Woman runs fastest time, loses marathon anyway!

[ScoJo15]

This is really outrageous and should not be allowed to happen. The fastest time should win the race regardless of 'elite' status or not....

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/20/BAUC13L3GQ.DTL

 

[joan4mickey]

That's just wrong, wrong, wrong!

 

[blizzard]

Nike is announcing today that it recognizes Arien O'Connell as a winner in last weekend’s Nike Women’s Marathon with the fastest chip time, completing the full race in 2:55:11. She shattered her previous time and achieved an amazing accomplishment.

Arien will receive the same recognition and prize, including a Tiffany & Co. bowl, the full marathon elite group winner received. Arien was unfortunately not immediately recognized as a race winner because she did not start the race with the elite running group, which is required by USATF standards. Because of their earlier start time, the runners in the elite group had no knowledge of the outstanding race Arien was running and could not adjust their strategies accordingly.

Learning from the unique experience in this year’s race, Nike has decided today to eliminate the elite running group from future Nike Women's Marathons. Next year, all runners will run in the same group and all will be eligible to win.

Nike has a proven track record of supporting athletes and we’re proud to be able to honor Arien and other athletes who surpass their goals and achieve great accomplishments.

Seems like a few people were left red-faced after this debacle.

 

[ScoJo15]

Thank goodness Nike stepped up to the plate!

Thank you for that update :

 

[corinnak]

Wow - so they've changed the way the race will happen in the future. Interesting story, Scott! BTW, I miss your blog!

 

[joan4mickey]

Nice to see a wrong, made right.

 

[scoolover]

I think that it worked out perfectly in the end and the decison to make the race one group is outstanding. That pretty much solves everything.

I will also say that she could not be a winner as it was, because she didn't cross the line first. The people up front would have no idea that they were racing someone on chip time. It is a shame that she didn't race with them and have the opportunity to cross the line first but thems the rules and she didn't win the race.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Scott (scoolover) I respectfully disagree...when you go out to race, elite or not, shouldn't you go out to run the best race you can on that day? I mean, this woman had no idea she was considered elite, ran her best race and ran fast...matter of fact she was THE fastest out there. We all know that with chip timing as it is the bottom line is who finished the course fastest, not who crossed the line first. I think it's a wake up call to the racing world. The sport has become about endorsements and red tape and elites...not about the person who puts in the miles and goes out there on any given day and has the race of their life. I'm sorry, but Nike had to make good on this.

 

[dsnyfan21]

I'm sorry but would also agree with Amy. You go out, especially as an elite< to run the fastest race and you obviously know you have a chip on your shoe and you obviously know that there are starting waves. This is all known up front!!! You should run your fastest race! This person did run her fastest race and she won!! Too bad for the "elites" who thought they could just do there own thing. What a wake up call for them. I wonder, does that mean we should all put down that we are "elite" athletes so we know we are in it to win it?? If your chip time is the fastest time, then you should win!! That is my opinion and I am sticking to it. Not the person's fault that she was started 20min after other people and not her fault that the race was so big that they started in waves. People are aware of this at the start, so they should prepare accordingly. Just think, if you say she didn't win "that" race because the elites weren't running with herin that particular "race", then really every WAVE of racers should be a separate race and should have separate awards!!Wow just think if everyone who does these races and thinks that anybody could win is wrong!!! You can only "win" if you are in the lead group of "elite" runners. Maybe then alot more people would be putting themselves down as elites so they know they could at least compete for a prize. Not that I would every be a placer in any race since I walk, but I think this was great that Nike came through and awarded her for being the Fastest Runner on that course for that day.

Tracy

 

[scoolover]

Scott (scoolover) I respectfully disagree...when you go out to race, elite or not, shouldn't you go out to run the best race you can on that day? I mean, this woman had no idea she was considered elite, ran her best race and ran fast...matter of fact she was THE fastest out there. We all know that with chip timing as it is the bottom line is who finished the course fastest, not who crossed the line first. I think it's a wake up call to the racing world. The sport has become about endorsements and red tape and elites...not about the person who puts in the miles and goes out there on any given day and has the race of their life. I'm sorry, but Nike had to make good on this.

I respectfully disagree to your respectful disagreement??? Anyway, the way the race was set up was unfortunate. In a perfect world, they would have all started at the same time and she would have won by 11 minutes. Case closed. Unfortunately, having started 20 minutes later she finished 9 minutes behind the leader. I love the fact that they made her a co-winner but she essentially won a different race by starting 20 minutes back.

How should the winner feel when she crossed the tape first and at the awards ceremony, they say, "well, there were 4 people with a faster chip time so you were really 5th". It doesn't make sence. Obviously they have corrected the problem for the future but she didn't win this one. She won the "B" race, not the "A" race.

 

[joan4mickey]

I respectfully disagree..until they make a start line big enough for everyone to line up on, then chip time must prevail. Everyone ran the same race, same course, same 26.2 miles. The girl won and everyone knows it..reguardless of the exact point in time that she went over the start and finish line. The fact remains that she was on the course the shortest period of time.

 

[FatElvis]

I think most big races actually use gun time for the overall winners - whoever crosses the line first wins. Chip time is used for age groups. (I'm sure there are exceptions, but I've heard this somewhere)

I'm torn on this story - I agree that she should have gotten some acknowledgment (and luckily Nike finally did that), but yeah, the elites were in a different race. But really there was no need for a separate start, when this was primarily a women's race.

The woman was right in not entering as an elite - she had never run under 3 hrs before, and really 3 hrs isn't generally considered elite (not that my 5+ hr self would ever know ).

I think Nike missed a big opportunity - how cool would that have been as a marketing story.

Oh well, at least they're making some changes.

 

[scoolover]

I respectfully disagree..until they make a start line big enough for everyone to line up on, then chip time must prevail. Everyone ran the same race, same course, same 26.2 miles. The girl won and everyone knows it..reguardless of the exact point in time that she went over the start and finish line. The fact remains that she was on the course the shortest period of time.

If everyone ran the same race she would have won by 11 minutes or maybe she would not have since the real winner didn't know they were racing.

...so now we have to wait until everyone crosses the finish line to determine the winner of every race because it's possible that the last person really one if they didn't start until later. There is not a big race in america (NY, Boston, Chicago) that doesn't have an elite start. If you are good enough you start with the elites. If not you start with us.

I am glad that they changed the format so that everyone is now able to win. That is the way it should be. Better luck to her next year.