I heard today about the now tragic situation involving runner Frank Meza, and had been reading up on the issue of course cutting and faked results.
Some racers accused of course cutting have claimed they went off course by accident. In most of the cases I read, that was a dubious claim, and it appeared the racers probably knew what they were doing.
But that got me thinking of course marking and direction - or lack of it. Is it common to have issues not knowing for sure which way to go on a course? Because myself and some others have encountered this situation several times, to the point that I am now kind of paranoid of going off-course, and will shout questions at the spectators or staff on poorly marked turns to be sure.
In a race a couple of weeks ago I and about 20 other riders blew by a turn on the bike, because a volunteer was standing in front of a turn sign and not pointing (he also didn’t say/do anything when we blew by).
I turned around after 200 meters, some others were a bit more, a girl who could have won the overall did an extra 4 km. At the end of the race, we all got together to talk it over before going to the RD. We all agreed it would have been better if that volunteer wasn’t even there (so we could at least see the turn sign). That being said we all knew it was our job to know the course we were racing.
I took our concern to the RD, I started by saying we all knew it was our job to know the course. The RD was happy that we brought up the problem to them and said they would add no standing in front of signs to the pre-race volunteer brief.
In the end it’s your job to know where your supposed to go.
I ran a race early spring, they missed placing a sign at a turn. The first 12 of us missed in and ran almost 2 miles until we realized something was wrong.
The issue I had was they didn’t have a 2019 map online, it was from a previous year.
In the end, need to know the course you are racing.
A race I did a couple of weeks ago I asked about the signs. I had just driven the course by car and hadn’t seen any signs. So I asked if they would put up signs. They said that it was my responsibility to know the course (which indeed is my responsibility), and they emphasized that and wouldn’t say if there would be signs. The next morning at the race briefing they explained the signs (there were plenty). I had driven the route the day before (per gpx from website) and had put the route in my garmin. At one point I see a guy go left up the road in front of me, where I thought we should go left as I had missed that turn with the car the day before. 10 seconds later he came out of it again, and another guy in front of me went straight as well. I accelerated and caught up with them and asked if we were on course. They thought so, but said we would turn around if there was no sign at the next village. There was a big sign to turn left, and a volunteer, at the next crossroad just before the next village, so we were still good. However, the course was supposed to be 87 km, and was now 90.0 km (bang on 90 at a half distance tri!). But if I would have gone left, knowing the course, as instructed by the officials the day before, and following their gpx file should I have been disqualified? They changed the course without informing the racers, plus they told me it was my responsibility to know the course. I did know the course, but not the changed course. How could I? They didn’t tell us, and they didn’t change the gpx on the website either.
My final race of 2017 went off course and lost 3 to 4 minutes and then lost my age group by two minutes. Frustrating and had to wait the entire off-season until next race.
Frankly, that’s impossible. It’s impossible to know every turn on a course. I’ve done dozens of 70-100 mile bike races in a season. I’m supposed to have memorized all those courses? What about courses out of state? Across the country? Another country?!
Unreasonable.
It’s the organizer’s job to have the course marked.
Frankly, that’s impossible. It’s impossible to know every turn on a course. I’ve done dozens of 70-100 mile bike races in a season. I’m supposed to have memorized all those courses? What about courses out of state? Across the country? Another country?!
Unreasonable.
It’s the organizer’s job to have the course marked.
My daughters math teacher is a sub 2:20 marathoner and lost a semi important marathon because the lead cyclist made a wrong turn. Some courses have multiple twists and turns. I agree
Takes me back to the 70.3 Worlds on the Sunshine Coast Australia in 2016. Course was well marked and marshalled and IMO was easy enough to follow as I did only for 45 people to miss a short loop that was on the course and several to cross the line with their arms aloft claiming a world title win… Read the comments on the bottom of the article
Frankly, that’s impossible. It’s impossible to know every turn on a course. I’ve done dozens of 70-100 mile bike races in a season. I’m supposed to have memorized all those courses? What about courses out of state? Across the country? Another country?!
Unreasonable.
It’s the organizer’s job to have the course marked.
Totally agree. If a race tells me it’s on me to “know the course” then I’ll just skip that race. I have enough to focus on. Pace, pain, nutrition… it’s the organizers responsibility to keep people on the course. I am not trying to memorize dozens of turns for every race I do.
I’ve gone off course twice. The first time, I noticed it after the fact and notified the race director and USAT. It was very close to the race distance but I re-entered the course in a different place. For some reason I’m still scored in that race.
Second time was with the same race director. I just dropped out, I was so upset. I don’t do their races any more.
Agree. When a volunteer is pointing to turn and you “know” you are suppose to go straight, you turn because you doubt yourself. I have been directed off course and lost podium for it.
It happened to me a few weeks ago and the almost happened again last weekend. First time was poorly marked run course. This time was on the bike. And yes I’m very nervous about this during races now.
I was on long breakaway in a bike race… and the pace car took us off the course! By the time we went a mile or so and realized the wrong turn, we turned around and raced back to the course and peloton that had now passed us
Yes I should’ve known the course - but no chance that’s reasonable without turn by turn directions on the garmin
The lead car shouldn’t be able to ruin a race like this …
Rule is to follow instructions of race personnel. You didn’t if you left your lead car. Or went straight when they told you to turn. DQ to you!
Conflicting rules that both burdens the participants and overly protects the RD.
It’s BS.
It also needs to be looked at on case by case I think by race officials and RD. You can’t write a rule for every possible situation. I get that but a blanket conflicted statement sure ain’t it. If it happens to me first thing I’m protesting is the “obey instructions ruleâ€.
Now I did miss a turn during a HITS race - well because they don’t even know what their course is until the leader is already past it… but I digress. There was a cop at an intersection and I went straight. He said nothing. Sign saying right blew down. I give him that. I mean poor strategy with the sign setup but I was not instructed off course. It was lack of instructions that got me so I can’t use argument above. When I came back I did ask him why he didn’t bother to say something. I got blank stare.
Third rule should be “RD responsible to have a well marked and previously set up course at least one day prior to ensure athletes have a fair chance at understanding courseâ€
If I can’t figure out course day before it would also help RD know they need to adjust. Also ensures they’re ready by the time leaders come thru. (My strategy is just don’t lead/win those are the guys that usually get off course)
A 2 loop run where there was an out and back as part of each loop.
I missed the out and back (my own fault). Realised my mistake, and ran the out and back out of order.
I told the RD at the finish line. He looked at me and said “did you run the whole distance?” I said yes and showed him watch. He said “you are good then”
No big deal but man was I worried that I DQ’ed myself by accident.
I even pre-biked the course earlier in the summer! All my own fault.
Agree. When a volunteer is pointing to turn and you “know” you are suppose to go straight, you turn because you doubt yourself. I have been directed off course and lost podium for it.
This still pisses me off, and it’s been 5, maybe 6 years now:
Was running a 5k as part of a a 5k/10k combo. Got to the point where I thought I was supposed to turn left and loop back around for the 5k.
Was a woman standing in the middle of the road that stopped me middle of my turn amd told me to go straight.
10 minutes later I was just running angry…
They gave me 3rd on the the 10k, which really wasn’t right as the 5k and 10k started in slightly different locales, but I was so pissed I took it and left.
I was better than 75 yards ahead of 2nd place when that woman sent me the wrong way. Would have been the first race I’d ever won.
Fuck all of them, I’ve never done another one of their races, and I never will.
I and a about 20 runners went off course at the South Mountain 5k about 3 yrs ago. The course was seemed unmarked at the turn around and there was no volunteer at that point like when my girlfriend hit it. There were tiny red tape arrows (this was not explained during the briefing), so the road looped around and we kept going. Ended up running an 8k…
Like many others I’ve gone off course and been DQ ed before. Small local race, I was in the lead on the bike. Lead moto stops before the final turn into t2. What he and I didn’t realize was that the course had changed since the previous year and a short loop had been added for safety. The Marshalls on the corner weren’t ready for me (checking phones) so I blew by.
I calculated I had a 4-5min lead at half way but my lead was larger on the run. After the race the director asked if I completed the bike course. I thought I had. After a chat we realised that I had not. DQ and a free entry for this year. I didn’t take it up as a similar thing has happened before.
Yep - more times than I’d like to admit. My favorite incidents.
Most recently I was directed to take a right at an intersection and should have gone straight. Apparently the course was changed and that volunteer was not told. There was also an aid station after I made the turn (they also were not told about the change which really through me off). Course was not in American so I didn’t understand the announcement (if there was one) at the race start.
Year before, the race leader was instructed to go to the next cone before turning (out and back run for both sprint and olympic) and I was in 2’nd. I was instructed to turn at the correct cone by the same volunteer. I came in 1’st, he came in 2’nd. I spoke to the RD and he agreed to give the “other guy” the win.
Long time ago - Returning to T2 with 1/2 mile to go the road split. I was directed to go left as was the guy behind me, the rest were directed right. The road ran parallel, but “our” road was gravel, the other road was paved (and the correct way). We both turned ourselves in and the RD told us we were directed to the wrong, longer (by about 20 yards) and not paved way, so he did not DQ us as if did not benefit us and we followed were we were told to go.
In a 5k, the police were on the course making a “bust” and blocking the course, so 3 of us (leaders) made a right at an intersection. (we assumed the police car was marking the course as they were blocking the street going straight) The course turn was at the next intersection. Apparently after the 3 of us turned, the police left and every-one else made the correct turn. 4’th place witnessed us turn and then the police car leave. (she was about 5 minutes back at the finish, but we cut the course by 1/4 mile). 4’th place turned us in and we were DQ’d. We had no idea we did anything wrong until the awards and our names were not called.
those are the guys that usually get off course)