Rule Zero wrote:
The blame really lays on his crew.
They should have known better. A runner needs to be able to trust them to keep him on track and making good decisions.
As for a time penalty, it could be of strategic value for race leaders to accept a penalty in exchange for additional aid. This is not the sort of practice a race organizer wants to encourage.
He’s still an amazing athlete and I think no less of him for it.
Right, blame the friends and family out there in the middle of nowhere working hard and not sleeping for zero compensation in support of their buddy running through the woods. Likely many of them sacrificed vacation days at work to do this (travel days, etc). Blame them?