Correct. And anyone who believed such an absurd feat was feasible should have known better. The post misled and anyone who fell for it went astray. They should have known better.
but in reality, nobody here would come to defend my incompetence in the post. But, in the USATF Half champs, they seem to defend the organizer.
This was good preparation for when USATF fu*ks up the marathon trials in two years.
Maybe they will clean house by then.
Sadly, not a chance.
Max and Renee will see leading "The World's Greatest Track and Field Team" to a home Olympics as the crowning achievement of their respective careers. Both will quit after LA28, when people start losing interest in track, and then leave the whole disjointed mess for someone else to clean up.
Fix it and award the top 3 girls that ran off course in the order they finished. It is what it is, they also have GPS watches on that can give the exact time they completed 13.1. Do the right thing and put them back in the top 3
I have coordinated about 1000 road races the past 38 years including a national championship for the last 30+ years. USATF does not provide staff/marshals on the course. Local organizing committee responsible for all logistical areas on course. USATF provides some support on race weekend with our tech meeting, elite hospitality, championship awards and some staff on press trucks. Local organizing committee responsible for all aspects of race. About 20 years ago in our national championshi, 3 athletes (6-8) went off course not seeing a dozen signs pointing them to turn into the park. Likely leader of this pack did not turn and next 2 athletes followed. These runners realized they were going in the wrong direction when they saw the police officer stopping traffic. They probably ran 200 extra meters. They did not place in the top 10 and were out of the prize money. Our jury of appeals within minutes agreed to pay the prize money they would have made had they kept their position when they went off course even though the course was clearly marked (nearly 2000 directional signs on the course). About 2000 in additional prize money given and athletes felt like they were treated more than fairly and race got positive media attention rather than take a hit for the athletes error. Hopefully the three leaders in Atlanta will be compensated fairly. Aways best to admit mistakes even when they are not yours.
USATF just saying they can't do a thing is par for the course. The top-3 were finishing in that order. Put those 4 back 1-4, give them the prize money, and give them worlds slots. It's really not that hard when the mistake is clear as day/no fault on the runners.
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.
Okay participation trophy.
Bunch of coddled babies posting here. Must be leading marathon majors or something with lead vehicles holding a timeboard up and all. Oh, wait, no, you haven’t.
If you’ve run enough toad and trail races you know this happens and you prepare.
Note that none of the three have come out and whined about it. They each know, even if it wasn’t fair.
de Lima was assaulted by a defrocked priest during the 2004 Olympic Marathon. He was in first place. It sucked. It messed him up. It was unfair.
Your logic says he should get the gold.
Folly. It sucks and USATF/ATC should compensate those ladies for their screw up. But not with the World slots.
Racing is racing.
Not even sure why I’m still responding to such idiocy, but you clearly think you’re in the right, and I just want to reiterate, along with the majority, that you are not.
Clearly you’ve never lead a race where you had to follow lead cars/bicycles.
When Max S. was asked for a comment on this monumental SNAFU he responded: “The rule book clearly says that, when race organizers, lead car, local police or spectators indicate a wrong turn, it is the responsibility of the runner to follow the prescribed course.” He then chuckled and added: “And they say I don’t know anything about running…”
This is called “covering your butt”
a rule that that protects the organization not the athletes
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 absolutely disagree with this. Doesn't every coach on earth tell his/her athletes to run through the finish line no matter what?
Lots of class from Annie Rodenfels posting "proud of my 6th place overall" (strava) and Maggie Montoya only posting "I would have been 12th"..
Compared to Allie O just posting "8th!" with a recap of her race and an afterthought to address the 3 leaders. That + pushing to outkick Jess at the finish.. smh.
Lots of class from Annie Rodenfels posting "proud of my 6th place overall" (strava) and Maggie Montoya only posting "I would have been 12th"..
Compared to Allie O just posting "8th!" with a recap of her race and an afterthought to address the 3 leaders. That + pushing to outkick Jess at the finish.. smh.
in Allie's defense she also posted a story saying USATF is wrong.
This reminds me of a small town 5k race I was in. Was held in the center of the city with halfway point going into subdivision. I was confident I'd be near podium and was racing for time so I studied tangents, and studied all of the landmarks on the current map.
During the race there was a pack of 3 and because of the city a Police Car was the leader. At halfway I'm focusing ahead looking for the lead pack making the turn...Never happened!
Immediately I thought I'm running the race I paid for and went according to the Map, for the next one mile I had two police cars catch up and say I was going the wrong way, "You went the Wrong Way!!!" I shouted, instead of getting lactic I reset with a new threshold and kept it the last half mile bearing the rest of the field by 3:30 lol as the rest of the field ran 3.8mi
At the awards the RD said often times the city official only looks at the map day of "runners responsibility" etc
Another instance was a fairly big gravel cycling race, covering 70miles RD reiterated competitors should know the course as there is a big potential for error. Basically both of these instances release race management from accountability just as USATF says in writing. The stakes here at a major city championship with all of the money spent they should amend this But put a backup in place- A cyclist who has run/knows the course so if motorcade gets distracted ThE Motorcade can go the Wrong way And not the competitors.
This. It stinks. But the solutions proposed by some folks also stink. No reason to toss more stink on the pile.
Race Mismanagement by the Race Management. They have to look at the bigger picture 2 scenarios Both of them point back to motorcade.
Far different lens from local 400 participant race
Mcclain 2+mins ahead Goes the right way But lead motorcade goes wrong way what would have happened? No guarantee chase pack would have decided to go right way
The top 3 should decline theirs spots, then the next 3 and the next 3 and so on also decline until the get to the real top 3. If USATF rules don't allow this, then no one should go to Copenhagen.