Sorry if this has been posted before, not sure how to search threads for "train" in the definition I need it to be!
The Portlandathon (temporary replacement for the official and now defunct Portland Marathon) had a poorly designed course that crossed train tracks 4 times (2 separate crossings on an out and back course) and while it seemed everyone was fine going out, several fast marathoners (anyone on track to finish between 2:40-3:05) and every half finisher behind the top 3 got stopped either less than a mile from the finish line or 2.5 miles from the finish. It definitely messed up the women's podium in the full & half and men under 40 stuck around 2.5 from the finish probably lost out on their BQs (I know BAA has no mercy on the train question)
So my question is, is there a kind of protocol for timing when races get interrupted by freight trains? I guess there is no official USATF way of dealing with it but I wonder what the practice has been at other races, if any?
808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
The Portlandathon (temporary replacement for the official and now defunct Portland Marathon) had a poorly designed course that crossed train tracks 4 times (2 separate crossings on an out and back course) and while it seemed everyone was fine going out, several fast marathoners (anyone on track to finish between 2:40-3:05) and every half finisher behind the top 3 got stopped either less than a mile from the finish line or 2.5 miles from the finish. It definitely messed up the women's podium in the full & half and men under 40 stuck around 2.5 from the finish probably lost out on their BQs (I know BAA has no mercy on the train question)
So my question is, is there a kind of protocol for timing when races get interrupted by freight trains? I guess there is no official USATF way of dealing with it but I wonder what the practice has been at other races, if any?
808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo