Selection Procedures

Team size: 5 men, plus 1 alternate; 5 women, plus 1 alternate

Men's automatic selections: Two (2) positions will be offered (based on rank order of finish) among the top 5 finishers at the USA Half Marathon Championship; one (1) position will be offered (based on rank order of finish) among the top 3 finishers at the USA 25 km Championships; and one (1) positions will be offered (based on rank order of finish) among the top 3 finishers at the USA 20 km Championships; final position(s) will be offered based on a list of performances from January 1, 2009 through September 7, 2009.

Men's at-large selections: If position(s) remain unfilled, performance list(s) will be used with consideration of 20 km, half marathon, and 25 km times from January 1, 2009 through September 7, 2009.

Consideration for selection will be given to athletes who finish in the top ten in the USA Half Marathon Championships in January 2009, or USA 25 km Championships in May, and USA 20 km Championships in September, providing (a) that performance is sub 1:04:00, for a half marathon, or equivalent per the Mercier Scoring Tables, and (b) the athletes demonstrates fitness between August 1 and September 7 2009 by a performance at a distance between 10 km and half marathon which is below 1:04:00 or equivalent per the Mercier Scoring Tables

Women's automatic selections: Two (2) positions will be offered (based on rank order of finish) among the top 5 finishers at USA Half Marathon Championship; two (2) positions will be offered (based on rank order of finish) among the top 10 finishers at the USA 20 km Championships.

Women's at-large selections: If position(s) remain unfilled, performance list(s) will be used with consideration of 15 km - 25 km times from September 1, 2008 through September 7, 2009.