Frank Meza 2:53:10 at LA Marathon (70 years old) unofficial time (just finished)

For the record . . . wrote:

I suspect that one factor in LAM's delay in DQing FM is that this guy would move into 3rd in the 70-74 division:

This race seems like a kluster phuc on so many levels.

I had looked up this guy back when he was first mentioned early in the thread. Apparently he is associated with MEDirect Latino.

Inc.

deadesq wrote:

The last guy in this series, #1197, crossed 25K a full minute after Frank's time. In this continuous four-minute series of photos, all our friends the cool kids are in the photos.

Frank is not.

Now you see him ---------------------------------------------------------------Now you don't

Took me a while v2 wrote:

You got it. LAM will not disqualify Frank. People here will moan for a while. We've effectively ruined someone's life with incomplete information. And we'll move on to do it to some other poor soul.

FRANK effectively ruined his own life with incomplete running.

splitwatcher wrote:

For the record . . . wrote:

I suspect that one factor in LAM's delay in DQing FM is that this guy would move into 3rd in the 70-74 division:

https://www.finisherpix.com/gallery/photo/en/usd/3017/18692/3017_098961#3017_098961http://results2.xacte.com/#/e/2232/placings

This race seems like a kluster phuc on so many levels.

To be clear, that would be the 70 something year old on the left of the pic that still looks like a spry 30 something.

Well, Splitwatcher, I think this one can be pretty easily explained away. Runner #18692:

Runner #18691:

Both are named Robert Lautz. So, either father/son, or remarkable coincidence that the packet pickup screwed it up and gave the 70-year old guy the bib for a 28-year old guy. I'm opting for the former, and that dad and son didn't look too closely at the age groups on their bibs.

'deadesq', I posted the link immediately below in response to the post from 'it's only a matter of time' (second link). Doubler didn't get the hi res, he said he had enough evidence that Frank cheated without it, which is fair enough. Anyway, just out of interest and if you've got nothing better to do, are you able to add anything worthwhile? As said above, it's all grist for the mill.

For the record . . . wrote:

Bib # 18692

It's supposed to be 70 yr old Robert Lautz. He's from Beverly, so maybe he's just had a lot of work done...

ROBERT LAUTZ

Marathon Open - M/70

BEVERLY HILLS, CA

4th place in 70-74 in a time of 4:14:53. No splits until 25k.

Has LA Marathon has no integrity.

With his 4:14, Robert Lautz has qualified for Boston.

deadesq wrote:

Both are named Robert Lautz. So, either father/son, or remarkable coincidence that the packet pickup screwed it up and gave the 70-year old guy the bib for a 28-year old guy. I'm opting for the former, and that dad and son didn't look too closely at the age groups on their bibs.

Hey, we all make mistakes, just ask Frank.

LA 3rd rate marathon wrote:

For the record . . . wrote:

Bib # 18692

It's supposed to be 70 yr old Robert Lautz. He's from Beverly, so maybe he's just had a lot of work done...

ROBERT LAUTZ

Marathon Open - M/70

BEVERLY HILLS, CA

4th place in 70-74 in a time of 4:14:53. No splits until 25k.

Has LA Marathon has no integrity.

With his 4:14, Robert Lautz has qualified for Boston.

Time to start a new thread I think.

deadesq wrote:

splitwatcher wrote:

To be clear, that would be the 70 something year old on the left of the pic that still looks like a spry 30 something.

Well, Splitwatcher, I think this one can be pretty easily explained away. Runner #18692:

http://fp-zoom-us.s3.amazonaws.com/3017/3017_884346.JPG

Runner #18691:

http://fp-zoom-us.s3.amazonaws.com/3017/3017_333565.JPG

Both are named Robert Lautz. So, either father/son, or remarkable coincidence that the packet pickup screwed it up and gave the 70-year old guy the bib for a 28-year old guy. I'm opting for the former, and that dad and son didn't look too closely at the age groups on their bibs.

Guess the problem then becomes, they both missed the first 5 mats so 4th place in the 70-74 still has to come down

What is it with these old blokes lol.

Hold the phone (Ho-phone said hodor style) and hold on to that bronze trophy for LAM 2019 on Robert Lautz.

Here's his athlinks:

https://www.athlinks.com/search/unclaimed/?term=robert%20lautz

He ran LAM 2017-2019: 4:14, 4:09, 4:09 respectively.

In 2018 and 2019, no splits both times till 25K. Coincidence?

2017, he is not in the results - perhaps he was dq'd (??) - if so, the irony is not lost as FM was age group 'winner.'

His other races show half marathons in the 2:30 range..

Amazing what crap gets stirred up on the epic cheater threads!!!!!

deadesq wrote:

Both are named Robert Lautz. So, either father/son, or remarkable coincidence that the packet pickup screwed it up and gave the 70-year old guy the bib for a 28-year old guy. I'm opting for the former, and that dad and son didn't look too closely at the age groups on their bibs.

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you all? You aren't Nancy Drew. You're dragging another group of men through the mud and associating them with cheating when you clearly are just idiots. Stop doing this.

Coach Meza’s forthcoming article will be called, “How to Run the Marathon, or Less.”

jesseriley wrote:

Coach Meza’s forthcoming article will be called, “How to Run the Marathon, or Less.”

It will be called, "How one site discouraged anyone from running marathons anymore due to the possibility that rabid internet 'sleuths' will uncover some assinine anomaly that may have a perfectly legitimate explanation except they circlejerk themselves until it ruins perfectly great people's careers: a true story"

It's a bit wordy but appropriate.

Took me a while v2 wrote:

deadesq wrote:

Both are named Robert Lautz. So, either father/son, or remarkable coincidence that the packet pickup screwed it up and gave the 70-year old guy the bib for a 28-year old guy. I'm opting for the former, and that dad and son didn't look too closely at the age groups on their bibs.

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you all? You aren't Nancy Drew. You're dragging another group of men through the mud and associating them with cheating when you clearly are just idiots. Stop doing this.

Don't even wonder about these guys or you make TMAW a liar and prove he is a race baiter. Unless somehow these guys are hispanic.

Page 38117 wrote:

'deadesq', I posted the link immediately below in response to the post from 'it's only a matter of time' (second link).

Doubler didn't get the hi res, he said he had enough evidence that Frank cheated without it, which is fair enough.

Anyway, just out of interest and if you've got nothing better to do, are you able to add anything worthwhile?

As said above, it's all grist for the mill.

[quote]Page 38117 wrote:

Need hi res to confirm, but:

3017_609860 Look above gap between x in Finisherpix and 2 in 2019

3017_609861 Look above i and x in Finisherpix

3017_609862 Look above p in Finisherpix

3017_609863 Look above p in Finisherpix

https://www.finisherpix.com/gallery/photobrowser/en/USD/3017#All/All/38117

Thanks, 38117. I looked at that series a long time ago--before I did any of the older Long Beach Marathon contact sheets. I'll explain why I ruled it out. Take a look at this photo:

The blue shirt/black shorts person is in the background of this photo. Same here, a little later:

My aging eyes are not as good as they once were, but that person looks to have shorter, tighter fitting shorts than Frank wore that day. Maybe even with long blonde hair? I could be wrong on that but I'm not wrong about the splits.

The elite woman in the first photo, #110, crossed 40K at 9:20:51 a.m. Forty-one seconds before that, at 9:20:10 a.m., Frank crossed the mat at 35K. So, because this photo was taken very close to the finish, Frank would have had to get to this spot, stay there a while to be photographed several times, double back to the 40K and cross it after he's in this shot, then get back to the finish. He may be the invisible man, but as far as I know, he can't teleport.

Then again, I'm sure some troll will try to prove that point wrong.

Looks like Dad and son may have switched bibs. Probably inadvertently. Rob Lautz Senior finishes out of the money in 4:28:44, so third place (When FM is DQ'd), drops down to Joe Ogata of Pacoima (70), who ran 4:25:24 (Bib#19814). Hit all the mats! Shows up in all the course photos! Congratulations Joe!

For the record . . . wrote:

Looks like Dad and son may have switched bibs. Probably inadvertently. Rob Lautz Senior finishes out of the money in 4:28:44, so third place (When FM is DQ'd), drops down to Joe Ogata of Pacoima (70), who ran 4:25:24 (Bib#19814). Hit all the mats! Shows up in all the course photos! Congratulations Joe!

Amazing! A V70 who is not invisible to cameras.

For the record . . . wrote:

Looks like Dad and son may have switched bibs. Probably inadvertently. Rob Lautz Senior finishes out of the money in 4:28:44, so third place (When FM is DQ'd), drops down to Joe Ogata of Pacoima (70), who ran 4:25:24 (Bib#19814). Hit all the mats! Shows up in all the course photos! Congratulations Joe!

Too bad Joe is the fourth fastest runner that day, and the best time is sticking with my boy Frank. It was still a great time, Joe! Keep it up!