Edmonton Marathon’s 650-metre mistake leaves runners gasping for breath
The Edmonton Marathon organizers admitted that a measurement error resulted in the race course being 647.7 metres longer than intended. This mistake caused frustration among runners who were aiming for specific personal records.
Why it matters
Course certification is essential for the integrity of competitive running, and errors can invalidate the achievements of professional and amateur athletes.
Mitch Walz, 42, finished this year's Edmonton Marathon in three hours, three minutes and eight seconds, but he says he was convinced he ran the perfect race. This year, he had to run an extra 647.7 metres that were accidentally added to the course. Supplied
Mitch Walz felt it in his bones – and his pounding heart, depleted mind and battered legs – when he walked away from the finish line on Sunday at the Edmonton Marathon.
Something was off. He had run his race with precision, meeting the kilometre-by-kilometre plan he knew by memory, except for the start where he said he “came out like a bat out of hell.”
To him, there was only one explanation for how he missed his sub-three-hour marathon goal by three minutes and eight seconds: The course wasn’t properly measured.
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