Virgin Night Run April 2017

keps

A guy I know in the local pub told me he was going to run in this 10k race.

He drinks a lot and jogs occasionally. He is 45 - pretty unfit.

He told me he intended to run the 10k in less than 40 minutes.


I laughed an told him I would give him 10/1 on a fiver.


Today he came into the pub with an official printout showing he finished into the top 40( I wont give exact place) overall with a time of close to 38 minutes.

The split times on the Virgin Media results site show that his race 'started ' 18 minutes after the elite athletes and may others had commenced running - so his time begins then from his chip.

That means he passed about 5000 runners - including many 'elites'

All other runners I have checked have a recorded time for the last 1k
But he has none.

Is there a way to cheat the chip system on this type of race?

Swashbuckler

What's his 9k split? Taking away the fact he doesn't have a last 1km split he must have had a 35ish split for the first 9k.

keps

Swashbuckler wrote: »

What's his 9k split? Taking away the fact he doesn't have a last 1km split he must have had a 36ish split for the first 9k.

They give no splits.

Just the chip start time( in terms of how far behind the elites), the last 1k time and overall time.

Swashbuckler

Click on show splits and it shows you the start, 9km and last 1km.

Working class heroes

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/marathon-investigator-derek-murphy-reveals-how-he-catches-cheaters-n707426

Get this lad on the case.

Swashbuckler

If I was to hazard a guess he cycled to the last 1km and got rid of the bike and ran the last 1km as fast as he could. I bet that last 1km split was slow! If you can find it!

keps

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Click on show splits and it shows you the start, 9km and last 1km.

Hahaha


Everyone else in the top 50 ( I've checked) has a 9k split - but he has none:cool::cool:

Swashbuckler

keps wrote:

Everyone else in the top 50 ( I've checked) has a 9k split - but he has none

How on earth did he get a time of 38 mins so?

keps

Swashbuckler wrote: »

How on earth did he get a time of 38 mins so?

I don't want to name the guy
I will send you a pm of his official time.

Lazare

Have you a link to the results site? Can't find it

aidanathome

Lazare wrote: »

Have you a link to the results site? Can't find it

www.virginmedia.ie/nightrun/results/

aidanathome

keps wrote: »

Without naming anyone - place?

That's strange. I guess he didn't go over the sensor at the 3arena... and if he missed that, I'd question what other parts of the course he missed.

Swashbuckler

aidanathome wrote:

That's strange. I guess he didn't go over the sensor at the 3arena... and if he missed that, I'd question what other parts of the course he missed.

Its the 18 minute start time that has me baffled.

aidanathome

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Its the 18 minute start time that has me baffled.

That puts him right at the back. I started around the 13 minute mark, and I think I was at the front of the 56+ minutes group.
All of the walkers were behind me, but 5 minutes behind me isn't that unrealistic given how slow they were to start people.

But, thinking about it... there's no way someone did 38 minutes with all the traffic in front of him!

Swashbuckler

Ah now I see. Ok so he was part of the late start group and short cutted the entire race and just crossed the line after 55 minutes. Minus the 18. That would explain the missed splits.

Lazare

Pretty easy to find your friend there btw.

Swashbuckler

Who cares. Shame on him!

keps

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Ah now I see. Ok so he was part of the late start group and short cutted the entire race and just crossed the line after 55 minutes. Minus the 18. That would explain the missed splits.

That is my reading

Swashbuckler

keps wrote:

That is my reading

I didn't realise that run is set off in sections.

keps

Lazare wrote: »

Pretty easy to find your friend there btw.

Not a friend- A guy I know from the pub- trying to take 50 euros off me on a bet

Murph_D

I'd say he walked over the start line, nipped across the bridge to The Ferryman for a quick pint, then strolled over to the finish line.

Chivito550

keps wrote: »

Not a friend- A guy I know from the pub- trying to take 50 euros off me on a bet

Does he have a beer gut?

keps

Chivito550 wrote: »

Does he have a beer gut?

Yes he does :rolleyes:

Lazare

Just spotted that I came in 45 seconds ahead of him, probably passed him on that last stretch. Trying to remember seeing anyone ducking in but can't, although that last k is a blur. He must have hopped in around that point given he's no 9k split.

keps

Lazare wrote: »

Just spotted that I came in 45 seconds ahead of him, probably passed him on that last stretch. Trying to remember seeing anyone ducking in but can't, although that last k is a blur. He must have hopped in around that point given he's no 9k split.

Well done yourself - that was a good time

Chivito550

keps wrote: »

Yes he does :rolleyes:

Get him outside the next time you meet him. Get him to run 400m in 91 seconds (the pace of his phantom 10k). Guarantee you he won't be able to manage this for a mere 400m.

Don't know why you are being so kind to this guy who is trying to take you for a fool. Expose the phoney. We want a name!

Lazare

keps wrote: »

Well done yourself - that was a good time

God no man, lol, his gross time. Did get a sub 50 though which I was delighted with.

keps

Chivito550 wrote: »

Get him outside the next time you meet him. Get him to run 400m in 91 seconds (the pace of his phantom 10k). Guarantee you he won't be able to manage this for a mere 400m.

Don't know why you are being so kind to this guy who is trying to take you for a fool. Expose the phoney. We want a name!

I'm afraid it could be classed as ' libel' as it may prove difficult to prove he didn't run the full distance.

Chivito550

keps wrote: »

I'm afraid it could be classed as ' libel' as it may prove difficult to prove he didn't run the full distance.

It's very easy to prove he didn't. The beer gut for a start!

Lazare

I hope you didn't pay up?

Chivito550

Found him. Wasn't hard to do so. 37:23 my absolute hole! Give the fecker a slap, and hound him for your fiver!

Lazare

My friend came in 20 seconds behind him, I'll ask him tomorrow does he remember seeing anything

keps

Lazare wrote: »

I hope you didn't pay up?

No I haven't paid up.
But strangely enough - it's a difficult issue to deal with.


He has an official Virgin Media Race Result's chart showing him running the race in less than 38 minutes.

I either call him a liar( which has added consequences) - or pay up

Lazare

keps wrote: »

I'm afraid it could be classed as ' libel' as it may prove difficult to prove he didn't run the full distance.

There is absolutely zero chance a heavy drinking occasional jogger with a beer belly ran that time. Zero.

keps

Chivito550 wrote: »

Found him. Wasn't hard to do so. 37:23 my absolute hole! Give the fecker a slap, and hound him for your fiver!

I know that- and you know that
But how to get out of this is not easy

Lazare

keps wrote: »

No I haven't paid up.
But strangely enough - it's a difficult issue to deal with.


He has an official Virgin Media Race Result's chart showing him running the race in less than 38 minutes.

I either call him a liar( which has added consequences) - or pay up

Tell him if he can run a sub 40 within two weeks you'll give him €500. Cycle alongside him laughing.

Chivito550

keps wrote: »

No I haven't paid up.
But strangely enough - it's a difficult issue to deal with.


He has an official Virgin Media Race Result's chart showing him running the race in less than 38 minutes.

I either call him a liar( which has added consequences) - or pay up

Tell him to come down to the track at Irishtown next Wednesday and I'll time him with my stopwatch. If he gets within 2 minutes of that time I will give him €500.

Murph_D

No need to pay up as he has no 9k split. Presumably the 9k mat was there for a reason, i.e. to catch cheats? The printout is not an official proof of anything.

Chivito550

keps wrote: »

I know that- and you know that
But how to get out of this is not easy

Mo Farah would struggle to run 37:23 with that much traffic in front of him.

keps

Actually - not a bad idea kinda picked up from this chat.


I will insist on a double or quits on an upcoming 10k( where I will have witnesses)

Chivito550

keps wrote: »

Actually - not a bad idea kinda picked up from this chat.


I will insist on a double or quits on an upcoming 10k( where I will have witnesses)

Under contract law, bar bets may or may not be legally binding, and the winning party may have difficulty having a court enforce the bet. ... For example, if one or both parties are intoxicated when the bet is made, they may be found to lack capacity to agree to a contract, and the contract thus found void or voidable.

keps

I think all bets - whether made in a bar,barn or a church are unenforceable in law?

ultrapercy

keps wrote: »

Actually - not a bad idea kinda picked up from this chat.


I will insist on a double or quits on an upcoming 10k( where I will have witnesses)

Learn a lesson from this and cut your losses. Never but never give odds on a friendly bet. No matter chances or probability, friendly bets are always even money wagers. Your in a pickle now that will take you a lot of trouble to get out of just to earn a fiver. There are much easier ways to earn a fiver. All logic and right is on your side and he is obviously the cheating party but it's you who is going to look petty in the way it plays out, you will have to demonstrate publicly that he is dishonest and assinate his character in order to gain a fiver. While it would gall me to do so I'd grit my teeth pay up and learn my lessons.

keps

ultrapercy wrote: »

Learn a lesson from this and cut your losses. Never but never give odds on a friendly bet. No matter chances or probability, friendly bets are always even money wagers. Your in a pickle now that will take you a lot of trouble to get out of just to earn a fiver. There are much easier ways to earn a fiver. All logic and right is on your side and he is obviously the cheating party but it's you who is going to look petty in the way it plays out, you will have to demonstrate publicly that he is dishonest and assinate his character in order to gain a fiver. While it would gall me to do so I'd grit my teeth pay up and learn my lessons.

I think you are right.

I will pay up and shut up - and learn a lesson

Chivito550

Suppose you could report the result to the organisers. There's a possibility his name will be removed from the official results if you do so. Hold onto your 50 for now!

I could well be wrong.. But if memory serves me correctly, you can't physically avoid the 9km marker/speed bump.

It was about 10ft wide and had railings/barriers enclosed either side, so you couldn't possibly get around it. There was also a DJ booth type setup at it, with a 'fastest km' message ringing out (telling you to run your fastest km as the last km).

However, if you wished to cheat (that's 'if') the last 800meters or so after the 9k marker was a long straight stretch with plenty of opportunity to hop in or out?

EDIT: Took a mooch on the Virgin Media page and such, but cant find any pictures of the 9km marker. I am 99% confident it was unavoidable though. It was also a 'gantry'. Not sure if gantry is the right word, but it was one of these things (albeit with no clock):




So you really would have to have made a hell of an effort to not go through it.

corcaigh07

keps wrote: »

I think you are right.

I will pay up and shut up - and learn a lesson

Don't you dare give him the 50, giving in means he might try this craic again.

Give him back the fiver, call it null and void or else get him to run sub 40 on a running track in front of you for another 10/1.

thunderdog

Sounds like he arrived late, crossed the start line, hung around for half an hour and then jumped back in towards the end.

Way too congested to pass out that many runners.

If you're any way fit yourself, challenge him to another 10k

Lazare

He must have had this wager with a few different people, surely it's not possible to be dumb enough to go through all that hassle to win €20?

Lazare

Maybe pay him his €50. Hear me out

Make a huge deal of it in the pub, make sure everyone knows how much of an amazing unbelievable achievement it was, be as sincere as possible. Get someone to suggest they have a cousin working for Runners World and they can arrange an interview with him.

He'll either come clean or someone else will call bull**** on it.

Chivito550

Don't pay him a cent. Take him aside privately so you aren't ruining his "good character" and tell him that 1) he missed the 9km mat split 2) it is physically impossible for even a high quality club runner to run that time starting at the back of the field running through traffic, let alone a regular bar stooler. Tell him the only way you will give him money is if you see him run sub 40 on a track.

He's a bit of an idiot (along with being pathetic and a fraud). If he was going to cheat then why not run 39:xx (rather than 37:xx), start closer to the front, and hop in close to 9km mark and run balls out for 1km. He might struggle to a 4:45 kilometre (though probably not if he has a beer gut) and could disguise it as a slow final kilometre after leaving everything out there in the first 9km.

His cheating is 2/10 max.