Train stopped me and other BQ seekers for 6+ min at Via Marathon today

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Photo booth operator wrote:

I just saw some runners posting that a freight train ran through the middle of the infamous Lehigh Valley marathon course delaying a lot of them. If this is true does anyone know if time adjustments can be made or ever have been made in the past? Also, does blame fall on the RD for not checking schedules?

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Happened without about a mile left in a 10k I was in one time. I crested a hill and saw a train crossing the road at the bottom of the hill with a group of runners waiting for it to cross. I sped down the hill and timed it about perfect and crossed the tracks without breaking stride just after the train finished, passing most of the crowd. One of the few age group awards this slowpoke ever won.

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Leeza Gibbons wrote:

Email from the RD this morning:

After a thorough review of the available evidence in relation to a train's participation in the 2016 Lehigh Valley Health Network Via Marathon, the Marathon committee concluded that while there is data from participants indicating that a train may have impeded them, there is not conclusive evidence that their times in the 2016 LVHN Via Marathon are inaccurate. The LVHN Via Marathon has reviewed more than 2000 race photos from our licensed photo checkpoints and midrace data from 6 on course timing mats all of which show no data from a train's timing chip. Therefore the LVHN Via Marathon Committee concluded that a train did not cross the marathon course unless additional conclusive information arises in the future.

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I certainly hope they adjust times. I saw others were stopped for a long time, but I came up on the group right as the train was leaving. The only fair way to do this is to subtract 9 minutes from my time. Lehigh, the gift that keeps on giving...

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Leeza Gibbons wrote:

Email from the RD this morning:

After a thorough review of the available evidence in relation to a train's participation in the 2016 Lehigh Valley Health Network Via Marathon, the Marathon committee concluded that while there is data from participants indicating that a train may have impeded them, there is not conclusive evidence that their times in the 2016 LVHN Via Marathon are inaccurate. The LVHN Via Marathon has reviewed more than 2000 race photos from our licensed photo checkpoints and midrace data from 6 on course timing mats all of which show no data from a train's timing chip. Therefore the LVHN Via Marathon Committee concluded that a train did not cross the marathon course unless additional conclusive information arises in the future.

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Photo booth operator wrote:

I just saw some runners posting that a freight train ran through the middle of the infamous Lehigh Valley marathon course delaying a lot of them. If this is true does anyone know if time adjustments can be made or ever have been made in the past? Also, does blame fall on the RD for not checking schedules?

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McKeever should find a new job wrote:

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Photo booth operator wrote:

I just saw some runners posting that a freight train ran through the middle of the infamous Lehigh Valley marathon course delaying a lot of them. If this is true does anyone know if time adjustments can be made or ever have been made in the past? Also, does blame fall on the RD for not checking schedules?

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Can she do anything right?

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This is probably more common than you think. It can be tough in some towns to make an interesting course that doesn't cross tracks.

You can't subtract time for being stopped. The rest helps you so it would offset some of the delay.

As a race director, you work with everyone in the community. That includes the trains that you KNOW will be running.
Shame on her.

Trains are common at many big city marathons. Oh, at least my home town big city marathon.

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Piggy Banker wrote:
Cash the checks? Fool people who are dumber than rocks? Massage Yasso's....ego?

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nothing stops a train wrote:

Happened without about a mile left in a 10k I was in one time. I crested a hill and saw a train crossing the road at the bottom of the hill with a group of runners waiting for it to cross. I sped down the hill and timed it about perfect and crossed the tracks without breaking stride just after the train finished, passing most of the crowd. One of the few age group awards this slowpoke ever won.

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Photo booth operator wrote:

I just saw some runners posting that a freight train ran through the middle of the infamous Lehigh Valley marathon course delaying a lot of them. If this is true does anyone know if time adjustments can be made or ever have been made in the past? Also, does blame fall on the RD for not checking schedules?

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Most of the front of the field of the Via Marathon, including me, was stopped for 6 min today behind a moving train today. I ended up missing a BQ by only a few minutes, is there any precedent for correcting a time from something like that, or am I SOL? I have GPS evidence of being stopped for 6 min.

Any race director of a large race/marathon that brings in additional revenue to the community works with: the local police and fire chiefs, government, state reps,etc. to assure the safety of the runners. Sure, the railroads can be difficult to deal with but you find a way to make it happen.

Nah dude as far as the rules go it doesnt matter if you got stopped by a train or if you rubbed one out in the porta potty for 6 mins

Best of luck on getting the qual time next time out

They can't subtract the 6 minutes from your time. The problem is that the 6 minute rest might have allowed you to run the rest of the race faster.

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Kmiller wrote:

Most of the front of the field of the Via Marathon, including me, was stopped for 6 min today behind a moving train today. I ended up missing a BQ by only a few minutes, is there any precedent for correcting a time from something like that, or am I SOL? I have GPS evidence of being stopped for 6 min.

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I got you.

You're qualified.