Olympic Heartbreak, Marathon Style

Even though the Olympics officially got underway Friday with the opening ceremonies, the first track and field events don't begin until this Friday (August 3rd). Nevertheless, there's still been plenty of drama in the world of running, mainly in the women's marathon.

Over the weekend two stars purportedly dropped out of the race, Britain's Paula Radcliffe and our very own Desi Davila. While sources now report that Desi is still in, Paula's withdrawal has been confirmed. The final days before any marathon are obviously stressful--you put in month's of effort only to have it come down to one day, but in the Olympics the stakes are obviously much higher.

Unlike races that happen every year, the Olympic marathon happens only once every 4 years and even the world's best racers risk not getting in to their preferred event. I really hope Desi makes it to the start but at least she (theoretically) will have another shot at Olympic glory. Unfortunately, at 38, Paula Radcliffe's days of dominating the sport are over and her chance to dominate the podium in the city where she set her world record has been dashed.

If things are this exciting now, just wait until the actual events begin!