Memorizing the course wouldn't prevent this. How would you know if the course changed?
Yes it is clear that the second-place runner DID know the course - you see her look round in confusion as they take the turn. But what is she meant to do when a SECOND vehicle (not just one as the USATF statement implies) also take that route? Second-guess them and go in a completely different direction to anyone else?
I hope all the women who placed in front of the obvious top 3 will decline their WC spots. The ATC in turn needs to come up with the extra cash to compensate McClain, Hurley and Kurgat. The race for the top 3 spots was over when the trio made the wrong turn. They were not going to be reeled in.
As far posters not liking the current rules consider you're lucky to have a scenario where 1 2 3 are clearly separated from the rest of the field and each other.
The last thing this sport needs is a person or panel making a subjective call.
Who is the single down vote toady on most of the comments? Max? Some USATF flunky?
There is *always* one down-vote on ANYTHING I post, cuz there's a genuine psychopath here who's been stalking my posts for a good five years. This guy has spent *hundreds* of hours of his time on Earth searching for anything I post about anything, so he can down-vote it.
I'm pretty sure it's because I ripped to shreds some incredibly stupid and offensive stuff he posted way back, and completely humiliated him.
There are some true psychotics who spend much of their lives here just to do stuff like that. I'm not sure if it's more sad or scary.
Geez, someone thinks way too highly of himself. You must really care too much about the actions of others or why would you respond like that? Yikes!
Given the decision that the results will stand, perhaps the fairest outcome would be the first three "actual" finishers keep their place and their prize money, and McClain, Hurley, and Kurgat are chosen for Worlds.
However, runners always have the responsibility to know the course. Full stop. This isn’t new.
Local 5Ks—know the course. Club, middle school, and high school XC—know the course. Trail running—know the course. All road races—know the course.
Yes, they may have followed the lead vehicle in front of them, but in many races those change off regularly. You can’t rely on it unless explicitly told so, and even then you shouldn’t fully rely on it.
Know. The. Course.
Absence of logic and understanding by you.
They’re 90% into a half marathon course battling physical, mental, and emotional fatigue. Racing. And suddenly, the thought/question hits…”Are we off course?” It’s the worst mind-astroid at the worst time. There is no excuse. It’s shameful incompetency.
I’ve had this happen while leading races and I’ve lost as a result of others’ incompetence like this. I’ve even quit as a result, because of the anger and frustration. There should NEVER be a situation where a runner has to question whether they know the course better than the creator/organizer.
I think you’ve never followed a lead vehicle; therefore, you have zero reason to be responding here.
USATF position particularly odd when you consider that:
- You can work out almost to the second how long they were off the course for (2:40)
- If you take that time off McClain's finish time (roughly 1:11:29) you can see that she still ran the legal part of the course in roughly 1:08:50 - considerably faster than the winner.
- So even if you just ignore the disadvantage she had from 2 1/2 mins extra running, she was still comfortably the fastest over the legal course.
While I feel for those ladies who were taken off course , and the last thing a runner at this level and at a race with team stakes at the line should have to worry about is the COURSE, the athletes should know and be well versed with the course!!! I don’t get how this happens.Shame on the organizers USATF and the runners
So the initial official denied the protest. They appealed. The three judge panel found on favor of the protest and said the course was not adequately marked at the point of the misdirection. But then USATF said, in effect, Well, they won their protest, but resolving this in an equitable way--paying the people who were led off course the prize money and selecting them would cost money and we don't know how we can afford that after we cut Max's check, so too bad, so sad, nothing we can do, the result is final. You can read their entire embarrassing statement here:
Seems like Rojo may about to see his dream finally come true. USATF seems to be hinting that, because of the inequitable result, they may rerun the event between now and May, except several of the top runners want to run Boston, so not sure that actually makes sense.
I'm not sure how many fans this sport has. But it seems like one of those mistakes the internet can solve. In a crowd funding sort of way. Opening up prize money to the top three. From public donation. Go fund me for the fk up of the race.
I hope all the women who placed in front of the obvious top 3 will decline their WC spots. The ATC in turn needs to come up with the extra cash to compensate McClain, Hurley and Kurgat. The race for the top 3 spots was over when the trio made the wrong turn. They were not going to be reeled in.
They may not get the WC spots. USATF said that they were not changing the results of the race, but they left it open as to what would happen about the WC spots.
I didn’t say she had an obligation. I know she doesn’t. But who would want to win under those circumstances. How can she feel good about “winning”. There was no way she was beating Jess McClean without this screw up. If it had been questionable then by all means take it, but it wasn’t. Jess McClain was going to win by a nice margin. I would be embarrassed to accept a win that I didn’t really earn.
if she wanted to she would of waited and not crossed the line
I’m pretty sure she didn’t have a clue what had happened until after she crossed the line. She seemed so confused.
if she wanted to she would of waited and not crossed the line
I’m pretty sure she didn’t have a clue what had happened until after she crossed the line. She seemed so confused.
She knew something was off, and didn't raise her arms or celebrate when breaking the tape. She also has a long conversation with the official after the race, then McClain was yelling at the official. We really need someone to send this video to Jomboy, would be great exposure for the sport and would be interesting to see him read everyone's lips.
Disagree strongly. Look, I feel bad for the three original leaders. I think they should be monetarily compensated.
However, runners always have the responsibility to know the course. Full stop. This isn’t new.
Local 5Ks—know the course. Club, middle school, and high school XC—know the course. Trail running—know the course. All road races—know the course.
Yes, they may have followed the lead vehicle in front of them, but in many races those change off regularly. You can’t rely on it unless explicitly told so, and even then you shouldn’t fully rely on it.
Know. The. Course.
At the same time, the ATC—and I love them as a former member!—should compensate those ladies for their screw up. They are jointly responsible.
I think what surprises me is all the folks who are like “give it to the original 3 leaders” probably have a large percentage overlap with those who sneer at participation trophies. Giving the ladies who went the wrong way the spots when it is their job to know and run the course is a participation trophy.
And I strongly disagree with you. That is utter BS to say a person is supposed to have a photographic memory and remember street names/turns, an entire map for a race. You have to know how absurd you sound by suggesting this. Also, the point of a lead car is to LEAD THE WAY. Runners would look crazy, and potentially be yelled at by volunteers to get back on track if they just suddenly decided to veer off where the lead car was going. It also could put them in danger.
Strongly agreed, for a different reason nobody has mentioned, too. Sometimes courses change at the very last minute due to unforeseeable circumstances that the runners be definition don’t and can’t know about, for example a security incident on or near the course. I have actually been in a race where this has happened. If a race official were to direct me off the course I would assume it was for a reason.