2026 USATF Half Marathon Championships - LIVE! CHAOS. Lead women taken off course, McClain loses win and $20k!!!!

ATC's failure to mark the course adequately so that the runners clearly know the route appears to be a violation of USATF Rule 243 section on course marking. Because of ATC's failure in this regard, USATF could rule that the event is disqualified as a the selection event for World Half-Marathon championships, leaving USATF to come up with another race, or ANOTHER METHOD for selecting the team for worlds, such as by committee, which would make McClain, Hurley, and Kurgat eligible for selection.

but there were cones both ways and the intersection wasn't marked

Literally worse announcing in sports history. They just pretend born was leading all along....then blame her for not knowing the course. Then refer to Born as "such a worthy champion". Is this guy on drugs? First of all, dont have cones going anywhere but where they need to go, second of all the lead vehicle should know ONE second after yhe wrong turn to stop and say something. Lead vehicle didnt know the course either. In the annals of "you had one job"....lead vehicle failed

So is it also a rule that if you veer off course, the lead vehicle is to continue taking you minutes off course before letting you know? Why do you think 3 people all went off course? Coincidence?

There was also a marathon this morning, so I’m thinking either the lead cars thought they were leading the marathoners instead, or they knew they had the half, but clearly didnt know the course, and unknowingly turned onto the marathon route?

Sorry if someone beat me to this, but isn't a simple solution to just draw a line the length of the course on the road. They did this in Berlin so the elites know the shortest path. I remember seeing this during Kipchoge's WR attempt.

Think about this... Race promoter has a kid from his town he really likes but knows the kid can't kick with a couple of others in the field. His buddy "volunteers" to drive the lead vehicle/ ride the lead bike. Prior to the finish the race vehicle lead makes a left, instead of right turn. First runner or two follows. Confusion occurs. Local kid "wins" the race. See the problem?

Sure, you cannot remember 13 miles of twists and turns. Put this on ATC because...

What created the situation today is the lack of course marking and marshals. RDs today skimp out and think they can just push yard signs printed with an arrow into the ground, saving a few volunteers. There needs to be an individual at every turn loudly pointing the correct direction AND painted/ chalked huge arrows on the ground.

USATF made the only call as outlined in the book. If y'all don't like it, man up, get involved with your local association, attend the convention to get involved on a national level, and introduce change (but good luck in getting WA to amend its position).

It is NOT the police officers' job to know the course. They are there only to keep people safe (hopefully).

This situation makes me chuckle because earlier this week I received an email stating Rich Kenah will be inducted into the RRCA Hall of Fame on April 11, 2026.

I wonder if we'll ever get the true story behind who was driving that lead car and what they were thinking, including the possibility that they were given bad guidance by race management.

This only “works” if the hometown runner doesn’t follow the car. Are you insinuating someone colluded for EGH to win? Get a life.

NO. NOT AT ALL. I'm saying the rules (first one to cross the line/ re-enter the course at the point of departure) is there to prevent situations like I described.

Imagine a professional basketball game where a referee accidentally blows the whistle and signals mid-play, a timeout that didn't really get called. The defending team stops dead in their tracks, assuming the play is dead, while the offensive player—oblivious or just ignoring it—drives straight to the hoop for an uncontested dunk that wins the game in overtime. The losing team's coach protests, but the league rules it their fault because "players should know the rules and recognize a mistaken whistle."

Unfortunately, the Marathoners run with the halfers through mile 12.5 at this race and it's been that way for a few years. I want to split at mile 7-ish!

No isn't part of the race. I've run hundreds of races, following the lead truck on most of them. The only ones I've known the course are the ones that I've run multiple times. Even so, if the pace truck makes a wrong turn I'm following the truck.

I'd be interested in the purported reason why the mistake?

In all of those big races in Japan the race courses are lined with rabid fans from beginning to end.

The ignorance put forth on this thread is astounding, even by LRC standards.

Unrealistic, but to really make a stand against the ridiculous USATF, I'd love to see the top 3 'official' winners decline their team spot. Then when they selection process continue down further to the 4th and 5th positions, those two ladies also decline their spots.

This leaves the U.S. with no team, but brings this debacle to the forefront to hopefully pressure a rules change from USATF, gets press which makes USATF look bad which further pressure them to revise a rules change, and shows the athletes are sticking together in defiance to USATF.

Because it's ladies, I can see this happening more plausibly than if it were the men. Seems there's more of a 'bond' between the ladies than with the men.

Can this happen? Yes. Will it, unlikely.

Oh my gosh!. Fire the unpaid volunteers, all of them!

Molly Born stated in the above interview that it is the USATF policy to only go back to the 5 place if the top finishers relinquish their spots.

I’ve got an idea, change the policy! Seems like a simple enough solution. Going back to the 9th spot (or 13th) is just as arbitrary as the 5th.

USATF has the ability to make this right, but they probably won’t.

The volunteers have nothing to do with it, love them, they were just handing out the bags. 100+ Marathons/Ultras here. The food was pathetic, no excuses. Publix is the sponsor? Come on. This is an average race on a very challenging course. No chocolate milk this year, first time I haven't seen it in years. Cheap! They overcharge. I can get into The Flying Pig Marathon today for $130 eight weeks out, Atlanta starts about $130 and the Pig kicks it's azz from expo to finish line, bigly. Not even close. ATC dropped the ball again, hopefully the Marathon course wasn't short again..........

Is your subtle humor meter not functioning?