Hudson Valley Runners Come Up Short After Half Marathon Mix Up

Runners of the Hudson Valley were excited to hit the pavement on Sunday, May 4th, 2025 for the Hudson Valley Marathon hosted by Alpha Win Racing.

What should have been a day of accomplishment turned into a day of confusion.

Hundreds of Runners Gather on The Walkway Over The Hudson

The 2025 Hudson Valley Marathon brought hundreds of runners gathered on the Ulster County side of the Walkway Over the Hudson.

The Hudson Valley Marathon offers 5 running options for race day: a 1 Mile Run, 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Full Marathon.

Alpha Wins Racing says their mission is to "provide a distance for everyone" adding that Alpha wins caters to athletes of all levels.

After the guns went off, it seemed as though everything at the Hudson Valley Marathon went off without a hitch.

That is until some of the runners crossed the finish line. . .

Hudson Valley Half Marathon Runners Come Up Short

Runners who took part in the Half Marathon portion of the race crossed the finish line and did a bit of a double take.

For those unfamiliar, a half marathon is 13.1 miles.

We spoke to one of the runners who said "It felt like 13.1 miles, but I double checked my Apple Watch and it said 12.55 miles."

Many others started noticing the same according to the comment section on Hudson Valley Marathon's social media accounts.

Was the Hudson Valley Half Marathon course short? All signs point to yes.

Alpha Wins Racing: "We Marked The Course Short"

On Wednesday, May 7th 2025, Alpha Wins Racing released a statement confirming what many Half Marathon Runners already knew...the course came up short.

In a statement Alpha Wins Racing writes:

After the event and after several questions about the actual distance of the half marathon, we have gone back and investigated the course and it does appear that we marked the course short.

They add that despite the fact that the course is certified by a "very respected professional" they misread the mark for the half marathon turn around and "placed it in the wrong spot."

Alpha Runs apologized and are issuing coupons to the athletes affected by the mistake that is good for 1 complimentary registration to the 2026 Hudson Valley Marathon.

Take a look at the full statement below: