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A high school relay team wins the state championship... or so everyone thought.

At the North Carolina High School State Championships, Mallard Creek's anchor runner crossed the finish line with a comfortable lead and raised his hand in celebration. Moments later, officials disqualified the team.

Not for a false start.
Not for an illegal handoff.
Not for leaving his lane.

For raising his hand before the finish line.

The decision erased the relay victory and changed the outcome of the entire state championship meet, sparking a nationwide debate about sportsmanship, celebration, and whether officials got this one right.

In this episode, Lewis and Mitch break down the video, the rule, the reasoning behind the disqualification, and the bigger question:

Where is the line between celebrating and taunting?

🎙️ The I Don't Know Running Podcast

#Running #TrackAndField #HighSchoolTrack #RelayRace #RunningPodcast #Sportsmanship #TrackNation #CrossCountry #DistanceRunning #IDKR

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When you sign up for a race, you expect a measured course, water stations, timing chips, and a finish line waiting for you.

But that's not always what happens.

In this episode of the I Don't Know Running Podcast, we dive into some of the biggest race disasters in running history—from marathons that were too short to count as Boston Qualifiers, to races that disappeared entirely after collecting entry fees.

We also discuss empty water stations, open-course nightmares, ghost races, virtual race pivots, and how runners can spot potential red flags before signing up.

Some race stories are inspiring.

These are not those stories.

🎙️ Topics include:

Short-course marathon scandals
Lost Boston Qualifiers
Ghost races and canceled events
Empty aid stations
Open-course racing risks
Back-of-the-pack horror stories
How to spot a shady race before race day

Have you ever had a race go completely wrong?

Let us know in the comments.

#IDontKnowRunning #RunningPodcast #Marathon #BostonQualifier #RaceDay

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This week on the I Don't Know Running Podcast, we dive into the emotional roller coaster of the Bayshore Marathon through the stories of four very different runners.

One ran purely for fun.

One fought to keep a Boston Marathon qualifying streak alive.

One accidentally qualified thanks to an upcoming age-group change.

And one runner achieved what many marathoners spend years chasing: a sub-3-hour marathon.

The catch?

A 2:59 marathon may still not be enough to get into Boston.

We break down the reality of modern Boston Marathon qualifying, the brutal cutoff times, why the 18–34 age group faces unique challenges, and the new rules aimed at downhill "BQ hunting" races.

Most importantly, we ask a bigger question:

Has the pursuit of Boston become a numbers game, or is the exclusivity exactly what makes it special?

Let us know what you think:
Is Boston's gatekeeping good for the sport, or has the qualifying process gone too far?

#Running #Marathon #BostonMarathon #BQ #BayshoreMarathon #Sub3 #MarathonTraining #RunningPodcast

🎙️ IDK Running Podcast

#running #marathon #londonmarathon #guinnessworldrecords #ultrarunning #podcast
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https://www.patreon.com/IDKR

Support the show