Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fastest Runner didn't Win

I've read this article from runners world: In S.F., Fastest Time Doesn't Win

The fastest runner didn't win, all because she didn't declare herself as an Elite runner? I was like WHAT??? She never got a sub 3 hours in all her previous marathons, and when she got a 12 minute PR, she did not win. And now according to the race officials its her fault for being modest not to consider herself an Elite??

3 comments:

run unlimited said...

I've read it too. Nakakalungkot nga isipin, but there's a rule to follow. Sa isang banda, may dahilan din yung judges/organizers. Besides di rin naman siya natalo, she got her PR.

Anonymous said...

Hi Taki. Living in SF and working close to the Niketown store, there have been comments about what happened Sunday. Obviously, chip timing and not giving the elite runners a 30 minute head start would have eliminated this embarassment. I agree with Joe Hendershott of Runner's World when he said, "this is weak!" in response to a Nike spokesperson not declaring the fastest lady time the actual winner.

The reason that the elite women get a 30 minute head start in New York City Marathon is because of 40,000 runners that for the most part are runners. In the Nike Woemn's Marathon, a high percentage (nearly 20%) of runners actually walked the course. Enough said and I rest my case.

Tech Spec said...

Vener - yeah kakalungkot. Well its done and I hope it served as a lesson to Nike.

Wayne - thanks for the insight. Here in the Philippines we don't have that rule in our races. Well thats because we don't get runners as many as 40,000.