EUGENE WEATHER

[gh]

and Friday morning dawns gray in Eugene. iPad weather widget says... high of 61 with 80% chance of rain?! Let me try another widget!

[huntinwr]

and Friday morning dawns gray in Eugene. iPad weather widget says... high of 61 with 80% chance of rain?! Let me try another widget!

The 10,000m guys and gals are loving it!

[HopStepJump]

Looks like a nice band of rain is headed here for at least the first half of the day. The poncho will get some use today in Section U. Good preparation for London.

[Marlow]

iPad weather widget says... high of 61 with 80% chance of rain?! Let me try another widget!

No better elsewhere - weather.com says 60 with 70% chance of rain. I didn't pack enough warm clothes!!!

[HopStepJump]

No better elsewhere - weather.com says 60 with 70% chance of rain. I didn't pack enough warm clothes!!!

Same here. I guess that's what the Nike pavillion is for.

[aaronk]

An umbrella (or a hooded raincoat) is like your name in Eugene.
Can't go anywhere without it!!

(P.S. I lived in Eugene from 1987-1998, so I know!!)

[HopStepJump]

No UK beers in the "London Pub". Boo hiss!!!

[donley2]

So with Eaton's amazing start, was it actually raining. Was the track wet?

[trackdug]

It's no wonder why track & field popularity is on the decline in the U.S. They hold the biggest meet of the year in the coldest, rainiest part of the country. What moron came up with the idea of holding the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene? Idiots.

[26mi235]

It's no wonder why track & field popularity is on the decline in the U.S. They hold the biggest meet of the year in the coldest, rainiest part of the country. What moron came up with the idea of holding the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene? Idiots.

Almost everywhere but the southwest has more rainfall than Eugene from June through August. It is also not particularly cold and not particularly hot. Unlike other areas, you usually do not get a system that sets up and sits on top of the state for a week at a time, making for oppressive weather.

[Conor Dary]

It's no wonder why track & field popularity is on the decline in the U.S. They hold the biggest meet of the year in the coldest, rainiest part of the country. What moron came up with the idea of holding the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene? Idiots.

Almost everywhere but the southwest has more rainfall than Eugene from June through August. It is also not particularly cold and not particularly hot. Unlike other areas, you usually do not get a system that sets up and sits on top of the state for a week at a time, making for oppressive weather.

As 26 implies, June in Eugene is generally a wonderful time. Little rain, nice temperatures. Occasionally it is wrong, so what? I don't gh is going to complain.

[onyourmarktf]

OK, this could be bad news/good news.

I'm sitting in a car repair shop in Albany, OR, where I'll be for two more hours.
5-6 hour trip from Seattle is turning into 10.

But:
a. I'll be there in time for the men's and women's 10ks, and
b. I'm dry!

[bushop]

It's no wonder why track & field popularity is on the decline in the U.S. They hold the biggest meet of the year in the coldest, rainiest part of the country. What moron came up with the idea of holding the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene? Idiots.

They should've had them in Florida, the Sunshine State... oh wait, it's raining there too.

[Marlow]

It's no wonder why track & field popularity is on the decline in the U.S. They hold the biggest meet of the year in the coldest, rainiest part of the country. What moron came up with the idea of holding the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene? Idiots.

Other than the southern California coast (and Hawai'i, of course), Big Sur to San Diego, I can't think of a better climate (barring the pollen) for a track meet than here. Every other place has its issues too.

[trackdug]

It's no wonder why track & field popularity is on the decline in the U.S. They hold the biggest meet of the year in the coldest, rainiest part of the country. What moron came up with the idea of holding the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene? Idiots.

Other than the southern California coast (and Hawai'i, of course), Big Sur to San Diego, I can't think of a better climate (barring the pollen) for a track meet than here. Every other place has its issues too.

I doubt any of the sprinters, jumpers or track fans would agree. Nobody likes to sit in the rain and 60-degree weather all day.

[gh]

This fan would rather sit in this than what we had at New Orleans in '92

[26mi235]

It's no wonder why track & field popularity is on the decline in the U.S. They hold the biggest meet of the year in the coldest, rainiest part of the country. What moron came up with the idea of holding the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene? Idiots.

Other than the southern California coast (and Hawai'i, of course), Big Sur to San Diego, I can't think of a better climate (barring the pollen) for a track meet than here. Every other place has its issues too.

I doubt any of the sprinters, jumpers or track fans would agree. Nobody likes to sit in the rain and 60-degree weather all day.

Rain in Oregon means that it is wet and not dry, not that it is raining half an inch an hour. Over the last 72 hours they have had 0.09 inches. True, it is only 60 degrees, but these are big, strong guys with enough muscle mass to keep warm. Not exactly drenching rain for the fans.

[110hedgeNYC]

serious bummer for sprints, hurdles and jumps that weather looks cold and wet. a shame.

1500 and above will be fine - maybe some fast, less tactical, races given the cool conditions.

complete bummer on the weather though for the explosive events. performance standards will be down across the board.

suppose it doesn't matter that much, as it's only about making the team.

[unclezadok]

Typical USA decathlon weather. Of course, when our decathletes finally get somewhere where there is a nice day, it's like nirvana for them.

[110hedgeNYC]

Typical USA decathlon weather. Of course, when our decathletes finally get somewhere where there is a nice day, it's like nirvana for them.

Eaton's performances in 100 and LJ that much more impressive considering the conditions.

Solid from Clay and Hardee in the 100. Nobody in the same hemisphere with Eaton in the LJ though.

Let's hope it warms up a little.

[Conor Dary]

This fan would rather sit in this than what we had at New Orleans in '92

Worse than Indy.

[gh]

This fan would rather sit in this than what we had at New Orleans in '92

After going out and walking about a bit, this fan retracts the above statement. I'd rather not sit in either of those.

[unclezadok]

I wonder if Jamaica would let us have our Trials there.
If you wanted to wreck your Olympic Team, running the Trials in this kind of weather is probably your best bet.

[fourjz]

Bring the OT's back to Sacramento immediately !!! Forget Eugene,and everybody else.

[eman]

Not to diminish in any way Ashton Eaton's amazing performances today, but sometimes a little cool weather is good for all weather tracks. Yesterday it was 85 degrees in Eugene, today the temperature stayed right at 60 degrees with occasional to steady showers which began around noon. The cooling of the track made it harder and a much faster surface. If you look at all the performances in the men's decathalon 100 meter dash you will see that almost everyone neared or surpassed their personal best on a cloudy, cool, rainy day.

Of course to much of a good thing is never beneficial and I would still wish it would go back to the 85 degree temperatures that the hammer throwers enjoyed on Thursday, but sadly it doesn't look like we will get that with the 1st half of the trials.

[HopStepJump]

Well, the wife stuck it out with me for the whole day. We squatted in the west grandstands at the beginning of the meet, but moved into our seats in Section U after the opening ceremonies. I have to say that the downpour during the men's 10k was kind of miserable but also made the race more memorable. Kudos to all of the hearty fans out there. Here's hoping for dry shoes by tomorrow morning.

[bruce3404]

Bring the OT's back to Sacramento immediately !!! Forget Eugene,and everybody else.

Yeah right, those 100 degree days and 50 degree nights were just wonderful, and let's don't forget that you couldn't see the three outside lanes if you were sitting along the homestretch.

[Jackaloupe]

So with Eaton's amazing start, was it actually raining. Was the track wet?

Not yet, nor was the LJ runway, even if it was a bit soggy for the Decathletes waiting for the LJ to start--until the Officials trotted out all those tents that managed to obscure the electronic results boards, as well as the Discus ring.

It was during the SP, on rings that were inexpicably left uncovered prior to the event, that conditions worsened. They did their best to squeejee the HJ apron, but that's too much to keep up with. All jumpers seemed to suffer, esp. the 7-footers. I'd conjecture that Eaton handled it best, only 6 cm below his recent PR.

As for the mainline LJ-ers, there was no excuse for the dearth of 26 ft. jumps, with 25 ft and change being enough to make the Finals. Steps were totally off, with lotsa "chops" and run/hop-thrus. Eaton should be given a pass thru to the LJ Final, so as to emulate Rafer Johnson in making the Oly team in both LJ and DEC (He was close in Hurdles, too.)

[mrbowie]

Standing water in the decathlon high jump and 800 meter heats made for some dangerous maneuvering for some of the athletes.

[DecFan]

52 at 4am in Eugene, with high forecast to be 62, 80% chance of rain, accumulation between 0.1 and 0.25 inches, except more in thunderstorms. Possible breaks of sun in the afternoon, but that could lead to the development of thunderstorms.

[Dogfan]

I certainly have sympathy for athletes and officials that have the meet disrupted due to weather issues. Pole vault cancelled due to rain and will be conducted as a final is truly a disruption. What I have is less sympathy for the double standard of responses to weather disruptions at host sites. Last year at the NCAA's GH and others were ready to scrap Des Moines as a venue for all time due to weather disruptions. Will you apply the same standard to Eugene this year? Of course not. BTW NCAA weather this year was clear and warm. Yesterday in DSM it was 86 for a high and 62 for a low with no rain. I'm not happy there are weather issues in Eugene, but can we can the double standard?

[norwichthree]

Don't grumble about the rain. At least the grass pollen count is down from a hazardous 9.1
on Thurs.

[gh]

yeah, and there's enough residual pollen lying about indoors that even though I'm fully dosed on loratidine I woke up this morning with a head full of liquid. Seems to be a vintage year in that department

[Spickard]

I sat high up in section J for over 6 hours yesterday. I was wearing a $2 plastic bag with a giant O sticker on it. I am a Washington Husky fan, so you can imagine the indignity. And yet I'll be back in the same spot today, miserable and happy all at once.

That said, can we all just shut it about the weather? It sucks that we've had bad luck, but unless you are having the trials indoors, there is basically no place where where there is a 0% chance of issues for the diversity of events. If it's not wind, rain, or heat, it's pollen or lightning or something else. It's OUTDOOR track. No one was freaking out about "let's never go to Helsinki again" when the skies opened up there a few years ago at Worlds. Just enjoy the competition.

[gh]

well said, my friend