A Scottish fun run descended into chaos on Sunday when a prankster disguised as a race marshal diverted participants off course just before the finish line. The Castlemilk Trail Race in Glasgow saw around 150 runners misdirected into a nearby park at the 9km mark, adding extra distance to their route.
Organisers from Acorn Trails reported that the hoaxer had buried a large directional arrow and moved a smaller one before posing as a marshal to wave runners down a forest path. The incident left exhausted participants struggling to find the finish line and first aid stations, though no injuries were reported.
In a Facebook statement, an Acorn Trails spokesperson expressed anger at the reckless act and apologised for not having a marshal stationed at the spot. 'It makes me rather angry that anyone could be so reckless. I'm also disappointed that an easy fix for this, an actual Acorn Trails marshal deployed at this spot would have alleviated this issue. That's our fault and one for which I wholeheartedly apologise,' they wrote.
The statement also criticised the prankster for endangering runners by leading them away from safety provisions. 'The pettiness endangered runners taking them away from the safety of a marked and marshalled course, and forced them further into the park, towards the road and away from any first aid provision,' it added.
As a goodwill gesture, organisers offered affected participants a 50% discount on entry to the Linn Park Trail Race on 16 March. Some runners took the incident in good humour, with one commenting: 'I was one of the chosen few, gave me a good story to tell at my post race recovery session.'
