Edmonton Marathon course measured incorrectly, director apologizes for added length

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Marathon is apologizing for incorrectly measuring its course, recanting on an earlier statement that was confident the race was the right length.

Tom Keogh, the marathon’s race director, says there was an extra 675 metres on the usual 42.2-kilometre trek.

In an emailed statement, Keogh says the course was reviewed and an offset made for a detour was incorrectly calculated.

More than 10,000 people registered for the race and, despite the miscalculation, both the men and women’s fastest-time records were broken in this year’s event.

Keogh apologized for the error and says the Edmonton Marathon is working with Athletics Canada to figure out how to gauge this year’s results.

That’s especially important as the marathon could be used to qualify for future races, such as the famous Boston Marathon.

“We understand that every participant arrives at the start line having invested months of dedicated training, hard work, courage and deeply held goals,” Keogh says in the statement.

“We hosted the nation’s best athletes and their finishing times did not truly reflect their amazing performances.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2026.

News from © The Canadian Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is Canada's trusted news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia stories across print, broadcast and digital platforms.