Boston Shoveler is a Bandit

Bandits rock!

MAKE IT STOP

How much of the course did he run in 2014? Wasn't security super tight at the start? Weak-ass bandit if he didn't run the whole course.

This is the sad state of our news media and society, with all of the things going on in this world, this is what so many people are worried about.

The man just shoveled the finish line out of pure love for the city and race. Give him a break.

I'd say he should get free entry for life considering how viral the story went.

If he loves the race so much, why doesn't he support it, maybe by entering it, for starters.

Maybe he isn't a 1%er type that can afford the triple digit entry fee. Cut the dude some slack.

I really don't understand how shoveling off a 3 ft. wide path of 2 inches of snow for 30 ft. is equal to coming home from a 14 month tour in Iraq.

To call this guy a hero?

Really?

So, these two acts are equal?

Huh?

g5 wrote:

I really don't understand how shoveling off a 3 ft. wide path of 2 inches of snow for 30 ft. is equal to coming home from a 14 month tour in Iraq.

To call this guy a hero?

Really?

So, these two acts are equal?

Hero?? I wouldn't go so far as saying that. Still he made a pretty cool photo that got our sport some mainstream publicity.

I was also surprised that no one picked up on that angle. Surprised that Adidas would come out & reward a guy who has bandited their race for so many years. Does he have his finisher medal collection hanging on a wall behind the bar? I have also bandited my share of 5K's over the years but was never rewarded for it. And to bandit a race with a $200 entry vs. a $20 entry seems like a felony compared to a misdemeanor. As the OP noted, this is a race, THE race, that thousands of runners try to qualify for and are not allowed entry when they don't achieve a BQ. Not especially riled up over this, just wondering why it's been a non-story? Love the title of Boston Shoveler. There was a villain in The Flaming Carrot (a great comic book series from the 80's) called The Shoveler. He seems pretty low key over all the 'brew'haha, but I'd grab myself an agent & try to parlay this into some tip $$.

This story is just as inane as that one about under-inflated footballs. Our dumb nation loves this crap.

It is the people's right to bandit. We pay taxes which build and maintain these roads. Power to the people.

Instant Karma wrote:

It is the people's right to bandit. We pay taxes which build and maintain these roads. Power to the people.

I know you're a troll, but I'm going to comment anyways and give you a 4/10:

The BAA pays the towns the course runs through to close the roads for a private event. If you bandit the race, you are technically trespassing even though you, the tax payer, "pay" for those roads. Cities still reserve the right to close a road for any reason for any amount of time barring you from entry.

The money paid by the BAA is not enough to cover the costs to those towns. We taxpayers make up the difference. That's my entry fee. Power to the people.

g5 wrote:

I really don't understand how shoveling off a 3 ft. wide path of 2 inches of snow for 30 ft. is equal to coming home from a 14 month tour in Iraq.

To call this guy a hero?

Really?

So, these two acts are equal?

I might give you that serving our country with honor would take someone part way to hero status. But "coming home"? Nah, coming home does not a hero make.

Instant Karma wrote:

The money paid by the BAA is not enough to cover the costs to those towns. We taxpayers make up the difference. That's my entry fee. Power to the people.

They don't? Aside from the money given to the towns by the BAA to cover police, etc, the local economy also gets a significant boost from the MILLION spectators that come out to watch. The spectators buy food and purchase gas, or go into small mom/pop stores along the route. Those purchases are often taxed and go to infrastructure.

Who cares? How old are you, like 15 or 65? Honestly, it seems like you're really bothered by it and are either jealous of the attention that he got or you've got some deep seeded issues. The guy qualified in 2011, so he's obviously good enough. Did he interfere with the outcome of an official entrant in 10', 12', 13' or 14'? Go live your own life already...geez!!!!

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

"According to ABC News, Laudani was an official entrant in the 2011 Marathon and ran unofficially as a "bandit" in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Boston Marathon sponsor Adidas has offered Laudani entry to the 2015 race, a company official told ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell."

http://espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/12243822/boston-shoveler-cleared-boston-marathon-finish-line-snow-identified-chris-laudani-local-bartender?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet. I definitely like the photo and message behind it, but not sure how I feel about rewarding someone who has bandited the race 4 times with a non-BQ entry this year. The bandit debate comes up often around here. I admit I have bandited a few races before, but I'd never think to do it at the Boston Marathon, a race that people work their butts off to qualify for. Remember the outrage last year over the bandits who wore fake bibs?

Colorado Workhorse wrote:

Honestly, it seems like you're really bothered by it and are either jealous of the attention that he got or you've got some deep seeded issues.

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No, I don't feel that strongly one way or the other. I just thought it would make for a good LetsRun discussion.