Just two days following the conclusion of the Edmonton Marathon, the race director has issued an apology after officials identified a miscalculation relating to detours that resulted in longer race courses.
This admission confirmed the suspicions held by numerous runners.
In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, race director Tom Keogh revealed that the half-marathon and marathon courses were actually 674.7 meters longer than previously believed.
“The earlier statement from the Edmonton Marathon expressing confidence in the course certification was based on the best information available at that time,” Keogh stated, noting that a comprehensive review of the course had been conducted.
“This review uncovered an error in the calculations related to this year’s detour adjustments, and we sincerely apologize for that.”
“The additional distance from the Wellington Bridge detour was somewhat counterbalanced by modifications made to the turnaround point on the west end of the course. However, it was discovered that the adjustments to the turnaround point did not completely compensate for the detour’s added length.”
Keogh stated that the Edmonton Marathon “accepts full responsibility for this error.”
“We take complete accountability,” he added. “We are grateful to the many participants who have reached out via email and those with whom we have had further discussions.”
Before the statement was made public, both elite and amateur runners had voiced their concerns regarding the race distances. Four runners expressed to CBC News on Monday their belief that they had run a longer distance than expected.
Keogh informed media on Monday that the courses had been precisely measured and verified on the day of the race.
“Despite our efforts to achieve the highest standards in course measurement and certification, an error occurred,” Keogh remarked on Tuesday.
Athletics Canada, the sport’s national governing body, communicated to the media on Monday that it was also confident in the course measurement and certification processes. As of the time of publication, Athletics Canada had not yet released a statement regarding the Edmonton Marathon’s revised position on the matter.
“We are collaborating directly with Athletics Canada and other relevant partners to assess how this year’s results can be recognized,” Keogh stated in his Tuesday announcement, recognizing that the race served as a qualifier for prominent running events, including the Boston Marathon.
Calgary runner Mitch Walz dedicated an entire year training for the Edmonton marathon, aiming for a finish time of 2:59, which he hoped would not only meet the Boston Marathon’s qualifying standard of 3:05 for his age group (40-44) but also provide a buffer in case too many runners achieved the standard.
Walz estimated that he completed the official marathon distance of 42.2 kilometers in 2:59, yet his chip time upon crossing the finish line was recorded at 3:03 on Sunday morning.
On Tuesday, Walz shared with CBC News that the last few days had been an emotional experience.
“Not only did I manage to achieve one of my goals and run as well as I could have ever hoped, but it feels like everything has been taken away from me,” he expressed.
Mitch Walz stands near the start line at the Edmonton Marathon. (Supplied by Mitch Walz)
Walz mentioned that he was confident in maintaining his pace during the initial half of the race, but felt deflated upon seeing the marker indicating three kilometers remaining, as he struggled to understand what went wrong.
With the knowledge he has now, he expressed pride in his performance but wished he had pushed harder in the final kilometers.
“We do not take this lightly,” wrote Keogh. “We recognize that every participant arrives at the starting line after months of dedicated training, hard work, courage, and deeply held aspirations.”
“We also recognize that we hosted the top athletes in the country, and their finishing times did not accurately reflect their exceptional performances.”
Walz stated that it would mean a great deal to him to participate in the Boston Marathon, and he hopes to still qualify for that event.
When asked if he would consider running the Edmonton Marathon again, he indicated that his initial response would have been negative, but he understands that mistakes occur and would think about participating in the event once more.
“Moving forward, we will re-evaluate our certification processes with our partners to ensure this type of error does not happen in the future,” Keogh wrote.
On Wednesday, the Boston Athletic Association informed CBC News that it cannot accept adjusted results if the race distance was inaccurately measured or if participants deviated from the course.
However, the association confirmed to The Canadian Press that if an athlete runs a longer distance than required but still meets the qualifying time for the marathon, they would still be eligible.