It seems that some people have taken notice of the cheating little girl. A few days after the self-congratulatory posts on Facebook this shows up on her timeline:
It seems that this post has gone down sideways with some people so I wanted to set the record straight (pun intended). First of all the results stated in the marathon gun time 2:58:55 is not the time I finished at, when I finished the clock said 3:44:48 which comes up as the actual result. Since I am not a marathon expert, in fact it is my very first time running one until the end, I don’t know why there is this discrepancy. In fact I didn’t even know the difference between the 2 times and why they are both mentioned until I researched it online.
Second of all, I mention that somewhere after 20 km I was searching for an exit, and since I didn’t find it I kept running until I was at the 37 km marker, when someone told me not to quit and to carry on because there was only 5 km left. Inspired by this I carried on and ran to the finish line. Did I miss some kilometers along the way by taking a wrong turn? It’s possible...on a regular day those who know me know that I suck at directions, and if the people with the flags happened to have left their post it is possible that I went off course (and somehow ended back on it again...and no I don’t have my own private jet to carry me from one spot to the other in a transport free area).
Did I start at the beginning even though the timing mats don’t show it? Absolutely, and you can verify this with my colleagues who were at the beginning of the marathon with me. Did I end at the end? Absolutely, and the timing mat in this case did not let me down and captured that fateful step.
Regardless of any mistakes I may have made along the way, I have to say that being accused of being a liar and a cheater (even though it was only by 2 people) was painful to me, especially since I have built my entire life and profession on authenticity and integrity. But I’m learning to accept that once you step out on a limb to do something there will always be someone to tear it down and that I can’t let it get to me. So there you have all the facts, as I know them, and you are free to make your own conclusions.
My last words about this are: instead of spending time trying to prove that someone else not only didn’t do something properly but is blatantly lying about it for personal gain, whatever you assume that is, focus on running the marathons in your own life and you will probably feel much happier and fulfilled. And I wish you all the best in that journey.
So basically a full confession, between the lines. And some sneering comments to save her face.
And this one takes the cake: Her mother comes up with the 'The Critic Who Counts'..Seems like this is becoming somewhat of a cheater's anthem.
Here is a quote that has always encouraged me and still does: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.â€
― Theodore Roosevelt