Participants complain

According to the Irish Independent, the Antrim Coast Half Marathon organizers were inundated with complaints from runners. The organizers felt compelled to apologize, but also explain what happened.

The course is considered fast and beautiful running along the Northern Irish coast.

Runners, who paid the Β£42 or USD 55 entry fee, to take part were not impressed.

The publication wrote, “Complaints included the length of queues for toilets, no water for the first five miles (8km) and runners being asked to move to the line more than an hour before the start time.

Problems with Sunday’s event were also compounded by the heavy rainfall.

Dozens of comments have appeared on their social media accounts voicing similar complaints with people telling of their experiences.”

The organizers explained that some of the water had been stolen in the early morning hours.

Elites did not have an issue

The women’s winner Yalemzerf Yehaulaw of Ethiopia won in the time of one hour, five minutes and 31 seconds (1:05:31). Her personal best is two minutes faster on one of the world’s fastest courses in Valencia.

Meanwhile, the men’s winner Alex Nzioka Matata of Kenya clocked an impressive 59:47. His personal best is only 10 seconds faster from the Padova, Italy Half Marathon in April this year.

The top 20 male and female results are below.

In fairness…

While having enough washrooms and volunteers is very important, in fairness, athletes of all abilities should train appropriately for the half marathon. Doing so they should be strong enough that requiring hydration from the organizers β€” certainly a half-marathon β€” should be secondary. The weather is completely out of the control of the organizers. Athletes should be prepared with appropriate clothing and training for any possible conditions.

It is standard racing rules that it is up to the athletes to know the course in advance. Course markings and signings are of assistance, but any time there is a disqualification, the rule supersedes. Additionally, almost 100 per cent of athletes train and race with a watch that provides, distance, pace, elevation, and heart rate. Signage on a course should now be considered a “nice to have benefit.”

Registration fees do not pay for just toilets, food, water, awards and race bibs. Registration fees cover liability insurance, municipal fees, professional traffic control, course measure and certification, marketing and either a salary or honorarium for the race director, plus expenses incurred.

Top 20 results

PosNameTime
1.Yalemzerf YEHUALAW1:05:31
2.Loice CHEMNUNG1:06:47
3.Joyciline JEPKOSGEI1:07:04
4.Ftaw ZERAY1:07:15
5.Mulat TEKLE1:08:16
6.Roza DEREJE1:09:35
7.Jackie GAUGHAN1:11:58
8.Natasha PHILIPS1:12:31
9.Annie HEFFERNAN1:13:51
10.Fionnuala ROSS1:14:16
11.Charlie ARNELL1:14:29
12.Louise SMALL1:14:53
13.Emily HAGGARD KEARNEY1:15:06
14.Katie OLDING1:15:35
15.Alaw EVANS1:15:39
16.Virginia BARRAND-1:16:27
18.Sarah FORBES SMITH1:17:26
19.Sara GREEN1:17:50
20.Alexandria HACKETT1:18:19
21Judith STORM1:18:45

TOP RESULTS MEN HALF MARATHON

PosNameTime
1.Alex NZIOKA MATATA59:47
2.Hillary KIPKOECH1:00:28
3.Birhanu LEGESE1:00:28
4.Adissu GOBENA1:01:29
5.Levy KIBET PACE1:01:38
6.Hillary CHEKWONY1:01:57
7.Simon DEBOGNIES1:02:02
8.Hiko TONOSA1:02:47
9.Alex MASAI1:02:55
10.Ryan GREGSON1:03:01
11.Dorian BOULVIN1:03:09
12.Dewi GRIFFITHS1:03:18
13.Benjamin ALCOCK1:05:04
14.David MCGLYNN1:05:05
15.Kidane TADESSE1:05:07
16.Ryan THOMSON1:05:16
18.Bjorn KOREMAN PACE1:05:35
19.Ronnie RICHMOND1:05:37
20.Ross SKELTON1:06:18