When you enter a marathon you don't expect to need a sat nav, but one race may be issuing them next year after almost the entire field was sent in the wrong direction.
Organisers of the Marathon of the North in Sunderland have had to make a swift and rather embarrassing apology, having guided all but one of the runners along the wrong route.
Only the race winner followed the correct path, with the rest of the field – out of sight of the leader – taking a wrong turn due to incorrectly placed race marshals.
The navigational error through the Sheepfold section of the course meant every runner besides the victor ran 264 meters short of the full marathon distance, leaving the organisers with red faces.
'As event organisers, we are acutely aware of how important an accurate time and distance is to all participants,' they said.
'We are sincerely sorry for any confusion and frustration that this has caused.
'As a goodwill gesture to all those affected by the course detour, we would like to offer a 25% discount from any of next year's events.
'We will contact runners again at a later date, before entries open, to advise them on how to activate this offer.'
Maybe they should consider teaming up with TomTom as well.
- Metro
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