Edmonton Marathon course was 674 metres too long; 13 runners lose Boston qualifying

Thirteen runners who finished the Edmonton Marathon on August 16 will not qualify for the Boston Marathon because the race course was 674 metres longer than regulation distance.

The full marathon should measure 42.2 kilometres; the half marathon, 21.1 kilometres. Organizers discovered the overage this week and apologized, saying the error stemmed from a mapped detour. Several racers had flagged the discrepancy before and during the race using their own distance calculators, according to other outlets covering the story.

The Boston Marathon will accept the unadjusted official finishing times from the 92 runners who did meet qualifying standards. It will not accept adjusted times that organizers offered to recalculate. This means the 13 affected runners fall short of Boston's qualifying cutoff, despite running farther than required.

Organizers initially stated the course conformed to regulation distance, then retracted that claim. Tom Keogh, the Edmonton Marathon race director, issued a statement saying, "It is evident the community that gathers through this event is resilient, passionate, kind and deserving of nothing less than our very best. We commit that this distance miscalculation does not happen again."

The race entry fee for the full marathon was $225. Neither the source nor Athletics Canada has disclosed what financial compensation or race credit the 13 disqualified runners will receive.

Athletics Canada, which certifies marathon courses, is working with organizers to review the certification process. Chris Winter, the organization's director of domestic programs and safe sport, said, "While errors such as the one identified at the Edmonton Marathon are extremely rare, we recognize the impact they can have on athletes, particularly when a championship event and qualifying standards are involved."

Edmonton Marathon organizers will contact the 13 runners individually. Keogh committed to delivering "a race experience in 2027 that meets the highest standards of accuracy, integrity, safety and excellence," and said the organization is "committed to being back next year, wiser, bigger and better." Two course records were set in both the men's and women's marathons despite the added distance.