Problems At the Bluenose - More Complaints Surfacing

[drghfx]

Apparently they had a number of problems at the Bluenose races on Sunday.

First off the wrong woman was declared the Woman's Marathon winner. Apparently fairly early on in the race she missed a loop around Citadel Hill and it was only reported after she had finished the race. As well , the 60-70 age group winner apparently also missed the loop, but that wasn't picked up.

In the 10 k the three lead runners apparently missed the finishing chute and were disqualified. The 4th place guy ran into the right chute and won himself a race!

A spokesperson for the race said that the runners are responsible for knowing the race course. Well, to a point yes, but it's tough to memorize a marathion course like Bluenose with a number of loops and it's tough to figure out a finishing chute if it's just set up the day of the race. I think they have to do a better job of indicating the correct route.


Jabbour wins after the fact
Runner declared women’s marathon winner after Caron’s course mixup
By GLENN MacDONALD Sports Reporter
Mon. May 19 - 3:46 PM

There were some red faces at the Blue Nose International Marathon.

And it didn’t have anything to do with a cool biting wind but a runner who ostensibly finished first in the women’s full marathon only to be disqualified.

Emilie Caron of Sainte-Julie, Que. crossed the line in approximately three hours and 11 minutes, nearly six minutes ahead of her closest competitor.

But unbeknownst to Caron, she missed a checkpoint and failed to do a second loop around Citadel Hill before following the race route across the Macdonald Bridge to Dartmouth.

Nearly an hour after Caron crossed the line, defending champion Leah Jabbour of Halifax was declared the winner of the women’s marathon.

"(Caron) didn’t pass through the transition area for the full marathon so her chip time could not be accurately recorded and she has been disqualified," said Suzanne Fougere, a spokesperson with the Blue Nose communication committee. "Leah Jabbour is the official winner of the full marathon."

A dejected Caron said she was embarrassed by the turn of the events.

"I was really surprised I had won it," said the 26-year-old who was competing in her first Blue Nose marathon and third marathon overall. "My best time was 3:40 on a really flat course. I had felt good. At the best I was thinking 3:30. It came as a real surprise."

Caron, who admitted power-walking parts of Giv’er Hill, the steep incline on Maple Street in Dartmouth, did complete the route after being notified of her miscue. But it was too late; she had already taken off her timing chip after crossing the finish.

Jabbour came in at 3:17:12.5, nearly four minutes off her time in last year’s event. She was astonished that Caron didn’t realize her faux pas.

"I think because I have done it for a few years, I got to know the route and I know where I’m going," Jabbour said. "But if you do marathons you know where you are kilometre-wise. I find it hard to believe you can run a marathon, have no idea where you are and then say ‘holy s--- I just knocked 35 minutes off my time.’

"But mistakes happen. Coming across at the half, people were telling me I was first and I didn’t see her pass me. And when I got over to the Dartmouth side, I still didn’t see her pass me but I didn’t know what was going on at the time."

Jabbour, who started marathon running in 2000 but took five years off to have children, said the breezy conditions along the 42.2-kilometre trek through Halifax and Dartmouth made the race challenging.

She said the conditions weren’t ideal for setting any personal records. Her best time of 3:11 established in New York last year remains intact.

"I was happy with my run today; I felt strong," said the 31-year-old Jabbour, a mother of two who wore multi-coloured bracelets designed by her daughters Sophia, 5, and Mya, 3.

"I was off my time last year but I felt great. I don’t know if it was the wind but I felt it was more inclined this year. It just wasn’t my day as far as beating my time from last year."

Next up for Jabbour is the New York City Marathon on Nov. 2. She would like to compete in the Boston Marathon next year but that event is held only a month prior to the Blue Nose. That may mean Jabbour won’t be back to defend her title next season.

"I’m not sure if I’ll be back to do the full next year, just four weeks after Boston," said the Clayton Park resident. "Maybe I’ll do the half, we’ll see."

( gmacdonald@herald.ca)

[RA.]

It took me a bit on Monday to understand how she missed the loop by the hill, but it makes sense.

I'm guessing that she did this: When coming into the last few km of the half route, we turned left onto North. I think she must have run right across the bridge instead of turning onto Brunswick to loop back to the start for the second half of the full.

I found it a little confusing myself as the full participants who HAD done the loop were coming down the hill, and the volunteers were trying to guide them - asking if they'd been past here once already... If so, they cross to Dartmouth, if not, they go to Brunswick. That needs to be better marked, or something.

And ya, the finish chute - I just looked for where the crowd ahead of me was going. Obviously, if there was no crowd ahead, they couldn't do that.

[ultraslacker]

they don't have escort vehicles for the leaders??

[drghfx]

they don't have escort vehicles for the leaders??

Yes, but not for the leading woman, only the leading marathoner and half marathoner, whoever that may be.

[bigguy]

Yes it is the responsibility of the runners to know the course. It sounds like there needed to be more course people to direct runners. As a competitor in 2005 (A raging storm throughout the race). I would think that the organizers would have anticipated this problem. The problem running into the wrong shoot. Should not make a difference as timing mats do not care which shoot you run through, unless there are different finish lines which was not the case in 2005. It is a good article for both runners and race directors to read. Make your course as easy as possible to follow and have course people in problem areas. Runners also need to read the course information provided. Do not assume that each race is the same. It is a good thing they had a timing mat on the course loop, or they would have never known.

[UltraQueenga]

Wow, sounds like a complicated course and poor planning! Any course that has you do some silly loop at the end after running 30-40kms is just plain stupid!
Mississauga had one such loop in the park before the last 800-1000m. They quickly nixed it after a few people got confused and missed it.

Didn't Ottawa have some hiccup last year regarding course marking?

[RA.]

Wow, sounds like a complicated course and poor planning! Any course that has you do some silly loop at the end after running 30-40kms is just plain stupid!
Mississauga had one such loop in the park before the last 800-1000m. They quickly nixed it after a few people got confused and missed it.

Didn't Ottawa have some hiccup last year regarding course marking?

The loop is at the half mark - so it's not near the end for the full.

[UltraQueenga]

Wow, sounds like a complicated course and poor planning! Any course that has you do some silly loop at the end after running 30-40kms is just plain stupid!
Mississauga had one such loop in the park before the last 800-1000m. They quickly nixed it after a few people got confused and missed it.

Didn't Ottawa have some hiccup last year regarding course marking?

The loop is at the half mark - so it's not near the end for the full.

Halfway point is marginally better than end of the course, but poor planning and marking is still at the root of the problem.

[Beerslinger]

I've also heard from the 10K'ers that there were no distance markers... made it hard for Ian to be a pace bunny, but also threw off a couple people I knew who were running with Team Diabetes...

[q]

The marathon route for the full is nice with moments of ugliness..

Overall - Bah.

The Dartmouth side is perfect. I wouldn't change a thing.

The route along the waterfront and through the park, also well done.

The running of Ahern Ave/North Park/Arigcola 3 times... BAH.. I don't think so. It is a wonder more people didn't make a false turn, or perhaps they did.

Anyhow. As I have stated before, I'm not a fan of the new route. I do hope they look at it again.







http://www.bluenosemarathon.com/EN/race ... %20pdf.pdf

The Full and the Half Marathon begin together at 9:00 AM

Starting the race, south on Brunswick Street,
west (right) on Sackville Street
Right on to Bell Road
Right on to Ahern Avenue
North along North Park Street
Continue north on Agricola Street
Right on to Russell Street
Right on to Barrington Street
Through the Naval Dockyard
South along Hollis Street
Left on to Barrington
Right on to Inglis Street
Left on to Young Avenue.
Through Point Pleasant Park.
Continuing along Shore Roadl and continues into Arm Road. Proceeding North along Arm Road, the pathway comes to Serpentine Road where a right turn sends the route curving up through an "S" to Cambridge Road. Proceeding left on Cambridge Road, the course comes to a right hand turn on to Lodge Road, passing the fountain, which brings the course back to Young Avenue and out of the park.
Young Ave becomes South Park Street
Bearing left on Bell Road
Right on to Ahern Street
North on North Park,
It becomes Agricola Street.
Keep going north to Russell Street, jog right and then left on to Isleville Street (???????)
Turning right on Novalea Drive which become Gottigen.
Turn left on North Street
Right on Brunswick Street for the finish at the Town Clock.

THIS CONCLUDES THE HALF MARATHON
----------------------------------------------------------------

Full marathoners will carry on through the "Finish Line"
Right on Sackville Street
Right onto Ahern
North on to North Park Street
Continue north on Agricola Stree
Turn right on North and proceed across the Macdonald Bridge.

Once in Dartmouth, head up Nantucket Avenue
Then left on to Slayter Street
Right onto Woodland
Right on to Mic Mac Boulevard, behind the Mic Mac Mall area to the Highway 111 overpass. Running under the overpass, you'll enter Shubie Park.
You'll exit Shubie Park near Waverley Road.
Run along Waverley Road
Right on to Prince Albert Road
Up Maple Street
Left back toward the Macdonald Bridge to return to Halifax.
Once you reach the Halifax turn left on to Brunswick Street to the FINISH LINE!

Not really room on the back of your hand for all that.

[Stephan]

I liked it 2 years ago, I wonder why they changed it??? It worked great back then.....must be a government official who decided to change it.

[q]

I liked it 2 years ago, I wonder why they changed it??? It worked great back then.....must be a government official who decided to change it.

Probably. Since it lets traffic can get into, and out of the west and south ends of the city.

[drghfx]

More complaints surfacing.

http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1057452.html

Complaints prompt review of Blue Nose Marathon
Being directed wrong way among runners’ criticisms
By MONTY MOSHER Sports Reporter
Thu. May 22 - 5:14 AM



Blue Nose Marathon entrants take off from the start line on Brunswick Street last Sunday. A number of complaints from runners have prompted organizers to undertake a full review of the event.

Organizers of the Blue Nose International Marathon are undertaking a "full review" of race procedures after upwards of two dozen complaints from runners stemming from Sunday’s fifth anniversary event through the streets of Halifax and Dartmouth.

Participants have complained to the race organizing committee and to the media that runners in the team relay, 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon got jammed together on the course, couldn’t find their respective routes, ran headlong into city traffic and received incorrect directions from overwhelmed volunteers along the course.

"We’ve done this in the past," Blue Nose co-chairman Gerry Walsh said Wednesday. "Any complaint usually gets elevated to me right away.

""We want everybody to have a good experience and if we’ve let anybody down we want to do what we can to remedy it for the current year and insure it doesn’t happen in the future."

Two high-profile cases have already been reported.

The leaders in the 5K were disqualified after being told to take the wrong route and Quebec’s Emilie Caron had her win in the women’s marathon scratched when she missed a checkpoint and failed to perform a second loop around Citadel Hill before heading to the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge and Dartmouth. Halifax’s Leah Jabbour was later declared the winner for a second straight year.

Other runners contend they passed competitors on the course only to finish behind them in the standings.

Finishing times are relevant for qualifying for other events, including the Boston Marathon.

Walsh said the organizing committee has just begun its reassessment.

He said the committee will review every point on the race course, which underwent some alterations prior to this year’s event to condense the competition. That created fewer issues for residents and motorists.

Walsh said the complaints have been largely constructive in nature, understanding that the Blue Nose is a volunteer-driven event that has doubled in size since its inception. More than 5,000 runners competed.

"We really had five races being run at roughly the same time on pretty much the same streets," he said. "Because of the crowds there was a little bit of confusion as to which way to turn. I think there is a shared responsibility in terms of directing people around the course between the runner and the organizers. So we’re trying to get to the root of it."

Better signage, route changes, revamped start times and better preparation for volunteers are the likely outcome of the review, Walsh said.

He couldn’t say if the Sunday’s official race standings could be changed.

"We’re taking a look at all aspects of it," he said.

( mmosher@herald.ca)


http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9006871.html


A rueful runner speaks

Thu. May 22 - 6:46 AM

LETTER TO THE SPORTS EDITOR

Runners directed entirely the wrong way

I write you now as part of my accepting responsibility for running off-course during yesterday’s (Sunday) 5km Blue Nose event.

I am from Nanaimo, B.C., visiting Halifax for the weekend with the rest of my family to attend a cousin’s wedding.

The running community here strikes me as enthusiastic with over one-of-every-100 residents attending the race. I spent $55 and whole-heartedly registered for the race the day before.

Despite studying the route and elevation map for several minutes before the race it was a real struggle for myself, and the three other lead 5km runners to navigate our way through the correct route.

With four different races happening at the same time, our attention was dedicated to trying to weave our way through the slow moving sea of thousands of people. On three separate occasions I had to stop and try to sort out with volunteers which direction we were supposed to go.

Ultimately we were directed entirely the wrong way. There were no clear signs, there was no pre-emptive attempt from volunteers to steer us.

On a more positive note it was wonderful to share the sunshine and energy with thousands of other runners. Aside from my own frustrating 15 minute run, the event was a huge success for 99.99 per cent of the participants and I know the event organizers accept responsibility for that.

My sympathy goes out to the young second- and third-place runners who drove with their mother for three hours to attend the race. They were not mentioned or refunded for their wasted efforts. For them it was an unsuccessful $100 endeavor.

YMCA deserves the charity and so for me it was overall a good experience. However I would like to share responsibility and recommend highway-like signage dedicated to each individual race course. Large/obvious directional signs would have solved mine and the other three lead runner’s problems.

Better communication amongst volunteers would be beneficial too (not to take away from their good work).

On a technical note the person you have listed as the winner of the 5km race with a time of 16:31 was also directed the wrong way. I estimate that myself and the next three (or apparently four) runners ran at least 1km shorter than we should have. My personal best time for the 5k is 17:35 so when I ran through the finish area at 15:30 I knew something was wrong.

Respectfully,

Shelby Drope

Student of Physical Education at Vancouver Island University

[CAW]

Wow...

Looks like there were more than a few hiccups.

I think I will take a personal stand that I won't run Blue Nose until they've ironed out the glitches and have had successful, mostly glitch-free races for a few years in a row.

I understand that the organizers tried to change the route for traffic and residential concerns, but if Manhattan can shut down major thoroughfares, for the NYC Marathon, I think Halifax can suck it up for a day.

[Scott]

Wow...

Looks like there were more than a few hiccups.

I think I will take a personal stand that I won't run Blue Nose until they've ironed out the glitches and have had successful, mostly glitch-free races for a few years in a row.

I understand that the organizers tried to change the route for traffic and residential concerns, but if Manhattan can shut down major thoroughfares, for the NYC Marathon, I think Halifax can suck it up for a day.

That would require change - change doesn't go over well here

It is going to take some experimenting to find the optimum (not perfect) balance of routing logistics. Unfortunately, the race has been plagued by by low volunteer numbers so there are going to be gaps. Halifax (and Dartmouth) haven't fully embraced the marathon weekend like New York or Boston where those races have become part of the fabric of their Cities, but then this race is only five years old, whereas, the big races that are often held up as examples have been around much longer.

[RA.]

Unfortunately, the race has been plagued by by low volunteer numbers so there are going to be gaps.

And a lot of our volunteers aren't runners (going on my experience volunteering the past few years). So they are thrown in after a little training, learning as they go. But a big thanks goes out to them for volunteering in the first place!

[drghfx]

Well, they have had this problem before.

Have a look at my last year's volunteer report. viewtopic.php?t=17798&highlight=bluenose+volunteer+report

In essence, last year, the water station supervisors at my water station and the lead half-marathon car driver did not know the route of the race. These folks need to be better trained. If they know what is going on, the other volunteers should be able to follow simple instructions.

[Jwolf]

Jabbour came in at 3:17:12.5, nearly four minutes off her time in last year’s event. She was astonished that Caron didn’t realize her faux pas.

It doesn't make sense that some missing a loop of Citadel hill wouldn't know that she was short. That's a significant distance to be missing, and you'd know that your timing was off.

It's too bad this race is lacking volunteer support. If the volunteers that they do get are lacking in training, it's likely because they would find it hard to attract even those volunteers if they had to come another time for training, too.

[s rasmussen]

Could the route not go round the scenic Bedford Basin instead of doubling back on itself so much?

If i in 100 are active in the running community, as one poster stated, surely enough volunteers can be found?

[Jwolf]

If i in 100 are active in the running community, as one poster stated, surely enough volunteers can be found?

I'm sure it's more than that, but lot of these people like to run the race...

[RA.]

Could the route not go round the scenic Bedford Basin instead of doubling back on itself so much?

If i in 100 are active in the running community, as one poster stated, surely enough volunteers can be found?

Ya, the 1 in 100 quote was likely using the registration numbers and the population. Therefore, those "active" runners were running.

[bunsontherun]

Unfortunately, the race has been plagued by by low volunteer numbers so there are going to be gaps.

And a lot of our volunteers aren't runners (going on my experience volunteering the past few years). So they are thrown in after a little training, learning as they go. But a big thanks goes out to them for volunteering in the first place!

http://www.bluenosemarathon.com/EN/volunteers/
From the volunteer link above:
Quote

4) Blue Nose Marathon t-shirts. Yes, you get an easily identifiable
Blue Nose Marathon volunteer t-shirt. Did I mention they're all the
rage on the runways of Milan?

Okay, if the t-shirt isn't enough to get you excited, how about the
chance to win a Caribbean Island travel package for two courtesy of Air
Canada Vacations, Sandals Resorts and Fraser & Hoyt Travel. Unquote.

It would seem to me that the chance to win a Caribbean Island travel package would be a big enticement to volunteer for the Blue Nose Marathon. The Calgary Marathon does not have such a major prize. We have several draws for jackets, running bottles, etc...nothing extravagent and we get a lot of volunteers, not as many as required, but I wonder how many more volunteers would come out if there was a trip prize. Of course, I would recommend one condition for winning the prize must be attendance at a training session combined with the actual volunteer activity.