Did Mike Rossi (viral marathon dad) cheat his way into Boston?

I've read this thread for the past two days with interest. I'm a runner and I'm also a parent who has received stern letters from school. Due to that I've followed his story with interest.

I've made it to Frame 8-753 in the pix thus far. There is a guy in the background, behind 2357 and the runners in pink. The next frame though cuts him off.

Thoughts?

Also Rossi is definitely in the video behind Rendall (sp?)

I didn't register a user name because, I'm here interested in this story. I'm a runner from Texas.

MarathonMind wrote:

My point is that for a given individual the estimated VO2 max should be consistent for performances no matter the distance, and it is a fairly good predictor. And it should not be jumping UP by 5 points for a 2.6x longer distance. If you have a good explanation for how that could happen (on a hot day) for a marathon I'd love to hear it.

You are getting "VO2 Max" confused with the Daniels VDOT idea which estimates a given "economy" and produces a number akin to what a VO2 Max test MIGHT show. Purists will tell you that an actual VO2 max means very little in terms of predictions. a VDOT is a score you get for one race that can be correlated to another race, like a Purdy score or Hungarian Score. Any of those things will tell you that his performances don't correlate. Actually testing a VO2 Max in a lab and counting on that to mean anything in real world racing is useless, however.

He Cheated wrote:

I don't think he would jump in that late...

Yes, but you under estimate cheaters. I can't be bothered to post the links to exactly that happening in this forum.

I don't actually know either way. But, the facts look TERRIBLE for this guy.

Again, facts don't matter. That's why I love this story. It is America all rolled up into one story.

rojo wrote:

I never told people to track anything down. I just said that many of the posts defending him were coming from the same IP address and asked people if there is a way to figure out if it's him or not.

It's either him, someone supporting him or a troll.

Eh. You say you've never told people to track anything down but at the same time you ask for a way to figure out who has posted these messages?

Try again, rojo.

The poster hasn't fvcked up the forum or done anything wrong with respect to the forum rules (I guess). Using different handles is what we all do around here. This guy simply defended the cheater. To me that means you're abusing your power when you out this guy's IP address and try to find out who he is. You are breaking normal forum rules and etiquette. And that's why I don't want to be part of your game.

MarathonMind wrote:

My point is that for a given individual the estimated VO2 max should be consistent for performances no matter the distance, and it is a fairly good predictor. And it should not be jumping UP by 5 points for a 2.6x longer distance. If you have a good explanation for how that could happen (on a hot day) for a marathon I'd love to hear it.

EPO!

ROSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

He Cheated wrote:

I think he was already there, directly behind the runner in orange, when the stroller suddenly appears. I don't think he would jump in that late. A better strategy would be the last relay exchange, 3.6 miles from the finish. If you could jump in there (or close to it) you could have a nice sweat going by the finish line (particularly wearing a black shirt with short sleeves and a black hat).

Forget the relay exchange - if I was going to do it, I'd do it at the second-last bathroom break. Enter the portapotty quietly wearing a hat and sweatshirt. Stay in there for two minutes. Throw the hat and sweatshirt down the hole. Pour a little water on your head and back, and burst out of the portapotty and start running again.

Nobody would ever notice you.

I'm laughing at people here trying to contact people who ran the race in September 2014 to ask if they remember running next to a guy wearing a black shirt and black hat.

I don't remember what I ate for breakfast this morning.

MRTT_Texas wrote:

I've made it to Frame 8-753 in the pix thus far. There is a guy in the background, behind 2357 and the runners in pink. The next frame though cuts him off.

Thoughts?

I don't think that's him. No hat, the white logo is too big, and his shoes have some red in them I think. Would be nice if it were, though (because of the no hat).

I thought you were out? Anyways, no violation of the rules. In fact, following them to the letter. Here is the last one, rule 7:

You acknowledge that your identity is not a secret whether or not you reveal your name in your posts. Your IP address is tracked. As a result others, including LetsRun.com, may be able to figure out who you are and thus your identity may be revealed to others.

Maybe the runners wouldn't remember Rossi next to them, but perhaps their friends were taking photos along the course??

Yeah, have to admit, based on the photos that I looked at and the number of relay teams (fairly few overall and not many at all in his time range), a port-o-potty move would be the way to go. Cover the bib and go in, uncover it and burst out a minute later like you are pissed you wasted a minute of race time going potty. The runners that you join would assume you were a minute ahead of them the whole time. Then get into a pace that keeps you moving along with the flow of the race.

hang'em now wrote:

This guy simply defended the cheater. To me that means you're abusing your power when you out this guy's IP address and try to find out who he is. .

There is no anonymity on the Internet. None. Any illusions you have in this regard need to end.

You need a refresher on the three rules for all Internet users.

1. The Internet never forgets.

2. There is no anonymity on the Internet.

3. Everything you do on the Internet is recorded. (See rule 1)

You're welcome.

That is actually brilliant.

So I'm back on the hunt. Can someone tell me what the "other runners with not photos" spreadsheet exactly is.

Someone ran a computer program with what? All of the finishing #s in the results? And it can tell who only shows up at the finish line or later? How is that possible?

What exactly did the script do and what are we now looking at on that spreadhseet?

I don't really understand what we are looking at there.

I did just look up one bib number on there and find her easily but am not sure how we got that list and what it represents. Sorry for not understanding.

Please post an explanation or call me. If you want to call, just shoot me an email and I'll email you my #. Or call our 800 number and listen to the prompt and ask for me. 8444-LETS-Run

runDirtyrun wrote:

It's not my fault you don't understand how the Internet works.

I understand how the Internet works. Another poster said that we could get Rossi's IP address from an email he'd sent and compare it to the IP address of Rossi's defender(s) in this thread and I was correcting that person by pointing out, correctly, that there's little reason to believe the IP address of the post and the email would match. So maybe read more carefully before getting condescending. Thanks.

asdfsa wrote:

Use the Portapotty! wrote:

Forget the relay exchange - if I was going to do it, I'd do it at the second-last bathroom break. Enter the portapotty quietly wearing a hat and sweatshirt. Stay in there for two minutes. Throw the hat and sweatshirt down the hole. Pour a little water on your head and back, and burst out of the portapotty and start running again.

Nobody would ever notice you.

I'm laughing at people here trying to contact people who ran the race in September 2014 to ask if they remember running next to a guy wearing a black shirt and black hat.

I don't remember what I ate for breakfast this morning.

That is actually brilliant.

Was a brilliant idea. I just founded a company that travels to races with no timing mats and videographs only the port-o-potties, albiet it all the port-o-potties, for the race entirety.

Late to the Party wrote:

This link is better:

http://photos.lehighvalleylive.com/4424/gallery/lehigh_valley_health_network_v_3/index.html#/0

Most of the finisher pictures were half marathoners. These are marathoners on the course.

There are actually six galleries of photos on the Lehigh Valley Live website. I've quickly looked at all 582 pictures on the database and don't see Rossi in any of them, but many of the people who finished around him are in there.

It looks like a photographer named Chris Post was covering the start.

I suppose it's possible he has more footage from the start, since that gallery seems edited and is only 14 shots.

But I've probably wasted enough time on this already.

HeCheated wrote:

Yeah, have to admit, based on the photos that I looked at and the number of relay teams (fairly few overall and not many at all in his time range), a port-o-potty move would be the way to go. Cover the bib and go in, uncover it and burst out a minute later like you are pissed you wasted a minute of race time going potty. The runners that you join would assume you were a minute ahead of them the whole time. Then get into a pace that keeps you moving along with the flow of the race.

Sad thing is, the whole thing would be ridiculously easy. Dropping out would be even easier. Have a friend waiting at a designated spot about 3-5 miles away from the start.

When you get close, pull up lame and limp to the sidelines. Fake stretch twice, and then leave. Walk a block away to the waiting car (your watch still going - make sure you didn't turn on the GPS because you don't want incriminating evidence - I watched enough Matlock in my day to know that's how criminals get caught) and have your friend drive you to a bar for an hour, and then on to a block away from the portapotty station 3 miles from the finish. Throw on your dark hat, dark sweatshirt, and head for the portapotties.

Hmmmm...anyone know of any upcoming marathons with only start and finish mats?

I promise I won't be stupid enough to gloat about my 2:59:59 finish on Facebook.

rojo wrote:

Tony Soprano wrote:

^Rojo, that's awesome! You guys once caught me posting my Flotrack articles from two names — knew you could do it.

Amazing!

We once busted floreani pumping flotrack on here. He flat out denied it. We're like, "We have proof."

I honestly have no idea about that. I just know I did it. To be honest, I'd probably do it again.

Based on the color of his shoes, and photos near 2357 later in the race, that runner appears to be 2319.