|
As most know, we were asked to change our course this year to avoid crossing any DART lines, and as such, our only entry and exit points from downtown Dallas was through the west side of town.
It is very important to our Board that we remain true to our roots and keep White Rock Lake as part of our Marathon route. Finding suitable roads with aesthetic appeal that are approved for use is a challenging proposition, and we think we did a pretty good job as runners ourselves. One month before race date we had a good course. Unexpectedly and with no warning to us, part of the course was shut down for construction, and another part of the course had expanded construction. As such, we had to pivot and move to meet USA Track & Field measurement requirements for our Half Marathon. The 13.1-mile mark was, indeed, short of the Start/finish line structure by a few hundred feet. To account for this discrepancy, a timing mat was stationed at the actual certified 13.1-mile mark which was just before the final turn. Your recorded finish time will reflect the 13.1 chip time.
For Marathon/Ultra runners, we were able to make adjustments on your part of the course to account for this. You may remember being routed up to the sidewalk running path for a part of the course between the Bath House and Tiffany Way out near White Rock Lake.
This was not announced prior to the race as safety is our first concern and we needed everyone to continue running to the finish line where medical, supplies and personnel were stationed. Since race day weather was perfect, we hope you enjoyed the bonus distance.
We are hoping that all construction impacting our course will be completed soon and that we can go back to the original race route next year.
Thank you all again for joining us and we look forward to seeing you in 2024!
-The BMW Dallas Marathon Festival Team
| 
