Wowl... wrote:
As someone who has certified courses, this irks me terribly.
USATF requires extra distance for the length of the course, and point to point tangents.
NO ONE RUNS POINT TO POINT TANGENTS.
NO ONE. It is physically impossible to run the kind of tangents that are measured.
I can guarantee that Lagat ran further than 5,000m. Probably closer to 5030m. Minimum.
That's not really the point. By the same reasoning, the previous (current) record holder ran even further, because he ran the certified course which was marked properly on his race day. Records are supposed to compare apples to apples.
A mistake in marking was made and, as I read the explanation, the mistake was enough to chew up the extra distance allotment (5 meters) plus make the course short by 4 meters. Nine meters total of error compared to how the course was certified.
Too bad but the RD did the right thing when he saw the mistake on the video. Lagat still got his cash bonus so that was some consolation.
And no truth to the rumor that Marc Davis moved the cone.
Just kidding!