[Req] Marathon cheat stories

FrCrilly

Hi All,

I was watching BBC coverage of the World Athletics Championship Women’s marathon this morning. The commentator mentioned that all athletes have electronic tags, so taking illegal shortcuts is nowadays extremely difficult. The commentator also said he has heard some cheat stories of people taking illegal shortcuts in the days before electronic tagging.

Has anyone ever heard of such stories. If yes, can you give as much info as you know about it.

Thanks In Advance for All Responses.

ultraman1

theres a thread here somwhere about this,just after the barcelona marathon

TheRoadRunner

This is one of the most famous cases of cheating in a marathon

click

RacoonQueen

One of my patients told me once of an early Dublin marathon he ran with one of his friends. His friends jumped into a car somewhere around mile 5 and got out again somewhere around mile 23/24 to finish the race. I think we go over mats every 5km or so in Dublin now.

plodder

ultraman1 wrote: »

theres a thread here somwhere about this,just after the barcelona marathon

That was a good one alright

robinph

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I think we go over mats every 5km or so in Dublin now.

There were timings posted live to the tds(?) site for the 10k, 1/2 and 30k splits I believe last year as I had people tracking my progress via that during the race.

Condo131

1 About 15 years ago, there was a guy from Kilkenny who joined in in Phoenix Park, with about 3 miles to go, and finished 5th, ahead of Noel Berkeley. Noel wasn't able to catch him, so yer man had to be a handy runner. The cheat was banned. He maintained that he was late for the start and he thought he was joining in at the end!

2 In the late 80's, I passed a high profile Irish woman runner in the first 2 or 3 miles. She never passed me again. ....However, at 21 miles, she,and 6 or 7 men, came from a side road and rejoined the course. I've no idea if she took a short-cut or took miles out. Btw, she finished in the main prizes. When I rang, I was told that the BHAA we're looking for information about cheating among the leading women.

3 In Dublin 1998, NOBODY had passed be for about 6 miles and a guy came out the Chapleizod gate of Phoenix Park (23M?), in a full tracksuit, and stayed consistently about 100m ahead of me into O'Connell St. I lost sight of him after I crossed the line - I was banjaxed. While I can't be sure that he didn't just stop in Phoenix Park for a 'pit stop', I've no doubt that he wasn't genuine. Nobody runs sub 2:50 in a full tracksuit in the weather conditions we had that day!

4 For the past few years, I've been taking photos around the Beggar's Bush area of the Marathon and, every year, I see women (sorry ladies, I find it harder to spot the male cheats - and obviously they exist too!) - with numbers - coming past, made up and hair pretty OK (in other words, no way in the world that they have run 23 miles in around 2:40/2:50 pace), who are somewhat overweight and yet coming home in the first 5 to 10 ladies places, doing about 12 min miling, oh, and totally dry t-shirts!.

Krusty_Clown

Re-awakening an old thread:
Newstalk's George Hook is about to have a discussion on the theme of cheating in marathons. Should be good.

Darac

There was an article in the New York Times about it a few days ago.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/sports/01runners.html

Trekkie Monster

I did the Belfast Marathon five years ago and I'm sure that one of the guys who finished ahead of me took a short cut. Only one man passed me out after half-way, but I had dropped two places. The guy who finished ahead mysteriously had run a very fast second half compared to the first (there was a timing mat at half way, but none at the beginning). I Googled the guy's name and he appeared nowhere on any results (at least not in any high-up positions) so I'm convinced he took a slight deviation.

Kissy Lips

Would anyblody consider cheating in a marathon in order to gain entry to the Boston Marathon (and run honestly mind you)?


I would

louthandproud

A guy who was participating passed me coming down the UCD flyover during the DCM on the crossbar of someones bike, they even offered me a lift when they saw the funny look I was giving them!

Seems a bit like defeating the purpose to me, I mean who are you fooling only yourself? Why run the thing in the first place?

Pisco Sour

Kissy Lips wrote: »

Would anyblody consider cheating in a marathon in order to gain entry to the Boston Marathon (and run honestly mind you)?


I would

Of course not. If you cant qualify honestly then you shouldnt be there. Thats like a runner taking drugs in order to make the Olympics but competiting honestly once at the Games.

Krusty_Clown

Kissy Lips wrote: »

Would anyblody consider cheating in a marathon in order to gain entry to the Boston Marathon (and run honestly mind you)?

No, no, no, and no one more time..no.
A Boston Qualifier is something you earn, not something you steal.

and I earned mine. ;o)

village runner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

No, no, no, and no one more time..no.
A Boston Qualifier is something you earn, not something you steal.

and I earned mine. ;o)

Two years ago in paris after about 34km when the wheels were falling off we went thru a park. There was a short cut that might have taken off maybe 200 metres off and believe it or not i was tempted. I rem thinking that should be blocked off. I remember finishing and thinking thank god i didnt take the short cut or my time wouldnt have been my time.

RoyMcC

Kissy Lips wrote: »

Would anyblody consider cheating in a marathon in order to gain entry to the Boston Marathon (and run honestly mind you)?

I would

That's one race that I'd dearly like to run, but it's going to pass me by because I'm not going to qualify. Not for a millisecond would I consider cheating for a time, and I can't imagine any true sportsman/woman doing so.

wizwill

RoyMcC wrote: »

That's one race that I'd dearly like to run, but it's going to pass me by because I'm not going to qualify. Not for a millisecond would I consider cheating for a time, and I can't imagine any true sportsman/woman doing so.

100% agree Roy. Hope you get to run Boston some day.

Domer

Wasn't there a story about twins that ran in a marathon some years ago, and won. One hid in a portaloo at half way. The first twin ran the first half, stopped at the loo, and the second one came out and ran the second half. Dont know were or when... or perhaps I'm just making this up!!!

I think they got caught because the were wearing their watch on a different arm, or different socks, or something simple.

RoyMcC

Domer wrote: »

Wasn't there a story about twins that ran in a marathon some years ago, and won. One hid in a portaloo at half way. The first twin ran the first half, stopped at the loo, and the second one came out and ran the second half. Dont know were or when... or perhaps I'm just making this up!!!

I think they got caught because the were wearing their watch on a different arm, or different socks, or something simple.

Yes you're right - it was the Comrades in 1999 and the Motsoeneng twins 'won' :rolleyes:

Peckham

Was chatting to a guy on the Crumlin slog during DCM 2007 and told him my objective was to get a Boston qualifying time. He smiled and said that he was doing something similar, except that he had failed to qualify for Boston previously, but entered and ran the race anyway under his mate's name who had a qualifying time. He felt really guilty to have done it, and was back in Dublin trying to get the qualifying time so as to feel entitled to the place that he used 6 months previously.

HardyEustace

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Re-awakening an old thread:
Newstalk's George Hook is about to have a discussion on the theme of cheating in marathons. Should be good.

I felt that he dealt with it very flippantly.

TFBubendorfer

Kissy Lips wrote: »

Would anyblody consider cheating in a marathon in order to gain entry to the Boston Marathon (and run honestly mind you)?


I would

That's downright disgusting.
The Boston marathon standards are achievable without cheating.

RoyMcC

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

That's downright disgusting.
The Boston marathon standards are achievable without cheating.

Hmm, no - not for everyone. I'm sure some people (including me) could dedicate themselves a lot more but a BQ is still an impossible target for many.

Like most of us I just can't understand how anyone can deliberately cheat in any amateur sport. (Ok, the demands of professional sport often makes it commonplace). It gives no personal satisfaction at all - like Peckham relates about the bloke running Boston with a guilty conscience.

SUNGOD

Domer wrote: »

Wasn't there a story about twins that ran in a marathon some years ago, and won. One hid in a portaloo at half way. The first twin ran the first half, stopped at the loo, and the second one came out and ran the second half. Dont know were or when... or perhaps I'm just making this up!!!

I think they got caught because the were wearing their watch on a different arm, or different socks, or something simple.

ah come on you cant blame john and edward for everthing!!!!!

nerraw1111

They can't sing, dance and now run? lol

aburke

nerraw1111 wrote: »

They can't sing, dance and now run? lol

But apparently, they CAN run...
http://www.craughwellac.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=521&Itemid=70

shels4ever

aburke wrote: »

But apparently, they CAN run...
http://www.craughwellac.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=521&Itemid=70

Good god.... now i actually like these guys...;)

RacoonQueen

louthandproud wrote: »

A guy who was participating passed me coming down the UCD flyover during the DCM on the crossbar of someones bike, they even offered me a lift when they saw the funny look I was giving them!

Seems a bit like defeating the purpose to me, I mean who are you fooling only yourself? Why run the thing in the first place?

Thats quite impressive actually, I don't think I'd be capable of climbing onto someones crossbar at 21 miles.

plodder

There was a guy in this years DCM who "arrived" at the finish around the 3hr mark. He no more looked like a 3hr runner, and didn't have a number either. He was shepherded off the course just before the line, which was good to see. Probably not the normal kind of cheat, but it was good to see him being booted out anyway.

nerraw1111

aburke wrote: »

But apparently, they CAN run...
http://www.craughwellac.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=521&Itemid=70

Brilliant! lol


I've heard of a few very fresh faced runners sprinting for the line without a hint of having run 26 odd miles.

Bizarre behaviour

entropi

Come to think of it, that reminds me of a guy who "just happened" to run onto the course of this year's DCM as we headed down past Bushy Park to Terenure. He was going at a furious pace for that stage, and general speed of other runners.

Me thinks he was one, who hopefully got caught as he'd have no tracking up to then.

louthandproud

Master of Nothing wrote: »

Come to think of it, that reminds me of a guy who "just happened" to run onto the course of this year's DCM as we headed down past Bushy Park to Terenure. He was going at a furious pace for that stage, and general speed of other runners.

Me thinks he was one, who hopefully got caught as he'd have no tracking up to then.

There was a relay running in this years marathon 26 x 1 miles. It was for a guy who had entered but died in a car crash a few weeks before hand. Perhaps that might explain one or two fresh faces around the course.

plodder

louthandproud wrote: »

There was a relay running in this years marathon 26 x 1 miles. It was for a guy who had entered but died in a car crash a few weeks before hand. Perhaps that might explain one or two fresh faces around the course.

That could have explained the guy I saw as well. That's a sad story, and you couldn't accuse those guys of "cheating", in the circumstances.

Oryx

Cheating really bugs me. Anyone who cheats (properly, not just shaving a corner by mistake) is putting two fingers up to anyone who is doing the race legitimately. Theyre not just cheating themselves, they cheat everyone behind them. Some of the more foolish ones are funny stories, yeah, but it really just grates with me. I worked hard for any race I finished, anyone who does it by half measures and still takes the glory deserves to be found out and shamed.

Did the walkers in the marathon go out early this year? I passed some very non athletic (ie big) competitors well past halfway, walking slowly along the footpath. I did wonder how the hell they got there within that time if we all took off together.