Manchester marathon gets distance wrong by 380m as 24,000 runners’ times are invalidated
If you ran the Greater Manchester Marathon between 2013 and 2015, you're in for some bad news: Turns out it wasn't a marathon after all.
For three years the race route was mistakenly measured 380m too short of the required 26 miles and 385 yards, meaning the times of the 24,000 runners who have taken part in the last three years have been invalidated.
UK Athletics said it will no longer recognise the times recorded in the period following the measurement mistake, which was spotted and amended before this year's race a fortnight ago.
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“AUKCM regret the error in measurement and the effect it has on runners’ times,” said The Association of UK Course Measurers secretary Phil Holland.
"Significant errors in measurement are rare – our procedures are designed to find them at the reporting or checking stages.”
Marathon organisers said the blame laid with AUKCM.
“Responsibility for measuring of the length of the course in 2013, 2014 and 2015 laid with AUKCM, and we relied on AUKCM certification in holding the race over the specified distance," it said in a statement.
"It has been confirmed that the course was measured incorrectly most likely due to a calibration issue. AUKCM have agreed that the course was the same as had been certified.
"We all understand the anguish and huge disappointment this creates and want to assure our runners that we share the upset and emotion from the AUKCM news regarding the race distance."