The US Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta were supposed to be a showcase of the nation’s finest distance runners on a crisp morning where strategy and stamina would determine who would wear the stars and stripes at the World Championships in Copenhagen. Instead, the race descended into chaos and controversy when the three leading women were directed off course by the very vehicles meant to guide them.

Jonathan Gault reported on the situation, stating, “Absolute disaster at US Half Marathon Champs. Jess McClain had sizable lead with 1.5 miles to go but was led off course. Emma Grace Hurley & Ednah Kurgat followed her. Cost her 2+ mins and the win. A puzzled Molly Born crosses the line first in 69:43.”

The incident occurred at approximately the 12.1-mile mark, near a pedestrian-only bridge where the course took a turn that confused the lead vehicle. Apparently, the television motorcycle that had been guiding the lead women made a critical error.

Rather than continuing straight onto the bridge as the course demanded, the vehicle turned left, and the three women, Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Edna Kurgat, followed it, as they would in any other race, unaware of the consequences that would transpire.

It was only after running approximately 400m down the wrong path that the trio realized their mistake, forcing them to execute a 180-degree turn and retrace their steps, losing precious time in the process. The entire detour cost them more than two minutes and effectively eliminated any chance of reaching the podium.

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For Jess McClain, the 34-year-old Stanford graduate who had represented the United States at the World Championships in the marathon last year, the moment at the US Half Marathon Championships was particularly gut-wrenching.

She had built a substantial lead, estimated at roughly 30 seconds over her nearest competitors, and appeared destined to claim her first national championship along with the $20,000 first-place prize and automatic qualification for the World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen. “I’m so pissed off,” McClain said as she crossed the finish line in ninth position, with her anger being quite justified.

Molly Born, who had been more than a minute behind when the leaders went off the course, crossed the finish line first in 1:09:43, looking puzzled as she realized she was being hailed as the champion under circumstances no athlete would wish for. Carrie Ellwood took second in 1:09:47, and Annie Rodenfels claimed third in 1:10:12 and completed the podium in a chaotic US Half Marathon Championships.

The controversy got so tense that even the USATF had to offer an official statement. They confirmed that following the US Half Marathon Championships, athletes filed a protest, which was denied, and following the decision, an appeal was submitted.

“The event did not meet USATF Rule 243 and that the course was not adequately marked at the point of misdirection. This violation contributed to the misdirection taken by the athletes within the top four at the time of misdirection. However, the jury of appeals finds no recourse within the USATF rulebook to alter the results order of finish. The results order of finish as posted is considered final,” the USATF statement read.

However, in distance running, such instances are quite common.

A level of similar chaos, just like at the US Half Marathon Championships

There have been many confusing moments in the entire history of distance running. The 2025 Seattle Marathon saw over 100 runners fall victim to ambiguous course markings near the Magnolia neighborhood.

A confusing intersection where the road and trail ran parallel with only a thin strip of grass separating them led runners to turn left instead of right, missing two miles of the course and earning undeserved DNFs. One affected runner, Vladimir Andral, who was on pace for a 3:35 marathon, described his experience, stating, “I realized I was misdirected, and I was absolutely crushed.”

The 2017 Woodlands Marathon in Texas presented another painful case when a motorcycle officer hired by the race mistakenly led a volunteer, and consequently hundreds of runners off course, resulting in a marathon that was 0.8 miles short. “(The volunteer) questioned it, and challenged that lead motorcyclist, but he proceeded following the lead motorcyclist,” explained Race Director Willie Fowlkes.

So, the US Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta will be remembered not for the athletic excellence on display but for an error that cost three talented women their moment on the podium.