Hunger (for the) Games

The US Olympic marathon trials are, from a very biased perspective, the most exciting running event that exists. Four years of dreams culminate in this cruel, heartbreaking and amazing moment, driven by the lure that if you can land in the top three you might be going to Paris. (For an explanation of the slightly complicated Olympic qualifying rules – and why the bronze medallist in the men's trial, Leonard Korir, isn’t guaranteed a spot – this NBC article is a good place to start.)

The fierce competition creates drama throughout the race; Korir passed two people in the final mile to make his case for joining the team. Or you end up with first-time marathoners like Fiona O'Keeffe simply running away from the field to win the women’s race, blissfully unaware that most people hit a wall.

Then, further back, you have the everyday elites, the people working full-time jobs who get to mix it up with the best in the country. It's a massive celebration, even when the festivities take place in 21°C heat (70°F) and direct sunlight, which creates even more drama.

There are too many stories to tell here, but scroll down to see some of the scenes from an electrifying day.