How to Watch the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials: Streaming Guide

In the women’s race, the first three across the line who have run under the Olympic standard of 2:29:30 will lock up their spots. The men’s race, however, is a bit more complicated. The top two finishers will be safe if they’ve run under 2:11:30 within the 15-month qualifying window, but third place isn’t guaranteed to make it—yet. (It’s confusing, but we examine the qualification scenarios here.)

th, 2:31:35, 2023 World Championships marathon

Regardless of hypotheticals, the Trials will be must-watch TV. The qualifying standards for the race—2:18:00 for men and 2:37:00 for women—are quicker than the 2020 Trials in Atlanta, and the relative lack of hills should make it a fast race … if the weather cooperates.

February in Orlando can be warm. Last year, it was 74 degrees at 10 a.m. on February 3, although the temperature dropped to the low 60s by 12:30 p.m. Some athletes have voiced concerns about holding the race mid-day, and the original start time of 12 p.m. was moved to 10 a.m. ET.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Trials. And make sure to check back on race day: Runner’s World will be on the ground covering all the action.

How to Watch the Olympic Marathon Trials

When: The men’s race will start at 10:10 a.m. ET, and the women’s race will follow at 10:20 a.m. ET. The first finishers are expected to come in around 12:15 p.m. ET.

Broadcast info: Peacock will live-stream the race from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. NBC will also broadcast the event on a tape delay from 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. (A Peacock subscription is $5.99 a month. You can sign up here.)

DNF, 2023 Berlin

With only two spots for the Olympic Marathon unlocked thus far, the battle for the top two should be fierce.

To recap, at the 2020 Trials, Galen Rupp ran away from the field to make his fourth Olympic team, followed by Jake Riley and Abdi Abdirahman. But since then, a new contingent of men have emerged in recent years, led by BYU alumni Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who have the quickest seed times coming into the race.

Either way, this event is wide open. Here’s who we think has a good shot of making it to Paris.

first, 2021 California International Marathon; semifinalist in 1500, 2017 World Championships

This class of American marathoners is deep. Thirteen women have run under the Olympic standard compared to just two men.

The top returner from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is Molly Seidel, DNF, 2023 Berlin Instagram that she would not start the race due to a knee injury.

Aliphine Tuliamuk, who won the 2020 Trials, is back, but Sally Kipyego (3rd place) won’t line up this time as well. Emma Bates, a 2:22 marathoner, would have been one of the favorites, but she withdrew in January due to injuries.

Despite some injury woes, the women’s race should still be exciting and unpredictable.

Emily Sisson enters the race with the American record, which she set at the 2022 Chicago Marathon in 2:18:29. But expect the likes of Keira D’Amato (former American record holder), Betsy Saina (2016 Olympian), and Sara Hall (2020 London Marathon runner-up) to be right there in the mix.

Course Preview

Unlike Atlanta four years ago, the Trials course in Orlando is very flat. (Think: a net elevation similar to the Chicago or London Marathon.) The race starts with a 2.2-mile loop through Orlando’s downtown district, then the rest of the race is on an 8-mile loop that runners will navigate three times.

United States Olympic Team

Much of the 8-mile section consists of long straightaways parallel to highway 408. There are a few slight hills—near the Greenwood Urban Wetlands and Lake Olive—but the course should be fast if it’s not too hot or humid.

The Trials will be very spectator-friendly. There are official viewing zones at the start line, finish line, Seneff Arts Plaza, and City Hall Plaza, but the race organizers have built in a series of pedestrian crossings throughout the rest of the course that fans can access. You can find more spectating info here.