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The Day the Elite Women Ran Off Course and Showed Us What Sport Should Look Like
- Kate Mihevc Edwards PT, DPT
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
A week ago today, I was standing at the finish line of the USATF Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta waiting for the elite women to arrive. It was a perfect day to be running and spectating. The excitement in the finish chute was palpable. Volunteers were ready, medical staff was on standby, we were all watching the live stream on our tiny phone screens cheering for the athletes.
With less than a mile to go, the race appeared to be early decided. On our phones we could see Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley (Atlanta Native), and Ednah Kurgat leading the race, pushing hard toward the finish after months of preparation. We saw Jess break free.
Then the live feed cut out briefly. We were all scrambling to see what happened so we would know when they would be turning the corner towards the finish line. Then all around me the murmurs began
"No!"
"What Happened?"
"Where are they?"
"They went off course."
At the time, none of us knew exactly what had happened. We just knew something had changed. The top three leaders were no longer in the lead.
Every year my team at Precision Performance & Physical Therapy has the privilege of caring for the elite field at this event. We treat the athletes the day before the race and again after they finish on race day. The treatment area the day before the race is always one of my favorite parts of the weekend. Athletes come in to loosen up tight muscles, have us check on small issues they are having, and to prepare for the next morning. But what stands out most is the atmosphere among the competitors. As they lay on our PT treatment tables we laugh, catch up and they talk about training blocks, compare notes on races, check in on injuries, and encourage each other. Many of them race each other throughout the year, and over time those competitors become familiar faces and friends.
They are absolutely there to compete but there is also a clear respect and camaraderie between them that I love to see.
Standing at the finish line last Sunday, we watched the results unfold.
Molly Born crossed first in 1:09:43, followed by Carrie Ellwood in 1:09:47, and Annie Rodenfels in 1:10:12.
But the moment felt nothing like a typical championship finish.
In the men’s race earlier, the top finishers crossed the line to cheers, were handed flags, and posed for photos celebrating their accomplishment.
The women’s finish line was so different.
Molly Born crossed first in visible confusion. No one handed her a flag. There was no celebration waiting. Her finish line pose arms raised, almost uncertain captured the moment perfectly. Everyone was trying to understand what had just happened.
Meanwhile, the three women who had been leading the race finished well back after running extra distance:Jess McClain (1:11:27), Emma Grace Hurley (1:11:38) and Ednah Kurgat (1:11:50)
Watching them come through the finish chute was heartbreaking. There were tears. Frustration. Disbelief. Months of preparation had unraveled in the final mile because of something completely outside their control. There was nothing we or anyone could do to help at the moment. There are rules, processes and regulation that have to be followed.
And then the world went crazy.
Social media exploded. Articles dissected every detail. People debated the lead motorcycle, course marshals, and race logistics.
In the days that followed, the running world was angry and focused on how the mistake happened and what should be done about it. There was a lot of outrage, which I completely understand, but the anger and outrage was not from the athletes. This is important. The women in the top ten were steadfast, classy and unbelievable role models.
A later review determined that a chain of events, including a police officer needing emergency assistance near the course left a key intersection briefly unattended, contributing the lead motorcycle and car and athletes going off course. Ultimately the official finishing order remained unchanged, but organizers took steps to recognize the affected athletes, including awarding prize money and additional recognition to those who were led off course.
But standing there at the finish line, and the days following the race what struck me most had nothing to do with the logistics.
It was the way the athletes handled it.
These were elite competitors chasing national titles, prize money, and world championship opportunities. Yet in the middle of disappointment and confusion, they treated each other with respect and grace. They hugged each other, they treated the volunteers and referees with respect and compassion.
When I saw Jess McClain after the race she asked me if "PT could fix a broken heart." As she gave us al big hugs and thanked us for being there. Later she wrote afterward:“This truly sucks for everyone involved. No one wants this outcome, ever. Mistakes happen & I am sure those who were leading us feel terrible about the outcome.” She took the time to mention and call out how badly the person that lead them off course must feel.
Emma Grace Hurley spoke about gratitude, "In the middle of all this emotion, focusing on gratitude is really helping me right now…Gratitude for the overwhelming support from everyone who’s spoken up or reached out, Gratitude that I know there are good people working to do the best they can with inadequate rules and contingencies. Gratitude that hopefully this will never happen to anyone else."
Molly Born, the first woman to cross the finishline that day wrote, "I want everyone to know that I do not feel like the winner of the 2026 USATF Half Marathon Championships, because I know I should not actually be the winner...If a spot on the world team for Copenhagen is offered to me, I do not plan to take it regardless of who it goes to because I did not fairly earn it." I cannot imagine what it felt like to be Molly and be surrounded by so much choas, yet she too handled the situation with grace.
Other athletes shared similar reflections. Annie Rodenfels posted, "I personally do not feel like I finished 3rd in the race, I know that I was 6th." and Anna Kostarellis posted, “5th place in results (but in reality, 8th)...”
They were honest about their heartbreak. But they were also generous with their words and perspective. They congratulated competitors. They supported one another. They spoke with kindness to volunteers and officials who were also shaken by what had happened.
This is exactly why these elite female runners matter.
Not just because of how fast they run, but because of how they behave when things don’t go their way.
Young runners are watching. High school athletes are watching. Recreational runners are watching.
Adversity is part of sport. Sometimes things go wrong. Sometimes things are unfair. Sometimes you lose in ways you never imagined.
What defines you is how you respond.
These women showed perseverance, respect, and perspective in one of the hardest moments a competitor can face. They competed fiercely, but when things fell apart, they lifted each other up. I had tears watching them and reading what they had to say. Way to go ladies. You truly are incredible.
On a day when the race went wrong, the athletes showed us exactly what sport should look like and gave every runner, especially the young ones watching, an example worth following.
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