Robert Young fakes run across America

Thanks for clearing this up, 113.

Do we know that the 1980 record wasn't faked? Where are his GPS trace files...?

Thanks 113. That's what I figured so I think my numbers are pretty close. He needs to cover somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 miles per day from here on out for the record.

I might add: he has a seemingly dormant strava account but I lost the link somewhere. Good odds he would have to do a password recovery to access it.

larkimm wrote:

Do we know that the 1980 record wasn't faked? Where are his GPS trace files...?

Frank G's record has been questioned because he never ran an ultra other than claiming to run 66/day cross-country. Granted, there weren't many ultras in 1980. There was a book written about it called "46 days." Stan C's record before that was also questioned.

Now we live in the age of data in which records should be verified.

This might be a case not unlike the womens 100m WR that was set and near impossible to retract even though there are serious questions about it, and yet it will be near impossible to break.

I think that's part of what made this viral in the running community. RY stated that he thought he could break the transcon record by 6 days. If he did so, he would have put it at an untouchable point for any legit attempt.

One of the reasons this message board can suck at times...People who have never attempted to do any "Multi-day events" chiming in with how easy it is. We saw it last year with the Jurek thread about the AT record and now have seen it with this thread.

I get it. Everyone on this damn site does 100+mpw at 2:15 marathon pace, so of course doing 50 miles per day is easy, given you have 24 hours to do it. I mean, come one, that's barely under 30 minute per mile pace!

The reality is that doing 50 miles PER DAY, EVERYDAY for 45 (PLUS) DAYS IN A ROW is hard as hell. That is doing 350 Mile weeks every week for the better part of 7 straight weeks Add in elevation, weather, etc and it makes for one hell of a challenge.

Look I don't know if he cheated. Based upon the evidence presented on this board, I would lean towards yes, he was, before Asher called him out.

I think it is safe to assume that now that he has to actually run all the miles, his attempt is likely to end any day. He only ran 40 miles yesterday or the day before, but now needs to start doing 58 a day for 13 days in a row.

I think he will pull out in one week or less.

I feel for Rob. I use to be really good at Monopoly, but I'd always be the banker and just take extra money whenever I needed it. If anyone became suspect and started to watch me I'd start loosing pretty quick.

team1.kml wrote:

rojo wrote:

I don't agree that the crew "has been very open". Release the watch files.

rojo,

Quick summary on the watch files...

...You can doctor gpx files and upload them to the TomTom MySports website,

I don't believe so,no. All uploads are managed for you direct from the watch which uses a proprietary format called ttbin. There is no manual upload option or support for gpx input files, just export. I looked into the whole thing a while ago when I first got mine and before this story blew.

I would suggest we leave it at that since, as the old saying goes, even the walls have ears.

doubler wrote:

I hope to be out there to meet up with the caravan either tomorrow or Sunday night/Monday morning.

The timing of when he'll be right in my backyard couldn't be worse. I will be up North in Cleveland over the weekend. I suspect he'll hit the Dayton area Saturday/Sunday.

Great. Perhaps then you will have some actual original material that you can add to your blog rather than copying it from other forums, articles, or blogs.

ICE wrote:

Does the Limey have a work visa?

Good question.

Isn't Rob an illegal worker as he is probably using a tourist visa? He claims to be a professional athlete for British Athletics and is possible an employee of Skins as well. Where can one report this abuse?

We should also refer his GoFundMe income (and other charities) to the British tax authorities.

larkimm wrote:

Do we know that the 1980 record wasn't faked? Where are his GPS trace files...?

Exactly, I guess we'll never really know. It happened in 1980, way before today's world of instant information and monitoring capabilities. Markus expressed doubts in an earlier thread that Frank actually did what he claims. It will be interesting to see if one of today's elites want to eventually take a run at this record.

Honest question, CoachKev. When you forced Rob to stop at 373 miles, what made you do that and how did you do it? Rob stated he wanted to run further, like I think 400 miles, but you wouldn't let him go on. Why did you stop him? And how?

honest question wrote:

Honest question, CoachKev. When you forced Rob to stop at 373 miles, what made you do that and how did you do it? Rob stated he wanted to run further, like I think 400 miles, but you wouldn't let him go on. Why did you stop him? And how?

took away the sausage roll?

RYinvestigator wrote:

ICE wrote:

Does the Limey have a work visa?

Good question.

Isn't Rob an illegal worker as he is probably using a tourist visa? He claims to be a professional athlete for British Athletics and is possible an employee of Skins as well. Where can one report this abuse?

We should also refer his GoFundMe income (and other charities) to the British tax authorities.

lol, you really need to step away from the computer and get some sunlight

Heavydutyskeptic wrote:

I am sure the ultra guys are good people. But. Their sole task is to keep an eye on RY. According to this latest account, when they went back to find Rob they were informed that he had stopped for a massage. A massage takes a good chunk of time. How long is he actually out of their view to do God only knows what?

According to the post it was he was out of there sight for 1:14 (or at least the segment took that long), but they were only 2.5 miles up the road (or the entire segment as that long). It's such a small distance I highly doubt he would risk getting caught red-handed now for such a marginal gain.

100 miles wrote:

reader of posts wrote:

It would be an interesting poll to see what most non-runners would think about this:

Which is the more impressive running feat to you:

A) Run 100 miles in 24 hours.

B) Run 1 mile in 3:50:00.

The times could vary bu you get the picture. My gut says "A" will be the overwhelming top pick.

As others have stated, 100 miles in 24 hours is pretty easy to achieve for most average ultra runners. I would argue that 100 miles in 24 hours is equal to running a mile in 5:50. For a 3:50 mile the equivalent would be finishing an average 100 mile route in 17 hours.

Let me chime in here. Ummmmm....No.

I ran one ultra in my life on more or less of a whim. It was 4 weeks after I ran a 2:43 marathon. I went 16:24. A tad less than 10 minute miles. And I am, nor ever was, remotely close to a 3:50 mile.

I'm not sure what the equivalent is, but it would not be 17 hours for a 100.

Heavydutyskeptic wrote:

I am sure the ultra guys are good people. But. Their sole task is to keep an eye on RY. According to this latest account, when they went back to find Rob they were informed that he had stopped for a massage. A massage takes a good chunk of time. How long is he actually out of their view to do God only knows what?

Seems like the ultra guys are there to make sure he doesn't cheat his way to this record. They don't need to be up his butt about every little thing. That record is probably something that's actually pretty meaningful to these guys who have been competing in/managing ultras for decades. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't care if RY claimed to simply complete the distance as long he doesn't set some ridiculous record that no one attempting the event honestly could ever come close to. Don't forget, they were making plans to head out there before this thread even started.

getting wrong wrote:

writer of bad comments wrote:

I'll pledge to donate $1.00 for his data regardless of whether he succeeds or has cheated.

Deal?

^^^^

This, the comments in here are becoming disgusting, his childhood or personal life/past have nothing to do with his sporting claims or achievements.

I haven't made any comments about his childhood or personal life but I completely disagree with you saying that it has nothing to do with what is happening here. The guy parades his childhood and past out for interviews and his book for Christ's sake. He makes money and publicity glorifying his childhood, past, and family. It is completely appropriate to question his about such things because, I bet you, a lot of it is going to be another lie.

I'd imagine there are those of you who have had similar experiences, but I don't think RY's personality is unique by any stretch among runners. I knew just such a runner.

Several years ago, I met a runner whom we'll call Jason, following a 10K that a ran, in which he also participated (finishing behind me). He was friendly enough and talked about his training and his aspirations in the marathon. At the time I had similar aspirations and so we went for a few runs together.

I quickly discovered not all was right. That outgoing, friendly personality revealed a narcissism that impressive in its scope. All conversations inevitably returned to him and how he was going to quality for the OT marathon later that year, how he was going to make the World's team.

But his actual ability didn't seem to gel with his aspirations. He struggled to keep up on a six mile run, despite claiming to be running two a days, and logging elite level weekly mileage. He had a poor running form, almost knocking knees and pronating to the point that I wondered if he'd even been fitted for a proper set of trainers.

I eventually stopped running with him, but he would occasionally turn up at group runs with the local sub-elite outfit. By now, his character took on a new angle, as his bluster turned to outright exagerration and falsehood. He claimed Powerbar was sponsoring him, when in fact he was just getting free samples that Powerbar gives to anyone who claims to be a coach or trainer. He claimed outrageous times that he couldn't back up, such as having broken 15 minutes for 5K on a track.

At area races, he consistently underperformed, running 19 minute 5Ks, and always he had an excuse...he took a wrong turn, he tripped. His favorite excuse was that he was using the race as a training/tempo run. Over the course of a summer he managed to alienate the entire running community by claiming his superiority in racing. Several challenged him to races, offering to comp his entry fee. He never accepted, but continued to claim he was the best, without any proof.

Eventually he lost every shred of credibility he had. He was a decent runner, but could find no one to run with because everyone was so thoroughly tired of him.

I think RY is the same type of personality. He's a narcissist in search of a source to validate that narcissism. He has made increasingly outrageous claims that don't seem to be backed up by anything, and now finally the wall he has built up around himself is starting to come down as more people call him on it and challenge him to prove his mettle.

I feel very sorry for him.