Edmonton Marathon apologizes, says detour error lengthened 2026 race distances

Edmonton Marathon runners who entered the event with hopes of qualifying for the prestigious Boston Marathon may still have a chance. The annual subscription, priced at $205.00 plus GST for one year, includes automatic renewal at $233.00 plus GST every 52 weeks—10% off the regular annual price of $259.35. The offer is available to new and returning subscribers, with the option to cancel at any time.

Officials from the Boston Marathon announced on Thursday that there is still a possibility for the runners from the bungled Edmonton Marathon to qualify for the next event on April 19. The Boston Athletic Association revealed that if a runner in Edmonton met the qualifying time to finish the race—despite having to run a longer distance—they could still qualify.

Chris Lotsbom, the media director for the association, stated, “So long as the results and times are official and unadjusted, they could be used for the qualifying.”

Edmonton Marathon director Tom Keogh confirmed that the course was 674.7 metres longer than the official 42.2 kilometres for the full marathon and 21.1 kilometres for the half marathon. The marathon organizers initially dismissed the concerns but later confirmed the discrepancy on Tuesday. The Boston Athletic Association emphasized that they will not accept Edmonton race times that have been adjusted for the extra two-thirds of a kilometre, as they rely on the marathon and race organizers to uphold the integrity of official results, certified course, and distance.

Athletics Canada is also still discussing the issue with the Edmonton organizers. The situation is significant for the runners, as recognized finish times can affect metrics such as official rankings, race placings, and personal bests.

Greg Plester, a runner from Edmonton, was determined to qualify for the Boston Marathon for the past couple of years. In his previous attempts, he broke the qualifying time but not enough to get accepted. During Sunday's race, he was confident until he reached the 10-kilometre mark based on the course markers, at which point his heart sank. Plester expressed his disappointment, stating, “If they hadn’t got the distance wrong, I’d be all but assured that I’d have made Boston.”

Brittney White, from Sherwood Park, Alta., also ran the race hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon to prove she could do it and follow her father’s footsteps. After receiving an email confirmation that she qualified for her age group, White expressed a mix of emotions, saying, “I was a little bit panicked and sad and I don’t know, mixed emotions.” She hopes the decision from the association does not change, as she had worked hard to achieve this goal, inspired by her father, Brett White.