Some runners logged an extra half-mile at the Maine Coast Marathon in Kennebunk, Maine, on May 14, when a course marshal directed them to turn right onto a dead-end road instead of continuing straight. The incident happened just before mile 12.

Race director Charles Melton told Runner's World he had driven the route with the marshals prior to the race and stopped at each point where they'd be stationed to go over what they’d be doing. He also gave marshals a diagram with arrows, photos, and descriptions. Melton has not been able to pinpoint what exactly went wrong. 

A course official discovered the mistake when he was driving to pick up on-course cones about 10 minutes before the first person crossed the finish line. And although the official was able to correct the mistake before some slower runners passed, about one-half to two-thirds of race participants had already tacked on the extra mileage.

One of these participants was Laurel Jones. According to Jones, officials told runners that there would be an out-and-back loop to add a half-mile to the course because it was originally short and had to be USATF-recertified. So when she got to mile 12, she thought nothing of the course marshal's directions. But a second out-and-back around mile 20 left her and everyone around her confused and questioning what had happened earlier. It was then that Jones realized her GPS device said she'd run about a half-mile farther than course markers indicated she had.

"I started freaking out," she said. "I, along with a bunch of other people in my situation, were at a loss about what to do."

It was the 25-year-old's first marathon, and she, along with 31 others, would have qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon if there hadn't been an error. (Forty-three runners ended up qualifying regardless.)

Melton sent out an email to race participants with a form they could fill out if they felt they should have qualified. Although times won’t be adjusted—many runners realized the mistake and didn’t run to the end of the road, so there is no set amount of distance that can be added—they will receive a refund of their Maine Coast Marathon entry fee and a free entry into next year’s race. 

“I’m not blaming the volunteers or the course marshals,” Melton said. “Mistakes do happen, but it’s ultimately my fault.”

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Danielle Zickl
Senior Editor
Danielle Zickl for Runner's World and Bicycling.