Runners who participated in this month’s full Chattanooga Marathon will be eligible to run in next year’s event at a discounted rate of $40, the Chattanooga Sports Committee announced Thursday.
The discounted rate is the organization’s attempt to make amends to runners after an error made the March 6 course fall 0.28 miles short of a full 26.2 miles. The error occurred in the St. Elmo neighborhood, where a turnaround in the race course was placed two streets too soon.
In an email to marathon participants that was also posted on chattanoogamarathon.com, the marathon planning committee offered all 2016 full marathon runners “that were negatively impacted by the shortened distance” the lower rate for next year, which is less than half of the normal entry fee.
The normal registration fee for the 2017 full marathon is $85, until Aug. 31, and it increases incrementally in the following months as the March 5, 2017, race date approaches.
The email told runners wishing to take advantage of the offer to email their full name and bib number from the 2016 race to info@chattanoogamarathon.com.
“After verifying your 2016 participation, we will provide you via email with a unique code to enter online,” the email read.
The marathon planning committee also has submitted adjusted times to the Boston Athletic Association for 2017 Boston Marathon qualifying purposes.
“We do not expect to receive their direction until after the 2016 Boston Marathon,” the email said. “We will notify those impacted as soon as we receive direction from the BAA. Thank you for your patience.”
The Boston Athletic Assocation has not responded to inquiries from the Times Free Press.
It remains unclear how many potential Boston Marathon qualifiers may have been affected. Local running enthusiasts have speculated that perhaps fewer than 10 runners would have been eligible for the Boston Marathon, based on an analysis of the Chattanooga Marathon results.
But the course miscue may have had a larger impact on a different segment of competitors.
Organizations like the 50 States Marathon Club hold strictly to protocols requiring runners to complete full marathons in their efforts to be formally certified for completing a marathon in each state.
“Since your race course was short, our members will be able to count your marathon for [Tennessee] but will not be able to use it for a ‘certified finish,'” 50 States Marathon Club treasurer Steve Boone said in an email to Chattanooga Marathon race director Brian Myrick provided to the Times Free Press on Thursday.
“My guess is that most of our members will want to rerun TN so they can become ‘certified finishers,'” the email continued.
Boone also wrote, “We heard a lot of good things from our members about your inaugural event.”
Race results show that 639 people ran the full marathon with 529 finishing. An additional 1,370 of 1,601 runners finished the half marathon, which was unaffected by the course mishap. The March 5-6 race weekend also featured a kids run, a 5K and a marathon relay.
“Over the marathon weekend, we welcomed roughly 6,000 participants and spectators to the Scenic City,” the Sports committee email said. “It is our goal to enhance the quality of this event annually. We would like to encourage you as an inaugural full marathon participant to join us for next year’s race.”
Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.