RACE FINISH LINE SAFETY

Race management should do everything they can to prevent a security breach.

DAVE MCGILLIVRAY, for Runner's World

Hi! I recently ran a race but just shy of the finish line someone hopped the fence, ran through the course, and knocked me down. I fell pretty hard, but other than a couple of scrapes and a bruise I am physically fine. I told the volunteer who cleaned me up at the medical tent what happened and sent an email to the organization about it. I can't find any other contact information for them. My question is this, am I right to be concerned about the lack of security? Thanks! - Alison

Hi Alison:

First, so sorry you got hurt in the race. Yikes...that's not good. Glad you are okay though. As for whether or not this could have been prevented, that is tough to tell. The fact that you indicated that the perpetrator "hopped a fence" leads me to believe that race management at least erected crowd control fencing along the road leading to the finish. At least that is how I read it. That seems to be evidence to me that they did something to prevent this from occurring.

As for volunteer or public safety personnel, that is another important factor. Every race is different in both what the local public safety officials require and what the level of threat or concerns may be. The key to positioning personnel along the final hundred yards or so of the race is to have them face the crowd and not the race. I see more times than not at races the security personnel watching the race versus watching the crowd. I'm not sure that was the case in your race or whether or not there were even security personnel in the area.

Another positive point is that they had medical personnel to take care of you at the scene. As such, they should have a medical record on you and should be able to contact you any time.

I would definitely continue to try to contact race management about this incident. You have every right to voice your concern as something like this should never happen. It's not simple to control or to secure an entire race course but I would think the finish would be given extra attention.