Photo above: Eric Post (28) of Centreville, VA emerged from the pack and placed 38th. Post coaches at Centreville High School, and family members were on the course cheering for him.

Eric Post Raced a Personal Best
Photo: Michael Reneau of Hansons-Brooks Distance Project (red and yellow singlet) is near the front of a large pack near mile 16. Eric Post is visible (blue singlet) above Reneau's shoulder. They both went through the 35K split at 1:55:07. Reneau pulled away and finished 32nd (2:18:51); Post lowered his marathon best by 1:35 and finished in 2:19:25.

Steve Meinelt Hung Tough
First Photo: Former Georgetown University athlete Steve Meinelt (24), who will open the Greater Boston Running Company store in Lexington, MA on November 30, is shown near the 21 mile mark with Corey Stelljes (26) of Wisconsin Runner Racing Team. Stelljes finished 65th in 2:24:19.

Second Photo: Steve Meinelt focused on a running at a sustainable pace (1:09:48 at half), but it was "a long grind right from the start," and he was glad to reach the finish line. Here he charges up the last hill for 54th place (2:22:40). It is early in his professional running career; he placed 11th (48:45) among men in the 2007 Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC and was named a 2007 RRCA Roads Scholar. Look for him at the 2008 Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile.

Steve e-mailed later that he had an emergency appendectomy at the end of August, which gave him only seven weeks of training. Three weeks before the marathon, he saw a 2:22 as beyond his reach, but he pulled himself together, mentally and physically, and was proud of his performance on November 3.

Christopher Banks
Photo: Seen on the right in this photo, Christopher Banks (29) finished in 2:30:41, 89th place. Locally, he won the 2006 CapitalOne 5K to Celebrate Children in Fairfax, VA and the 2005 Germantown 5 Miler (25:17).

Michael Wardian Completed His Second Olympic Trials Marathon
Top photo: Wearing a white cap makes Michael Wardian (33) of Pacers/Brooks easy to spot in a crowd. Near mile 11, his pack had James Carney (29) as its locomotive. Carney of Colorado finished in 14th place (2:16:54).

Second photo: Near mile 16, former MSU Spartan lacrosse player Michael Wardian (navy blue singlet) ran with Adam Tribble (yellow singlet, 46th place), James Nielsen (orange, 50th), Terrance Shea of Boston Athletic Association (61st), and Robert Cannon (51st).

Third photo: Michael Wardian, who attended Oakton High School in Virginia, was on his own near mile 21.

Fourth photo: Another marathon successfully completed in 2:30:54 (1:09:26, half split). On his race, he e-mailed later that he "ran as hard as I could for as long as I could and suffered the last 2 laps (10 miles) but it was such a great experience and I look forward to competing again in 2012."

Matt Downin and Chris Graff Withdrew
First photo: Matt Downin (30, black singlet) with New Balance and training in Madison, WI dropped out after 35K (split 1:52:17). He is seen here near mile 16 with ninth place finisher Josh Rohatinsky (25, yellow; his marathon debut in 2:15:22), and following Californian Peter Gilmore (30). Downin was the top American male (sixth, 48:42) in the 2006 Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile.

Second photo: Chris Graff (32, 7th male 2006 Cherry Blossom) of Arlington, VA was barely spotted (behind the athlete in sunglasses) in a James Carney group near mile 16; he dropped out after 25K (1:21:43).

View Page One with photos of Christopher Raabe and Jacob Frey.

See the NYRR Official Web site for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon

Thank you to the New York Road Runners for providing course access and enabling our coverage of the event, including pre- race teleconferences.