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

Someone needs to track down Douglas Rendall (Bib #2531). In his finishing photo you can see Rossi in the background. Given Rossi's slow pace at the end, Rendall must have passed him at some point. I wonder if he remembers a guy in front of him just appearing out of nowhere.

This has been a less than productive day at work. But so entertaining. Fun being in on the ground floor with this one.

I was planing on getting some things accomplished at home tonight. I doubt that happens now. Kudos to everyone who is keeping this going and getting the word out about this tool.

elephino wrote:

He invites scrutiny by thinking the whole world should know about his minor dispute with his kid's school. And his BQ is quite suspicious...

BUT

... it is neither Kip Litton level obvious cheating nor (crippled powerlifting miler whose name we can't say) level outrageous lying. I'd be a bit cautious about sticking my neck out calling him a cheat with my real name to races and media outlets.

Why can't we mention the 225lb weight lifting miler?

MarathonMind wrote:

Has anyone contacted the Lehigh/Via RD? Seems there is now ample evidence that the RD can now to write Mr. Rossi and ask him point blank if he ran the entire course. Just for the record to get his version of events and why he did not appear in any mid-course photos.

Yes, that has been done a few pages back. The RD said they are looking into the matter with USATF. So at least there is a ball that could be rolling.

Any Lehigh marathoner finishers here? Can someone pinpoint where these on course pictures were taken, especially the last photos before the finish? The last series of photos (before the finish line photos) appear to be on a running path. Anyone know approximately what mile that is?

Mike Rossi was never photographed, so it's reasonable to conclude he jumped onto the course somewhere between the last on-course photographer and the finish line.

Since Bart Yasso designed the marathon course, I believe. What can Rossi do yasso 800's in? lol

Rojo, you also deserve a Pulitzer for this, lol. Honestly, when I read the Litton article in the NY Times I pooped my pants. I guess that even as a runner, making this seemingly outrageous and simple crime seem so dramatic is a little baffling to me. And believe me, I do comprehend the severity of it, but still...that article was like the writer was sitting down with a guy who got away with mass murder.

Rojo, I expect the same dramatic flair, which I have never once seen from your writing, so I do not know why I request it now. :)

What a trip, I'm on that spreadsheet, line 65 ... I DIDN'T CHEAT!!!!! :) It got pretty warm out there the second half of the race. I thought I was in shape for 3:07ish, felt really good in my warmups, but that didn't happen, went 3:13:51. Was not PR weather, that's for sure.

Can you link to a specific one? I'm from the area and know most of the course. If it is the one looking down at the runners from the left side, with water on the other side, that's maybe a mile from the finish. Probably 25.

Do you remember seeing Rossi at all based on the pictures posted of him?

McMillan Running

Distance

Time

Pace/Mi

100m

16.6

-

200m

33.1

-

400m

1:09.3

-

500m

1:30.4

-

600m

1:50.9

-

800m

2:32.1

-

1000m

3:20.0

-

1500m

5:13.2

-

1600m

5:36.6

-

1Mi

5:38.8

5:38

2000m

7:10.2

5:46

1.5Mi

8:49.3

5:52

3000m

11:09.5

5:59

3200m

11:55.3

5:59

2Mi

11:59.8

5:59

4000m

15:21.0

6:10

3Mi

18:46

6:15

5Km

19:36

6:19

6Km

23:43

6:22

4Mi

25:29

6:22

8Km

32:18

6:30

5Mi

32:30

6:30

10Km

40:43

6:33

12Km

49:30

6:38

15Km

1:03:04

6:46

10Mi

1:08:03

6:48

20Km

1:25:49

6:54

1/2 Mar

1:30:45

6:56

15Mi

1:45:01

7:00

25Km

1:49:02

7:01

30Km

2:12:36

7:07

20Mi

2:22:52

7:09

25Mi

3:00:52

7:14

Mar

3:11:00

7:17

Mr. Rossi, I think your second 15 minutes will be nothing like the first.

No way Rojo wrote that himself. That's way above his league. There is absolutely nothing he has written before that's EVEN IN THE RIGHT BALL PARK.

I decided to take the challenge of looking for other results and started with Siobhan O'Connor, who finished just behind Rossi.

Interestingly (to me) her races also don't support a 3:12 finish time, though she doesn't have any 2014 races, so perhaps she just got really good really quickly. I see a 1:14:49 10M (7:28 pace) in November 2012, a 3:49:54 Philadelphia Marathon a week later, and a 3:54:46 finish at the Philadelphia Marathon in November 2013.

Were there photographs of her (bib 1997) on the course?

I wonder how many cheaters lrc sleuths will have found when this search is over.

I smell a letsrun.com Pulitzer Prize in the works here! Go rojo!

ilanarama wrote:Were there photographs of her (bib 1997) on the course?

The SS says there were 4 pictures of her. It's a little more believable for her since she's in her late 20s, not late 40s.

Just adding up the circumstantial evidence against:

1. Only running for 27 months previous.

2. No equivalent predictive performances better than a 3:31 marathon.

3. Did not average more than 50 mpw in marathon build-up.

4. Was not PR weather BQ race day.

That last one is a killer IMO. Along with # 3. Thanks Sam F.

ilanarama wrote:

I decided to take the challenge of looking for other results and started with Siobhan O'Connor, who finished just behind Rossi.

Interestingly (to me) her races also don't support a 3:12 finish time, though she doesn't have any 2014 races, so perhaps she just got really good really quickly. I see a 1:14:49 10M (7:28 pace) in November 2012, a 3:49:54 Philadelphia Marathon a week later, and a 3:54:46 finish at the Philadelphia Marathon in November 2013.

Were there photographs of her (bib 1997) on the course?

Never mind. Athlinks is being ornery and didn't give me all the results. She in fact ran a 3:20:47 that April at the NJ Marathon and a 1:29:49 half this March.