Ultra discussion: thoughts on the Georgia Death Race controversy?

Insider info..

What really happened was Shawn Webber complained after the race and threatened Sean to change the results so that he finished 3rd instead of 4th, so that he could get the golden ticket if 1st place declines.

Sean also from the south caved and gave his buddy a favor... total preferential treatment. That's what really happened.

Two guys making a backroom deal that screws over others.

Also... the "off course" accounted for 15 minutes at most. The 60 minute time penalty is ridiculous.

The 1 hour was totally an arbitrary number that Sean picked to get Shawn Webber moved up to 3rd and not alter the outcome of the golden ticket races.

That is the real story folks - you heard it here first.

WhatReallyHappened1 wrote:

Also... the "off course" accounted for 15 minutes at most. The 60 minute time penalty is ridiculous.

The 1 hour was totally an arbitrary number that Sean picked to get Shawn Webber moved up to 3rd and not alter the outcome of the golden ticket races.

That is the real story folks - you heard it here first.

Damn. I totally believe this. Wish you had called into the Ultra Runner Podcast with this when it was going live. Would have loved to hear this arrogant RD explain his way out of that one. That RD just sounds deceitful. Hope they all get refunds even though RDs whine about no refunds all the time. Race Directors are just like teachers. Always defending how hard they have it.

RDs have it EZ wrote:

WhatReallyHappened1 wrote:

Also... the "off course" accounted for 15 minutes at most. The 60 minute time penalty is ridiculous.

The 1 hour was totally an arbitrary number that Sean picked to get Shawn Webber moved up to 3rd and not alter the outcome of the golden ticket races.

That is the real story folks - you heard it here first.

Damn. I totally believe this. Wish you had called into the Ultra Runner Podcast with this when it was going live. Would have loved to hear this arrogant RD explain his way out of that one. That RD just sounds deceitful. Hope they all get refunds even though RDs whine about no refunds all the time. Race Directors are just like teachers. Always defending how hard they have it.

Yup.. I wish I could lie to you and tell otherwise, but it's the true story.

Shawn was in the 3rd place until Mile 62 and then got dropped hard at the end in the last 8 miles. So this was a way for him to technically get that 3rd spot without actually having to earn it. Cowardly move both by Shawn and the RD

Do you have inside info on the lottery shenanigans? some talk out there that a couple of the RD's buddies (including a ticket winner) were let in well after the lottery despite communications that the lottery was final etc.

sure thing wrote:

Do you have inside info on the lottery shenanigans? some talk out there that a couple of the RD's buddies (including a ticket winner) were let in well after the lottery despite communications that the lottery was final etc.

Nice try, but it's on their website:

"The Board of Trustees reserves the right to grant admission to runners via special consideration. While this special consideration definition is broadly drafted, it is narrowly applied, and each year very few are granted entry. These are limited to:

Exceptional Circumstances. Where exceptional circumstances warrant, or for runners whose contributions to the WSER have been unusual and substantial, special consideration may be granted. Runners seeking special consideration must apply for the lottery and also contact the Race Director with a special consideration request prior to December 1.

Elite Athletes. Elite athletes may gain entry into WS via the Golden Ticket Race Series. Overseas elite athletes may also gain entry through the Ultra-Trail World Tour. The Board reserves the right to allow entry to elite athletes outside these avenues."

this is on the Death race website?

sure thing wrote:

this is on the Death race website?

That's on the Western States 100 website. Sorry, should have made that clearer. Didn't realize GDR had a lottery, as well. Thought you were talking about Western States

Naw, that's the WSER website.

Yes, the race director is an absolute tool.

The Georgia Death Race course is simply not marked well enough for what these runners are going through.

I spent three years running these trails in training.

I ran and was in the top three of his Helen Half Marathon trail race three years ago.

That is until the top 5 runners took 4 different routes due to a ridiculously poorly marked course.

He blew everyone off at the finish.

He told us “that’s your fault”.

Ummm, no Sean.

Sean likes his money, Sean doesn’t like constructive criticism.

Western States should take a hard look into this before acknowledging any golden tickets from this event. They can’t just wash their hands and look the other way. By sanctioning this event with golden ticket status they are putting their own reputation on the line.

The way this has played out is shameful. Anyone who tries to argue facts is shouted down by Blanton’s army of kiss asses. Something like 17 of the top 20 got off course. The reroute added .2 miles and knocked off a few hundred feet. For M4 to claim he could have beaten M3 when he got smoked in the last 8 miles is garbage. And the woman complaining got housed by 2+ hrs. The “wrong way” provided no significant advantage - certainly not an hour. 5-10 minutes tops.

Craig Thornley and the Western States board need to step in and help. Blanton is in over his head and can’t manage this.

for the record, it seems like the "longcut" shaved off about 2 minutes of time, despite being a bit longer. this according to the strava flybys. considering that slower runners might be going half the speed of the frontrunners, a 5 minute time penalty probably would have been good enough.

Do they mark the trail with bread crumbs? Seems to me like if everyone is just running through the woods there is really not a course.

The point of the 1-hour penalty was not to neutralize any time gains made by those going off course but to punish them. Generally those people would have been DQd, this was a compromise.

Me here you IHOP wrote:

Pick a side you waffler.

The runners screwed up. They should know the course. They could have back tracked and avoided the penalty, but they made their choice. They should have been DQd.

Just how would you know the course if there are maybe dozens of potentially different intersection choices and you're not local to the race? Even if you are local, you have to be able to trust the markings because reroutes can happen.

Seems just like Hardrock. Decide the result, then customize the penalty in favor of “your guy.” Happens even here in Arkansas, unfortunately.

jesseriley wrote:

Seems just like Hardrock. Decide the result, then customize the penalty in favor of “your guy.” Happens even here in Arkansas, unfortunately.

Tried following this story on URP and on these boards. It's all over the place. Never ran any of his races but they're held in high regard and while many might not like his antics, he's a straight shooter and seems to genuinely love putting on epic events.

With all of his races, nothing like this has come up before, at least to this extent, definitely a bummer and no matter how it's sliced or diced, somebody isn't going to like it. I don't know what the answer is, but trashing somebody on a board is chump change.

Exactly, an RD should also direct everyone in the world to bow down.