Someone Needs a New Job

The job description for the lead motorcycle rider at a marathon is probably pretty simple.  Stay in front of the runners, but not so close that they're sucking on your exhaust fumes.  And oh yeah -stay on the course! 

Unfortunately, the rider atop the pace motorcycle at yesterday's Tucson Marathon wasn't so good at item #3.  According to the Arizona Daily Star 36-year old Carlos Paradelo was leading the race by about a minute, seven miles in, when the lead motorcycle took him in the wrong direction. When he objected, he was assured they were going the right way, but was then informed about a mile later that a wrong turn had been made.

''I trained pretty hard for this for a good few months and then to know at 8 miles that it's kind of worthless …," Paradelo said, trailing off. "They were like, 'We can drive you back to the start or you can turn around,' and I was like 'either way I won't be running marathon distance.' "

 

Paradelo continued on the path he was on, which cut off some of the course, and ran approximately 23 miles. It was not immediately clear whether the Phoenix resident would receive any recognition for his efforts.

 

The wrong turn came at a section where you exit the main road for an out-and-back before returning to the main road.  That the Race Director would not have marshals at such intersections and that the lead biker did not know the course boggles the mind.