Yeah, it changes the dynamics of the race because he is such a big-time marathoner. And I definitely think it opens up a spot because someone of his caliber, even if he were coming in at 75 percent, would be a 2:10-type runner.

Well, I think for those of us that are in it, as we make our profession this way, we're not probably as surprised as some other people are, honestly.

Look, we have that problem solved, because there are only three of them in the Olympics. We got 187 of them out of the way for you.

The Olympic Games tends to be a little more of a coming together of all the nations, so it's different. I really can't imagine a bad reaction. If it was going to be bad [in Athens], it would have been bad in Paris [at the World Championships] with all that went on last year with France. The reception was fine. Just pretty much like all the others we've gotten in other places.

Our sport needs spectator friendly and all the help it can get on that side. That adds to the allure of the race. And just from the mental side it helps you stay focused better knowing you do these loops and you're not just off on the course out in the middle of nowhere.

There was a moment there when we were getting concerned,