Robert Young fakes run across America

Racergirl wrote:

I don't know how to edit the Google doc so it shows the before and after for his runbritain rankings (and notes that it was Po10 who changed it, on request). Could someone do this please?

Done. (at the end of the document)

You gotta look ahead, think positive. Once the independent reviewer is selected it's an opportunity for us to expose him/her as someone who is obviously not independent. That will bring into question SKIN's dealings and its commitment to its principles. That's a bigger story than Rob, because it's part of what enables overweight and slow hobby joggers to defraud Joe the plumber and build a house of cards.

This!

Jehosephat wrote:

Best thing that can be done here is to distill the information into something regular people can understand or give a shit about. This would come from four sources... the google doc, racergirl's summary, the laughlin graphic, and that other graphic. But even those four... it is a bunch of stuff and nobody outside this group is going to have the attention span to care. Even though, to us, it is very clear what has occured.

Instead of offering yet another fat stack as a dare, pay someone to do this job right.

Michael Speicher used to be based in the US (lots of evidence online regarding his Ohio residence, and playing for a basketball team). He accepted the job with SKINS, to move to Switzerland, in September 2015. RY is offered the SKINS sponsorship in January 2016, Michael then joins Rob for the TransCon in May 2016. Did Michael have any contact with Rob during RY's previous USA races and visits? Were the previously friends and Michael suggested RY to SKINS as a sponsored athlete? If not Michael, how did SKINS come across RY and offer him the support?

If there is no evidence for prior connection, it sounds like Michael was parachuted in by SKINS to accompany them but was somewhat inexperienced, naive, or just too trusting of the solutions Dustin/RY suggested when it became clear that RY was not going to break the record.

Writing styles: the level of illiteracy on the marathonmanuk page has changed markedly - is this RY trying to write for himself instead of Dustin's previously polished prose? Surely no-one with even an ounce of PR experience would release the "We're quitting" statement with such bad grammar, spelling and inconsistencies? That should have been gone over with a fine tooth comb before it ever reached the public domain.

Independent investigator = Paula.

Absolutely right. Folks, there is a ton of data on this guy, but we have no good media material. The google doc is valuable reference, but not something that can be easily distilled. The 'day in the desert' post on the RY blog reads like a conspiracy theory. The thread itself? Forget about it.

What we need to do is dig through the data to produce media friendly graphics. These should be short, concise, and well sourced. We don't need to prove malfeasance beyond all reasonable doubt, just show how crazy some of his claims are. For example, a graphic highlighting the crazy paces out west would go a long way.

(1) New material should go on the blog. ryinvestigation.blogspot.com owner - how can we get in contact with you? Put an email/contact form on the blog maybe?

(2) Rojo - forget the money. Write a well sourced article that other media outlets can look at and use. If you need data, ask here.

(3) Can somebody compile all of the RY Geezer updates from Ultra list? Specifically, the updates from Laz would be nice to have in an easily referenced manner. Right now the only way to find them is to comb through this thread, and even then I'm not sure what is real.

(4) We need a roadmap to this thread. A short document that links to important/notable pages (such as the car wash videos) within this thread.

Marathonmanuk Haha No Lua - i dont have enough money for even one but would make it happen to prove it to Markus which would prove it to anyone.

I have had ESPN THROUGHOUT FILMING EVEN THE SECTION HE HAS JUST POINTED OUT. 3 person film crew and director. They have just left and American CCTV channel are filming for the next 3 days as filming needs separate to each channel. So even more prove.

June 5 at 2:58pm · 2

I nominate Markus as our independent witness. He started tracking this scam before Ulist, Asher, and Letsrun. He's been involved using his own name to question this.

Racergirl wrote:

Writing styles: the level of illiteracy on the marathonmanuk page has changed markedly - is this RY trying to write for himself instead of Dustin's previously polished prose? Surely no-one with even an ounce of PR experience would release the "We're quitting" statement with such bad grammar, spelling and inconsistencies? That should have been gone over with a fine tooth comb before it ever reached the public domain.

I've noticed this on several occasions, and agree it's pretty obvious when RY is writing, i.e. when the poster uses first person pronouns (I, me, etc.), there also tend to be errors in spelling and grammar.

E.g.:

Marathonmanuk Markus Mueller you have my daily millage wrong

Marathonmanuk It was my intentions for everyone to come out in the first play

Yes, and the gem I posted above:

"So even more prove."

Of course, I think we see what is happening by Jaimie Fuller saying he will appoint an independent witness. Team Scam will say this fulfilled their promise to release the data. Fuller won't have to cut off Young and Speicher. The damning gps data will never be publicly released.

I anticipate this being caricatured as an American witchhunt and lynchmob out to online shame a British athlete trying to break an American record. Yes, much of letsrun is Americans, but certainly not all. There are plenty in the UK raising questions about RY's attempt. Also, letsrun has exposed plenty of American cheaters, most notably Kip Litton and Mike Rossi.

The Guardian:

"And yet, according to posts on Young’s blog documenting his progress, the first weeks of Young’s run were dominated by 70-mile and 80-mile days. Photos of Young looking relaxed and confident accompanied his updates, which raised suspicions in a mailing list for professional runners, Ultra List.

“[His] tracker and GPS data are cans of worms,” Robert Lopez wrote to Ultra List subscribers. “There is a day that Rob’s RV got stuck in the desert. The location is known. [...] Whether he legged out the 40-plus road miles or somehow orienteered his way through the brush without navigational aids, [his] time is incredible. And I mean that in the literal sense.”

Delmott went to meet Young, only to find his RV driving slowly down the road with no runner in sight

Young made running across America look easy. Too easy, many skeptics argued on LetsRun.com. Among the criticisms were detailed analyses of Young’s claims, including speeds that had never been achieved before.

“As he was claiming really big mileage, the doubts grew,” said Wouter Hamelinck, a Belgian ultrarunner. “Either he was exaggerating or he was throwing in world-class performances. For me, the most damning part is that his run totally changed after he knew that he was in the spotlight.”"

I know who ... wrote:

Independent investigator = Paula.

Paula says British athletes shouldn't have to release their data to the unwashed masses.

The only way she'll advocate transparency is if someone is threatening her own personal record.

Wikipedia:

"In August 2013, The Guardian's print edition had an average daily circulation of 189,000 copies, behind The Daily Telegraph and The Times, and ahead of The Independent.[5] The newspaper's online edition was the fifth most widely read in the world as of October 2014, with over 42.6 million readers.[6] In the UK, its combined print and online editions reach nearly 9 million readers."

That's a good start!

From a different article, looks like Rob has form when it comes to pulling up injured when being publicly scrutinized.

"So we bought a bike trailer and convinced filmmaker Ross McClure that sitting in it with his beloved camera was a completely safe and sensible idea. We took it on a training run round Richmond Park. The trailer was heavy and the hills were steep, but Ross and his camera survived. We were good to go.

Then disaster struck. Rob’s left leg had finally succumbed to the strains of daily marathon running. He was under strict doctor’s orders: no running for two months. So that was that, then: the end of the film."

i nominate wrote:

I nominate Markus as our independent witness. He started tracking this scam before Ulist, Asher, and Letsrun. He's been involved using his own name to question this.

Doubler, he's good at analyzing data for inconsistencies, and he gets off on that stuff.

Very nice article,good to see gems of journalism in this paid-for business.

The dubious charity angle could have been accentuated though.

But guess what, Mr Jamie Fuller of Skins seems to weasel out.