am i too cynical? a few dead presidents to the IAAF delegate, and bam, you got a 13.05 mile course, good for those precious few seconds and a WR. your thoughts...
am i too cynical? a few dead presidents to the IAAF delegate, and bam, you got a 13.05 mile course, good for those precious few seconds and a WR. your thoughts...
First of all, name "some of these smaller races" that fudge races and get WRs?
How hard would it be for someone to check the course? Pretty embarrassing if it is found to be short.
Trust me. Most courses aren't short!!!
If you are referring to the City-Pier-City half marathon in Den Haag (The Hague), Netherlands, as being a "small" race, you are wrong. It's one of the biggest non-marathon public races in Europe.
Holland is blessed with cool weather and flatness. The only thing that has gotten in the way of fast times in some of their races is wind and rain. There's no secret why times at the Rotterdam and Amsterdam marathons are fast....cool weather and flat courses.
A large percentage of the uncertified races in the U.S. are short. There is little doubt. But of course, those races are not eligible for records.
USATF and the IAAF requires that all USA/World road racing records must go through a "Validation". USATF/IAAF assigns an IAAF Level "A" Measurer (the highest level)to Validate the performace. This includes: 1. Verfication that the course certfied (original measurement) was the course run. 2. Actual measurement of the course by the assigned Validation measurer.
Several races are now having their race routes "pre-validated" - the assigned validator checks the original measurement prior to the race. On race day he/she rides in a vehicle (or bikes) ahead of the race and verifies that the runners ran the certfied course. This way a record may be validated at the event. Of course, you still have the issue of drug testing!
Everytime you have a question regarding course measurements you have the same 3 nerds comment (scotth you are overdue).
Here is the order of how the posts go on everyone of these threads.
1. The XXXXX course may be short.
2. Response from dukerdog on how all courses that he is not involved with or have not used his measurement tactics are short.
3. Smartass claiming Austin was short.
4. a put down to Estes because Papa Johns was short.
5. Smartass #2 claiming Austin was short.
6. scotth telling his famous (in his own mind) story about going off course at CRIM but yet they still ran the accurate distance. And how Cathy O'Brien was able to maintain her record.
7. Estes should be fired from every job because Papa Johns was short.
8. David Katz explaining how important he is in the measuring world (which is like being President of the CHESS CLUB) and the proper protocol for measuring courses.
9. Smartass #3 clciming Austin was short.
What's wrong pal, didn't find any gold in your pot on St Patty's Day?
The thing about measuring is: it's a dry experience, technical and boring. But somebody's gotta do it. It's done so smoothies like yourself can show up raceday and run an advertised distance. Some runners/race officials/records keepers care about stuff like that. But perhaps I shouldn't be hasty to include you in the group.
Proud Nerd!
Just the facts. No opinion. I will leave opinions and commentary for the rest of you.
Thank you scotth. You were right on cue. It took you nearly a half hour I was starting to worry if you were alright.
David Katz--
I expected your response to take a little longer because I figured you had to put your blazer on first. Great job fellas.
dukerdog??? where are you?
Not a Hudson Basher wrote:
Everytime you have a question regarding course measurements you have the same 3 nerds comment
Please don't put me in the same category as SH and David Katz. Their level of measurement nerdom far exceeds my own.
But I'm working on it.
I believe David is president of the Chess Club & I'm the social secretary.
If it weren't for the nerds we would still be living in caves and throwing rocks at each other. Well at least living in caves!
checkcheck wrote:
am i too cynical? a few dead presidents to the IAAF delegate, and bam, you got a 13.05 mile course, good for those precious few seconds and a WR. your thoughts...
no.
i still think some of these validated courses are short. how do the "nerds" know if they didn't measure these courses themselves? european athletics aren't always on the up and up... (i also think that lance soooo did performance enhancing drugs)