Half-marathoner wins marathon by mistake

[Deleted]

Meredith Fitzmaurice never dreamed she'd win Sunday's Run for Heroes Marathon in Amherstburg, Ont.

Especially since the Belle River, Ont., runner planned to run the halfmarathon and not the full 26.2-mile race. But a wrong turn sent her onto the marathon course.

"I just run with my watch, so I was watching my time since I planned to do my half in under 1:28," she said. "I was doing the race as training for my first full marathon in Detroit. But I'm looking at the time and wondering where the finish line is."

Fitzmaurice, 34, asked one of the bike officials on the course where the turn was for the half-marathon, although she admits by that point she had her suspicions.

"Once I realized what I had done, I figured, well I'll just run 20 miles and use it as a long run and call it a day," she said.

But as she headed from the turnaround she started to count people ahead of her.

She realized there were only nine men ahead, and no women. She asked the official on the bike if she finished the marathon, even though she was signed up for the half, would it count and, more importantly, would she be able to use her time as a Boston Marathon qualifier?

"The official said he was going to ask the race director," she said. "So as I'm running I'm wondering if my race is going to count, I'm thinking about my friend who is at the finish line probably wondering where I am since I have the keys to the car. And my neighbour, who was going to be waiting for me at the finish line. I knew they were going to be worried about me. "The bike official finally came back and said the race director, Chris Uszynski, would honour her race as a completion in the full distance.

"While I was waiting for a response I wasn't sure what to do," she said. "I felt really good but I was scared because I hadn't planned to run 26.2 miles that day and was worried if it didn't count that I would burn myself out for Detroit."

So Fitzmaurice decided to continue on. She asked the official on the bike if he'd keep her company.

As Fitzmaurice got near the finish line the feeling was "surreal." People were high-fiving her and telling her she was the first woman and to keep going.

"I had only ever run 20 miles, but I think at that point the adrenalin just pulled me through," she said. "I just kept thinking you can do this, just get it done. The last couple miles were really tough."

When Fitzmaurice crossed the finish line in a time of 3:11:48 she was the first woman, 10th overall and had qualified for Boston.

"I thought I was only running a half-marathon so I really gave it out there," she said. "If I knew I was going to be running the full marathon I probably wouldn't have ran so fast. So maybe it was a good thing."

And, as for making the wrong turn, Fitzmaurice blames the mistake on the fact she had her headphones on and was definitely in a zone.

"I just missed it," she said. "I didn't do it on purpose. When I crossed the finish line I saw my friend and I started to cry and then I hugged the guy on the bike. Without him I wouldn't have been able to do it. This was my first one and even though my family was disappointed they weren't there to see it, maybe this was meant to be. I was alone and maybe this was how I was meant to do it."

www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Half+marathoner+wins+marathon+mistake/8955604/story.html?cid=dlvr.it-twitter-edmontonjournal

[Deleted]

That's crazy. I can't imagine accidentally BQing.

[jene]

I heard this story this morning. So crazy!

[chitownbelle]

Um, best mistake ever.

[Wines Not Whines]

Holy crap.

[Susie]

lol. I am always super careful to know the course very well for swimming races (and the swim leg of tri's), but I'm really lazy about it for running because I know I can just follow the parade.

[patches31709]

Wow.

[al320]

Holy crap, thats amazing.

[blndsnbrdr]

Wow. That insane.

[cinco]

Holy crap! I missed the turn around in a half once. I doubled back, finished, and then pouted on a certain message board. Continuing and getting a 3:11 is bonkers. Good for her.

[katandkevin]

That is crazy.

[lb2006]

That is unreal!!!!!

[clseale]

She was basically, for the most part , fully trained to run a fast marathon, but she didn't get a taper, and her ability to hang on after racing the first half as a half, is seriously impressive. What a fun mistake!

ETA: If she had done the 1:28 half, McMillan would have predicted a 3:05 full, so really, it didn't even slow down her full time that much.

[cinco]

I peaked on Mcmillan and a 1:28 half goal would be around a 3:05 full. I think it is impressive she could go out too fast (since she was pacing for a half), and still hold on.

[Deleted]

How awesome!

[oliviapope]

That is insane.

[clseale]

Sept 26, 2013 12:16:35 GMT -5 cinco said:

I peaked on Mcmillan and a 1:28 half goal would be around a 3:05 full. I think it is impressive she could go out too fast (since she was pacing for a half), and still hold on.

Haha. We were doing this at the exact same time.

[ebeth]

Sept 26, 2013 12:09:06 GMT -5 cinco said:

Holy crap! I missed the turn around in a half once. I doubled back, finished, and then pouted on a certain message board. Continuing and getting a 3:11 is bonkers. Good for her.

didn't you end up third overall at that race or something like that?

didn't you also miss a turn around for a full and end up BQ'ing anyway because you aged up or something?

ANYWAY, my point is that when I saw this on the today show this AM I thought of you specifically. lol.

(aside: wouldn't the headphones and the assistance/pacing from the biker prevent you from 'winning' though? I thought you couldn't do those things and win? or are those USAT&F rules that don't apply because this is Canada?  Or do they just look the other way for smaller races? I've never been in the position to win so I've never read up on these things.)

[Susie]

Sept 26, 2013 12:20:13 GMT -5 ebeth said:

Sept 26, 2013 12:09:06 GMT -5 cinco said:

Holy crap! I missed the turn around in a half once. I doubled back, finished, and then pouted on a certain message board. Continuing and getting a 3:11 is bonkers. Good for her.

didn't you end up third overall at that race or something like that?

didn't you also miss a turn around for a full and end up BQ'ing anyway because you aged up or something?

ANYWAY, my point is that when I saw this on the today show this AM I thought of you specifically. lol.

(aside: wouldn't the headphones and the assistance/pacing from the biker prevent you from 'winning' though? I thought you couldn't do those things and win? or are those USAT&F rules that don't apply because this is Canada?  Or do they just look the other way for smaller races? I've never been in the position to win so I've never read up on these things.)

I was wondering about that too, especially the bike pacer.

[gt7301b]

That's insane. Good for her!!

Mr. GT almost did this two weeks ago, on purpose. He ran a half (also in 1:28) and almost went for the BQ. I should show him this, cause 3:11 wouldn't have cut it for him.  I say this cause I am tired of hearign about his race

[cinco]

Sept 26, 2013 12:20:13 GMT -5 ebeth said:

Sept 26, 2013 12:09:06 GMT -5 cinco said:

Holy crap! I missed the turn around in a half once. I doubled back, finished, and then pouted on a certain message board. Continuing and getting a 3:11 is bonkers. Good for her.

didn't you end up third overall at that race or something like that?

didn't you also miss a turn around for a full and end up BQ'ing anyway because you aged up or something?

ANYWAY, my point is that when I saw this on the today show this AM I thought of you specifically. lol.

(aside: wouldn't the headphones and the assistance/pacing from the biker prevent you from 'winning' though? I thought you couldn't do those things and win? or are those USAT&F rules that don't apply because this is Canada?  Or do they just look the other way for smaller races? I've never been in the position to win so I've never read up on these things.)

Yes, course maps are our friends. I've been thinking about that little course addition in Rehoboth this past couple weeks. I would have been annoyed if it kept me out of Boston. But really, it was only about a .3 extra, and the closest I will come to running an ultra. I can't imagine an extra 13 miles.

[katinthehat]

Out of curiosity, I wonder what her weekly mileage was up to this.

[shorewife]

When I first saw this headline I was ready to call BS but once I actually read the article I was more in awe! Although I probably wouldn't have mentioned the bike pacer....

[ebeth]

Ok, so looking again it doesn't sound like she says the biker was pacing her. I also don't think it's uncommon to have a biker in front of the first male/female showing them where to go, but I'm not sure at what point it becomes assistance, KWIM?

[runaways]

That's crazy. Good for her!

[mollyrunner]

Crazy!!

[clseale]

Sept 26, 2013 12:38:01 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

Out of curiosity, I wonder what her weekly mileage was up to this.

Given the fact that she had already done a 20 miler, & she's obviously an experienced runner, I'd guess it was pretty solid. She was trained enough for the full.

It's not a true, "Whoops! Meant to do the half, but did the full" scenario, but racing that first half at that pace & staying as strong as she did is crazy.

[kellydelq]

love this story!

[clseale]

I wonder if she still plans on running Detroit? Lol

[pixy0stix]

I'm glad she was able to find someone to ask questions along the way.