Two days post the completion of the Edmonton Marathon, the race director is issuing an apology following the discovery of an error in accounting for detours that caused the race courses to be longer than intended. The acknowledgement validates suspicions held by many runners.
In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Tom Keogh, the race director of the Edmonton Marathon, disclosed that the half-marathon and marathon courses were measured to be 674.7 meters longer than initially estimated. Keogh explained that a thorough review revealed miscalculations in the detour-related course adjustments made this year.
Keogh took full responsibility for the error, expressing sincere apologies for the oversight. He clarified that while efforts were made to offset the additional distance from the Wellington Bridge detour with adjustments to the course’s west end turnaround point, the offset was inadequate.
Despite previous assertions that the courses were accurately measured and confirmed on race day, Keogh acknowledged the occurrence of an error in the course measurement and certification process. He mentioned ongoing discussions with Athletics Canada and other relevant partners to address the repercussions of this year’s results, as the race served as a qualifier for prestigious running events like the Boston Marathon.
One of the affected runners, Mitch Walz from Calgary, shared his disappointment after training rigorously for the marathon only to find out that he ran a longer distance than expected. Walz, who aimed for a Boston Marathon qualifying time, expressed the emotional turmoil he experienced upon realizing the discrepancy in the race distance.
Looking ahead, Keogh pledged to review the certification processes with partners to prevent similar errors in the future. Meanwhile, the Boston Athletic Association indicated that adjustments to results would be considered if athletes exceeded the required distance but still met the qualifying time for the marathon.