Runner on pace to win Marathon but DNF's b/c hobby joggers drank all the effing gatorade!

Full article below:

Just a few hundred meters from the finish line, Rochester-based marathoner Kiplangat "Kip" Tisia hit the wall — and the pavement.

Tisia, 26, on Sunday was leading the pack and on pace to break a course record at the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon in British Columbia, Canada, when he first slowed to a jog near the end of the 26.2 mile road race. After walking for several minutes on cramped legs, Tisia collapsed just 300 meters shy of the finish line.

He crawled forward, bloodying his palms and knees until medics pulled Tisia from the course. Instead of breaking the tape at the finish, Tisia was wheeled across in a stretcher.

"I just wanted to get through," he said Tuesday. "I wanted to finish. I didn't want to stop. People were begging me to get up, but I couldn't."

Tisia, who last month won the MVP Health Care Rochester Marathon, ultimately did not finish the race in a field of 1,200 runners. After Tisia fell, 2014 marathon winner Daniel Kipkoech successfully defended his title, finishing in 2:25:40.

Tisia's determination has reached many in a video of his final steps, which thousands of views and shares on Facebook as of Tuesday morning. The video shows a pacer on a bicycle repeatedly encouraging Tisia as he pushed forward on cramped legs, and even as Tisia fell to the ground. The minute-long video ends before Tisia was removed from the course.

Born and raised in Kenya, Tisia is a professional runner who has been king of Rochester's roads for the last three years. His five-year plan includes qualifying to race the marathon in the 2020 Olympics as an American citizen. His fastest marathon stands at 2:15:59, and his most recent, in Rochester, was 2:33:19.

Victoria Marathon officials said Tisia was on pace to set a new course record, which was 2:13:42 and was set two years earlier. Tisia's splits had him on a blazing 2:12 marathon pace, which would've surpassed Tisia's personal best time by several minutes. Race officials said Tisia completed the first 13.1 miles in 1:06 and reached the 32 kilometer (20 mile) checkpoint.

"All I had to do was hit the homestretch and go for it," Tisia said. "That last 10K was the easiest part of the race; it was all downhill. I just needed to get it back home."

Tisia said he gave it his all, but with less than two miles to go, "everything fell apart."

He was well-trained and didn't feel he set out too fast. But Tisia said he felt the course was not stocked with enough fuel to support all athletes. Several early aid stations offered energy drinks, which is necessary for athletes to replace electrolytes expended during the race. But Tisia said he was unable to find any needed energy drinks or gels at aid stations on the second half of the course, perhaps because provided fuel was consumed by more than 3,200 half-marathoners who raced before the marathoners on Sunday morning.

"They had water and water is OK, but I needed more than water," Tisia said. "I needed something to supplement the electrolytes I lost while racing. I was begging my pacer to help me find gels. He'd ride ahead (to the aid stops) and look but couldn't find anything. He was disappointed, too, and was trying to help me."

Tisia pushed forward, but the lack of fuel caught up with him.

Tisia said he is feeling much better and will continue to recover. He also said he appreciated how many Rochester area runners reached out after hearing what happened.

"I'm OK," he said. "I'll be OK. I was going for it and gave it my all."

That's his own fault. He should have carried a gel. Not the race's fault he's inefficient. I never drink more than water in marathons.

Next RDs will be expected to host big meals after races... Oh wait..!

I agree. Half marathon doesn't even require aid.

Any one else tired of all these half marathons at the same time as marathons. What are you gonna do? It's all about the money.

Thirtysomething The Show wrote:

That's his own fault. He should have carried a gel. Not the race's fault he's inefficient. I never drink more than water in marathons.

Next RDs will be expected to host big meals after races... Oh wait..!

Knew it was coming!

Yes, we heard your viewpoint in the CIM thread about non-caloried drinks

Hey, does CIM have a half marathon merging at the end?

0/10.

Everyone knows hobby joggers carry their own gatorade in plush fuel belts.

He would have been DQed anyway if his bike pacer was delivering supplies to him. Dude needs to carry a couple of his own damned gels.

Thirtysomething The Show wrote:

That's his own fault. He should have carried a gel. Not the race's fault he's inefficient. I never drink more than water in marathons.

You've also never run 2:12. Or probably even under 2:30 for that matter.

Just because you're capable of completing a marathon without taking carbohydrates doesn't mean it's conducive to optimal performance.

Can anyone explain why this runner had a bike pacer? Isn't that grounds for disqualification?

Probably just the lead biker. Also, it never said that the biker was handing him gels or drinks, just that he was going ahead to check if the aid stations had any left.And to the people saying he should carry his own gels, he is trying to run 2:12, not BQ.

Bill Walker wrote:

Can anyone explain why this runner had a bike pacer? Isn't that grounds for disqualification?

Johnson and Johnson wrote:

He would have been DQed anyway if his bike pacer was delivering supplies to him. Dude needs to carry a couple of his own damned gels.

His pacer wasn't going to deliver gels on the course, the pacer was trying to ensure a gel would be available for him at the aid station.

elites don't carry fuel Dick. what a bush league beer league race

Would it really slow them down to have a couple of gels pinned to their shorts? It's like they don't want to admit that they take them.

Bill Walker wrote:

Can anyone explain why this runner had a bike pacer? Isn't that grounds for disqualification?

The cyclist was the official race marshall, always rides ahead of the leader.

Glad you posted this about the recent GLFM, which is becoming more and more of a gala show rather than a serious running event - not that I have anything against rec. runners, etc. It's good they are getting out there.

True there should have been more of an effort to have the essential sports drinks Tisia needed. Though it's debatable whether that was the reason he bonked last few 800 m from finishing. Anyhow I wanted to say I was there at 15 km, 1/2 marathon point (split would have placed him 2nd. in the GL 1/2 mar. race itself) & at 20 mile point where he still looked strong and was still on CR. It certainly was gutting for me to see the state Tisia was in and having to be carted off the road, past the finish line on a gurney. Too bad there were the barricades along the last 400 m or so. It was 200 m from the finish line Tisia went down in a heap and there was no choice but to wheel him through the finish chute.

All I can say Tisia had guts to make the attempt, never mind the naysayers who will always go after someone who fails in trying to succeed in something which they themselves coundn't do.

Update (Oct. 19, 2015): A spokesperson for the GoodLife Victoria Marathon has indicated that there was indeed adequate electrolyte drink and gels and waffles on the course at the eight designated aid stations. Tisia also acknowledges that he was offered but did not set up elite bottles before the race; something that he says he will certainly do in future races.

ekw wrote:

Update (Oct. 19, 2015): A spokesperson for the GoodLife Victoria Marathon has indicated that there was indeed adequate electrolyte drink and gels and waffles on the course at the eight designated aid stations. Tisia also acknowledges that he was offered but did not set up elite bottles before the race; something that he says he will certainly do in future races.

Waffles? Hope they had adequate porta potties.

ekw wrote:

Update (Oct. 19, 2015): A spokesperson for the GoodLife Victoria Marathon has indicated that there was indeed adequate electrolyte drink and gels and waffles on the course at the eight designated aid stations. Tisia also acknowledges that he was offered but did not set up elite bottles before the race; something that he says he will certainly do in future races.

Something doesn't match here. If there were adequate supplies, why did in that article does it say they ran out? Something is not right here. Please explain. Did they run out and then refill them?

Given that you need times close to, if not less than 2:05, to win a major marathon, how is a guy with a 2:15 PB anything other than a hobby jogger?

Hobby Questioner wrote:

Given that you need times close to, if not less than 2:05, to win a major marathon, how is a guy with a 2:15 PB anything other than a hobby jogger?

Agreed. His most recent race was a 2:33. That just qualifies him to clog up the course at 5kms and break the legs of elite women.