Editor’s note: This article was updated on March 6 after officials from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series clarified parts of the story in an email to Runner’s World. A previous version of this story stated that it was a lead vehicle that misguided the runners. In fact, it was a police motorcycle on the course that the runners followed, leading them off course.
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Canadian Olympian Trevor Hofbauer, 30, broke 60 minutes (and the tape) at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in Las Vegas last week, according to Athletics Illustrated. But that’s because a course safety vehicle led the frontrunners off course, shortening the distance by about a half mile. According to Hofbauer’s 12.54-mile Strava activity, “course cruiser turned us around early.”
Race organizers told Runner’s World: “At approximately 1.75 miles into the [half marathon], a portion of the elite field inadvertently made a wrong turn. The lead vehicle followed the correct race route.
“However, there were multiple police motorcycles driving on the course ensuring it was closed safely. It appeared that the lead runner turned towards one of the multiple cruisers who took an early turn versus following the lead truck driven by and carrying staff members.”
Race organizers said event staff “ensured the remainder of the race field did not make the same early turn; the rest of the field completed the prescribed 13.1 miles.”
Because the frontrunners finished their race 0.68 miles short, according to race officials, the race created a second category of the final elite results—20K, with “price money being adjusted,” race organizers said.
The first-place finisher for the men’s division is listed as American Benjamin Stone in 1:12:32.
Hofbauer is the second-fastest Canadian; the national record is held by Cameron Levins (60:18), according to Athletics Illustrated. Hofbauer’s marathon best is 2:09:51.
An Instagram post by Mile2Marathon, for which Hofbauer is a coach, tags Hofbauer and says: “Trev stayed patient the first half of the race coming back from 4th in the last 5km to take the win. That makes back to back Vegas champs for M2M coaches. The peppers were definitely prepped for this one, it’s unfortunate we got steered the wrong way but these things happen and all you can do is just run the race you’re in.”
Heather is the former food and nutrition editor for Runner’s World, the author of The Runner’s World Vegetarian Cookbook, and a seven-time marathoner with a best of 3:31—but she is most proud of her 1:32 half, 19:44 5K, and 5:33 mile. Her work has been published in The Boston Globe, Popular Mechanics, The Wall Street Journal Buy Side, Cooking Light, CNN, Glamour, The Associated Press, and Livestrong.com.
