RiverBank Run: Weird 10k Finish And Record Breaking Mens 25k

The Amway RiverBank Run featured a national record being broken in the 25k and a weird finish in the 10k when the top four finishers were disqualified for taking a wrong turn.

Parker Stinson of Boulder, CO smashed the men's national record in the men's 25k feature race Saturday at the Amway RiverBank Run. Stinson finished in 1 hour, 13 minutes, 47 seconds, shattering the old mark of 1 hour, 14 minutes, 18 seconds, which was set in the 2014 RiverBank Run by Christo Landry of Madison, WI.

Meanwhile, things got weird in the 10k race, when race leader Bryce Bradley passed the pace car when it slowed down to avoid some runners. At that point, Bradley veered off course, taking three runners with him. When he figured out he was off course, he corrected, and he and the three runners with him took first through fourth.

All four were disqualified when it became apparent they had run the wrong course. Race officials claim the foursome ran less than 10 kilometers. In the clip below, Bradley tells MLive his watch told him he ran the entire 10k.

At any rate, leaving the course is illegal although it appears the pace car led Bradley astray. Race officials later released this statement:

“A few athletes continued on what they presumed was the correct course. When the athletes noticed their error, they attempted to correct the error by returning to the course. However, their deviation from the measured course resulted in a lesser distance completed by those athletes. Unfortunately, due to the completion of a course shorter than a measured 10km those athletes were disqualified per USATF 243.4.”

As to Bradley's contention that the pace car led him off course, RiverBank Run Director David Madiol said in a release, runners are responsible for knowing the course.

“While we regret any challenges, any athletes have with our course it is ultimately up to the athlete to know the course. We will be reviewing procedures and working with the USATF Officials to ensure we meet all of their guidelines.”

Spencer Shellberg was ultimately declared winner of the 10k, although he was just as confused, telling MLive,

"I could see them up ahead, and I think we went around a turn, and I lost sight of them, and then before I knew it, the pace car was in front of me, which I was quite confused by because I was sitting in about eighth at the time. After that, I didn't really see too much until the finish. Just from talking to the guys, I found out they ended up taking a wrong turn."