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

I think that section of the full marathon course wasn't closed to traffic yet because that section was near the end of the marathon and the first marathoners would've been an hour or so away. The city likely wanted streets to be kept open for traffic as long as possible, and from the ATC explanation, it sounds like even the cones at the intersection of the wrong turn were only going to be moved a few minutes before the first (male or wheelchair?) competitors in the USATF halfs arrived. When the accident happened and the officer left the intersection, those cones weren't moved.

What isn't clear to me is whether the police motorcycle that the lead vehicles followed in turning was just a random police officer responding to the report of the officer down or whether it was one of the lead vehicles responding instead of staying with the other lead vehicles.

My understanding was that the cones were stacked near that intersection, but not yet set up at the time this happened. The road was open until shortly before the runners were to cross there and the officer there was supposed to set up the cones at the time the road was closed to traffic. This never happened due to the cop assigned to that corner going to help the injured cop during the time the cones should have been set up and the substitute cop at the corner not knowing anything about the race details. As soon as the original corner worker cop returned, the cones were set and course was corrected which is why only 4 athletes were directed the wrong way.

A great take and really well written.

So, basically the opposite of Grand Slam Track. Instead of all the runners getting half their prize money, the top finishers split up nearly twice the prize money ?

Yes, this is still my question as well. So the lead vehicle isn't the true lead vehicle since it's following a leading police escort/motorcycle. Okay, that's fine, makes sense, you need police to "pave the way". But then we're relying on a random police officer to know the course as well? What if the emergency never occurred and the leading police motorcycle simply made a wrong turn...would the lead car ignore then and go the correct way?

Because it wasn't an active shooter? These things can easily be communicated by dispatch. Either the officer himself radioed it in or another officer nearby.

When they call signal 13, or whatever the Atlanta code for officer down is, the details aren't shared because they aren't known. Closest officers are supposed to go there. So that was training. Don't think it was the cop's fault. But I still wonder how a car ended up on a closed marathon course.

But how does any of that explain why the male athletes were NOT diverted in the wrong direction? On the published timeline, they also arrive at the intersection when it is in this supposed limbo phase.

Also, is not possible to communicate with the lead car by phone/radio?

The Mercer article? It's absolute tripe - apologism written by an active member of the ATC.

Just reciting platitudes about learning and space. No analysis of what actually happened or who was responsible. No analysis of the failure of officials to step up and explain themselves (or even now to provide basic information like who was in the lead car). No analysis of the shambles at the finish where athletes were left to try to explain while officials were in hiding and the broadcasters were going full Pravda.

Embarrassing for that to be published as though it were professional journalism.

There's no other way to phrase this than to say that the above is simply naive and/or stupid. In a 13 mile race there's no way a runner is going to have memorized the entirety of the course.....particularly when that course is altered. The moving of the cones which would have indicated a straight path across the footbridge is an altered course.

If the officer was responsible for the cones my question is why? Why wouldn't an ATC volunteer or rep be responsible for the course marking? Is there some sort of traffic control reason it has to be APD?

but... there should be footage of the male lead car making the same turn. the car was supposed to turn. what failed was no one told the runners not to turn. and oddly the people in the car, who knew they were not to drive over the pedestrian walk, did not look back to make sure they weren't followed when they left the course. as they were supposed to leave the course. or did the males have no car. or did the males car drive over the pedestrian path. check for footage related to lead males.. also the media motorcycle goes over the pedestrian path filming the women. and likely a lead motor cycle was not supposed to turn.... but the failure was in the lack of signalling to the runners to go straight. the cones were left open for the lead car to leave the path. that was right. what was missing was the signal for the runners to quit following the lead car... and it likely should have been part of a pre race talk to the runners that- hey, near the end, the car will leave the course. and you will then be following a bike or a motorcycle .... shouldnt have been primarily a cops job to signal the runners to take the pedestrian path. that is the job of etc etc etc

The obvious solution of putting the three who ran off and would highly likely have been top 3 makes sense to us and in this specific case but USATF has to be careful in not following the guidelines for selection for the WRRC. If they select the 3 affected runners there is some risk of precedent being set for some other future event. Grant Fisher is 300m ahead of the field in an OT 10,000m and is run into by an unsuspecting shot putter crossing the track and ends up staggering home 10th. Is he now moved to the winners circle amidst all of the legal challenges that might face?

In general....what I'm saying is the decision needs to be carefully thought out long term and not just applicable to this situation. To me, rankings appears to be the most bullet proof. If that is going to be the answer, then this probably should be made public as soon as possible so that those affected can maybe advance their ranking between now and May 5th which is the date I think is the deadline for them to choose the team.

JONATHAN GAULT, why are you reporting that they ran an extra 1000 metres?

It was more like 800m.

At the 5:20 per mile or 3:20/km race pace they were running, that would be
~800 meters extra.

They were NOT running at 2:40/km. That would be 4:18 per mile.

Should be easy to verify on Strava.

It is not surprise at all that it was a COP who led them off the course.

Police motorcycle, then pace car, then camera motorcycle, then runners.

Emma Grace Hurley's Strava post for the race confirms the distance and pace I described above for the mis-direction.

strava.com

Morning Run | Strava

View Emma Grace Hurley's run on March 1, 2026 | Strava

Open link

~800m, not ~1000m.

The only possible ambiguity I can think of in this situation that is worth any amount of deliberation is what happens if they give the spots to these 3 (as they should) and one of them gets injured or later declines. What is the order after that? The correct answer would be either Molly Born or Carrie Ellwood, but it's less clear which since Ellwood also made the wrong turn.

If USATF forces these two to "give up their spot" instead of recognizing that the rightful spots should go to the group of three, then how would you later justify giving a declined position to either Born or Ellwood?

USATF should require painting the blue line for all championship road races going forward. Relying on one or two people (especially a cop and not a race organizer) to know the course is idiotic. Even when the lead vehicle doesn't screw up, not having the stripe makes it harder on people who get gapped and don't have anyone to follow

Seems to me they should shorten the race to the point where the leaders were led off course. Like the tour de france, last 3k, everyone finishes the same or LPGA - rain out on the last day, leader wins. I know they say, the rules state it is up to the runner but there was clearly chos on the course with cones and the lead vehicle. Only fair thing to do since it was the last mile is end the race there. Also, does anyone know if Grace Hartman started?