Correction

Please note the following comment that appeared on my previous post about the Hudson Valley half marathon and how the runners ran closer to 12.5 miles rather than the standard half-marathon distance of 13.1 miles. The course was and is USATF certified. That is a rigorous, highly controlled and accurate process. The error was NOT in the course measurement but rather in where the half marathoners were turned around – obviously well short of the intended mark. Please note the following comment from Matt Slocum, whose company (Precision Course Design) DID THEIR JOB accurately and professionally ... and, well, precisely! My classifying it as a “course measurement snafu” implied otherwise and this post (and his comment below) aims to correct that error. In addition, you will note the mea culpa on Instagram from the race director (see below) = it is very professional and honorable of him to do so. Mistakes happen and we move on. But again, the “mistake” was not by Matt Slocum and Precision Course Design!
 
Here's the comment:
 
Pete, I am the course measurer. My name is Matt Slocum, and my company is Precision Course Design. I would appreciate an immediate correction in your post. This is absolutely *not* a "course measurement snafu". The measurement and the USATF-Certification are accurate. I don't know how the course was set up on race day and can't comment on that as I was not there on race day. But it should be noted that this is not a new USATF-Certification and—if it was a problem with a "course measurement snafu" as you have described— that would have come to light in 2023 and 2024 as well. The measurement is accurate and the USATF Certification materials are accurate. It is important to make that distinction here (as almost all other runners have done in Reddit and FB posts on this event). I am sure that you understand that the USATF-Certification process is very thorough. Please be much more careful with misusing that phrase as, while I'm sure it is unintended, it is inaccurate and can affect measurer's reputation. I cannot speak for the course setup on race day as I was not there, but I can confirm that the measurement USATF-Certified course is accurate.