Half-marathoner takes wrong turn, runs marathon.....

....in 2:19:34 and gets disqualified.

 

Nicholas Kurgat signed up to run a half marathon in Raleigh, N.C. a few weeks ago. But, according to the Raleigh News and Observer, Kurgat, "missed the signs for the half marathon turn and found himself deciding at the 13th mile to keep going, even though he had never run a full marathon and was participating in his first half marathon."

 

Kurgat, a Kenyan runner, would have been the winner, but his results were not counted because he signed up for the half.

 

Jim Micheels, the race director, said Kurgat was disqualified from the half marathon for leaving the course, a rule specified by USA Track and Field, the country's governing body for marathons.

 

"One of their rules is that if you switch races, intentionally or unintentionally, you're disqualified," Micheels told the News and Observer.

 

You can read the entire story here. I originally found out about it by reading My 2 cents blog.