could still earn a spot on the squad if Ritzenhein later qualifies in the 10,000 meters and chooses to compete in that race instead in Beijing.

Meb Keflezighi, who won silver at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, was in contention for the third and final qualifying spot for more than half of the race, but faded late and finished eighth in 2:15:09.

"It was rough," Keflezighi said. "I would like to have made the team. At about 1:19, both of my calves cramped up. My breathing was great, but I couldn't go on."

Alan Culpepper, the 2004 Olympic Trials marathon winner, was forced to pull out of the race with cramping in both hamstrings.

"Within the first four miles, both of my hamstrings had the same sensation I usually get with 4 miles to go," Culpepper said. "I was baffled. I kept trying to work through it, but I just never felt right."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.