Grand Slam Track Philadelphia's compressed schedule is a compromise that won't skimp on quality

First let's spare a thought for the losers in Grand Slam Track's decision to squeeze this weekend's Philadelphia event, originally slated to take place over three days, into two afternoons.

You have to feel for everybody who already bought tickets for day one, eager to watch some high-stakes races under Franklin Field's Friday Night Lights, as well as the homebodies who had planned a weekend evening around a Grand Slam Track broadcast. If you're in Philly, maybe take the opportunity to hike to a cheesesteak spot the locals trust, or run the Rocky Stairs like a true tourist. I'll probably use those hours to get a belated start on my summer vegetable garden.

I also empathize with the hardcore track nerds who had budgeted nine hours for watching professional track this weekend. They can use that unexpected time surplus to connect with friends and family, or focus on the NCAA regionals, which are also underway this weekend. Choose wisely, track fans.

The decision, as we'll discuss later, will save your favourite distance runners some physical wear and tear, while their bank accounts will also suffer some damage. But it's also a sensible compromise, and we can categorize the slimmed-down event as one of the growing pains a brand new league will inevitably suffer.

For all the early-season hiccups, the first two GST events have also delivered some unambiguous victories. High-stakes pro races in the spring used to be rare in track and field; now we can plug them into our calendars. Grand Slam Track has prompted the elusive Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to race consistently, and allowed young stars like Melissa Jefferson-Wooden to grab the early season spotlight.

TRACKSIDE | How will McLaughlin-Levrone fare in short hurdles at GST