Runners and walkers take part in annual event on Kelowna roads.
Okanagan Marathon a chilly chase
| Started 2 years ago by Chris Stanford | (25 posts) (3 voices) |
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Posted 2 years ago #
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Posted by unregistered user: Richard Kies
Great race! It was a bit chilly, even for a prairie boy like me from Regina. However it was a nice, flat course, well-organized, great volunteer and fan support and just overall a great experience. Hopefully I can run it again in the future. Thanks Kelowna!
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Posted by unregistered user: Bev McKenna
I just ran the Okanagan Marathon today. When I finished I heard from one of the run pace bunnies that the course was 800 meters too long!! Due to us running a third loop somewhere! I’m not sure where that was on the course but I’m choked if this is true because I’ve missed qualifying for Boston by 30 seconds!
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Posted by unregistered user: Todd Gladman
I ran the full marathon, got a “PB”. Great event, for the most part very well organized, BIG thanks to all the volunteers, the course marshalls, and signage – except for that course error just after the 40 km point – added somewhere between 800-1100 extra metres, definitely not a good thing. I am hoping the race organizers/web site will publish the exact extra distance so at least participants who got caught in that same error can unofficially adjust their times. On a positive note, all of us that got caught in that just ran longer than a full marathon! :-)
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Posted by unregistered user: Shannon Flynn
I ran the Kelowna marathon and was on pace for a 4:00:00 finish. I was running near the 4 hour and the 4:05 bunnie. At the end of the race on Chrisleton Ave there was no race marshall to tell you where to go. Everyone including the bunnies did the Half Marathon extra loop when we got to the top of the loop and it read Half Marathon turnaround I was deflated. It affected the next 2 kms of my run. I can say I was feeling great up until then, the water stations and marshalls on the track were awesome. I am not sure why this critical corner was missed however it has really made this marathon a dissappointment.
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Posted by unregistered user: Lisa Fath
I also missed Boston by 29 seconds because of the “course error”, and am totally devastated. Even if the problem had occured earlier in the race there might have been a chance to make up the time, but with 2K left I simply ran out of road. I am desperately hoping something can be done to adjust our times officially (meaning my BQ would stand) but I am not sure if that is realistic or not. :( My heart goes out to all of the others in the same boat as I am in!!
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Posted by unregistered user: Darch Oborne #624
This should be held Sept 11; not October: too cold, and it conflicts with Victoria, which is a much prettier, better organized, better apres food/drinks etc race.
I won’t be back to Kelowna; Victoria, despite some drizzle; is so much warmer, and prettier.Posted 2 years ago # -
Posted by unregistered user: Randi
Who ever the lady is that has the #1345 bib has a great race picture! Looks like you had a wonderful time! Congratulations!
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Posted by unregistered user: SMS
My Garmin read 26.53 miles at the end (0.32 miles longer than a marathon). After downloading my run to my computer I can clearly see the extra loop that was not part of the official course. I noticed a number of others doing the loop as well. This extra distance easily added up to 2-3 minutes (based upon my GPS log)to my time at my pace. Rather than being comfortably within my Boston Marathon qualifying time I just missed it by 21 seconds! Extremely frustrating as this would have been my best race in years! Two different people at two different spots yelled out “1 km left” and At one point near the end a photographer was giving directions which seemed odd. They could have at least had the foresight to plunk down a couple more signs with arrows showing the way. At the end of the race runners are mentally fatigued and the way to the end needs to be clear.
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Posted by unregistered user: Lisa Fath
I have contacted the race director about this directly, but he has not responded yet. A reporter from this site did speak to him today though…his comments are included here: http://www.kelowna.com/2009/10/12/race-route-is-runners-responsibility-event-director/
Posted 2 years ago #
