Robert Young fakes run across America

Tornado the Little wrote:

I said the same when discussing this with someone. I'm the first to admit I detest running with unnecessary gadgets, and in races where splits are recorded with some regularity (a few 100's I've run have had splits recorded every 10-15 miles) I don't even wear a $3 watch from the dollar store.

But, if I were going for a world record-- you'd better bet the whole house and farm I'd have a Garmin, backup, and then backup for the backup. You just don't go into something like this expecting people to be understanding when you don't have proof of what you did. You don't go into something like this unprepared, and ill prepared to answer questions. You don't balk and stall and refuse to address problems. You have to have data. Proof is your burden. Period.

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Dude, chill out. I guess you didn't watch the video he posted documenting about 10 ways his run is being documented. Damn. Read before you post.

Why not contact his sponsor (skins) and point out that he's a cheater?

Eastern hemisphere, western hemisphere. Please don't - you are reinforcing all stereotypes about Americans.

Haha they can't even stick to their own lies!

Gilfoyle wrote:

They should use the new compression technology from Pied Piper.

LOL! this thread is killing my productivity today.

I think this is an interesting point, especially because one of his crew members is part of the Skins digital media team.

DMulvee wrote:

The TomTom watches that were shown need a separate heart rate strap, and so possibly won't show a HR if he doesn't wear one - BUT they do record strides per minute.

I haven't ever tried seeing what strides per minute come up if I am in a car, but this should be data that helps to prove his case, if he is genuine.

Can you identify the model/version for us please? It isn't a great view but it doesn't look that different from mine.

moanswers wrote:

Gilfoyle wrote:

They should use the new compression technology from Pied Piper.

LOL! this thread is killing my productivity today.

I plan on posting something just to get more eyes on the story..

Do they have any explanation for the initial video of the van driving slowly without Rob?

Anything further on the seemingly incredible unsupported pace when they got lost - and the R.V. got stuck in the desert.

I'm kind of behind on this - but I do have a lot of the conversation from ultra list - mostly mirrors what's on here..but I haven't gone through the most recent posts yet.

If it were

If it were me. I would have stopped and asked to run with him. You didn't have to confront him. Just ask to run, maybe collect some visual evidence. During your run, ask him questions about his running methods or documenting in a casual, non-confronting conversation. Probe a little.

Something with your story just doesn't add up. You went out there to run with him, but after you found him (or his RV with him in it). You decided not to run? Makes no sense.

You took videos. Why not just stop and run after taking the videos?

* I'm a chick, not a dude.

The video means absolutely nothing. He has yet to upload the data. I understand spotty internet connection; I live in Ohio and I've run/raced in some funky places. However, there doesn't seem to be an issue with uploading videos and blogs. I think the data is more important at this point.

Cheers!

This is not London wrote:

Do English people not know this is the worst time of year weather-wise to attempt something like this?

Another thing we haven't though of yet. Why would he do this in the middle of the summer?

'notherUlister wrote:

There is a crowd-funded effort underway to have a team of very credentialed veteran ultrarunners (who both also write about the sport) shadow the guy for upwards of a week.

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How do I donate? Maybe we'll become the title sponsor.

I can't wait for the 'injury' to pop up.

Because running at night would make the most sense during the summer.

That story seems HIGHLY Implausible to me for a non-runner.

I hadn't been running for a while. I recently called up my coach and said, "If I took steroids and EPO do you think I could break my PRs within a year even though i"m 40+". He laughed. He said it would take you a year just to get your legs back - used to pounding - needed to run 100+ mpw.

A 30-year old who hasn't been running runs 70 miles - they'd be so sore it wouldn' twork.

fignootin wrote:

Because running at night would make the most sense during the summer.

It's dark at night in both the Summer and Winter.

fignootin wrote:

Because running at night would make the most sense during the summer.

Most people will agree that night running makes the most sense in a June-July-August trans con. But, that still doesn't answer why he'd choose summer in the first place. I think it would've made more sense to start in March or even early April, especially given the route he's apparently taking.

I had the same issue, but it livened up the day.

Can I just get confirmation of were this is at.....

RV Incident: No Response

Triathlete Claims: Proved True

Pro Cycling: Suspect Evidence/Lack of Proof/False?

PB Stats: Partially Amended / Suspect

Peace Champion 2015: Proved True

Expert Testimony (Lieberman): Proved True

370 Marathons: Likely True (At least from when his supporters joined him on every run)

Transcon Race: Tracking in place but not universally accepted, suspected to be cheating?

If I've missed anything please pipe up. From the above I'd draw the conclusion that performances have highly likely been exaggerated or misrecorded (I..e 7km duatlon split). However, there is still the possibility he Is actually doing this legit.

Link to donate to the group of experienced ultra guys going to monitor him and uncover the truth:

http://laz.btsgifts.com

Further, regarding the ridiculous claim in his book that he ran his first three marathons on a whim untrained in a 30-hour period of time in 4:07, 3:28, 3:19. Look at this history of his races from runbritainsrankings that DMulvee pointed out on p. 33 of this thread. Look at all the 5K park runs and their dates. And look where I have inserted in bold where Rob claims he suddenly became a marathoner.

HM 91:12 Hampton Court Half Marathon 21 Feb 16

HM 99:52 Watford Half Marathon 7 Feb 16

HM 89:00 Putney & Fulham Riverside Half Marathon 18 Oct 15

parkrun 20:00 Fulham Palace parkrun # 107 17 Oct 15

Mar 3:12:22 MBNA Chester Marathon 4 Oct 15

HM 97:50 Morrisons Great North Run 13 Sep 15

parkrun 31:12 Old Deer Park parkrun # 239 1 Aug 15

Mar 3:07:40 Virgin London Marathon 26 Apr 15

Mar 4:43:44 Isle of Wight Marathon 12 Oct 14

Mar 4:23:06 Baxters Loch Ness Marathon 28 Sep 14

Mar 3:11:57 Thames Meander Marathon 23 Aug 14

parkrun 20:01 Richmond Park parkrun # 355 2 Aug 14

Mar 4:56:41 Bath Marathon 27 Jul 14

Mar 4:34:06 Giants Head Marathon 28 Jun 14

parkrun 20:38 Richmond Park parkrun # 348 14 Jun 14

Mar 3:56:32 Orpington Mara*fun Marathon 17 May 14

Mar 3:46:32 Halstead & Essex Marathon 11 May 14

parkrun 21:44 Richmond Park parkrun # 343 10 May 14

Mar 3:50:03 Milton Keynes Marathon 5 May 14

parkrun 21:09 Richmond Park parkrun # 342 3 May 14

parkrun 22:35 Richmond Park parkrun # 340 19 Apr 14

personal marathon in Richmond Park 20 Apr 14

personal marathon in Richmond Park 20 Apr 14

personal marathon in Richmond Park 19 Apr 14

personal marathon in Richmond Park 18 Apr 14

personal marathon in Richmond Park 17 Apr 14

personal marathon in Richmond Park 17 Apr 14

personal marathon in Richmond Park 16 Apr 14

personal marathon 3:19:xx (7:36/mile pace) in Richmond Park 15 Apr 14

personal marathon 3:28:xx (7:56/mile pace) in Richmond Park 14 Apr 14

personal marathon 4:07:xx (9:25/mile pace) in Richmond Park 14 Apr 14

parkrun 21:29 Old Deer Park parkrun # 166 1 Mar 14

parkrun 21:23 Old Deer Park parkrun # 164 15 Feb 14

parkrun 21:23 Old Deer Park parkrun # 163 8 Feb 14

parkrun 21:34 Old Deer Park parkrun # 162 1 Feb 14

parkrun 22:10 Old Deer Park parkrun # 161 25 Jan 14

parkrun 21:06 Old Deer Park parkrun # 160 18 Jan 14

parkrun 21:00 Old Deer Park parkrun # 159 11 Jan 14

parkrun 22:24 Old Deer Park parkrun # 158 4 Jan 14

parkrun 24:24 Old Deer Park parkrun # 156 21 Dec 13

parkrun 22:05 Old Deer Park parkrun # 155 14 Dec 13

parkrun 27:19 Old Deer Park parkrun # 154 7 Dec 13

parkrun 20:20 Old Deer Park parkrun # 153 30 Nov 13

parkrun 21:45 Old Deer Park parkrun # 152 23 Nov 13

parkrun 22:13 Old Deer Park parkrun # 151 16 Nov 13

parkrun 22:39 Old Deer Park parkrun # 149 2 Nov 13

parkrun 21:08 Old Deer Park parkrun # 146 12 Oct 13

parkrun 20:39 Old Deer Park parkrun # 145 5 Oct 13

parkrun 20:00 Crane parkrun # 66 21 Sep 13

parkrun 19:56 Crane parkrun # 64 7 Sep 13

parkrun 18:55 Old Deer Park parkrun # 140 31 Aug 13

parkrun 20:21 Old Deer Park parkrun # 138 17 Aug 13

parkrun 20:09 Old Deer Park parkrun # 137 3 Aug 13

parkrun 21:08 Old Deer Park parkrun # 136 27 Jul 13

parkrun 19:37 Old Deer Park parkrun # 135 20 Jul 13

parkrun 19:46 Old Deer Park parkrun # 134 13 Jul 13

parkrun 19:49 Old Deer Park parkrun # 133 6 Jul 13

parkrun 19:54 Old Deer Park parkrun # 132 29 Jun 13

parkrun 19:15 Old Deer Park parkrun # 131 22 Jun 13

parkrun 20:27 Old Deer Park parkrun # 130 15 Jun 13

parkrun 24:26 Old Deer Park parkrun # 129 8 Jun 13

parkrun 19:38 Old Deer Park parkrun # 128 1 Jun 13

parkrun 19:27 Crane parkrun # 49 25 May 13

parkrun 20:14 Old Deer Park parkrun # 127 18 May 13

parkrun 19:33 Old Deer Park parkrun # 125 20 Apr 13

parkrun 20:00 Old Deer Park parkrun # 124 13 Apr 13

parkrun 20:03 Old Deer Park parkrun # 123 6 Apr 13

parkrun 20:03 Old Deer Park parkrun # 121 23 Mar 13

parkrun 20:27 Old Deer Park parkrun # 120 16 Mar 13

parkrun 21:25 Old Deer Park parkrun # 119 9 Mar 13

parkrun 21:34 Old Deer Park parkrun # 118 2 Mar 13

parkrun 22:17 Old Deer Park parkrun # 117 23 Feb 13

parkrun 22:35 Old Deer Park parkrun # 116 16 Feb 13

parkrun 21:58 Old Deer Park parkrun # 115 9 Feb 13

parkrun 24:36 Old Deer Park parkrun # 112 19 Jan 13

parkrun 22:02 Old Deer Park parkrun # 110 5 Jan 13

parkrun 21:38 Old Deer Park parkrun # 109 29 Dec 12

parkrun 22:23 Old Deer Park parkrun # 108 22 Dec 12

parkrun 23:23 Old Deer Park parkrun # 107 15 Dec 12

parkrun 21:10 Old Deer Park parkrun # 106 8 Dec 12

parkrun 21:30 Old Deer Park parkrun # 105 1 Dec 12

parkrun 20:43 Old Deer Park parkrun # 104 24 Nov 12

parkrun 21:30 Old Deer Park parkrun # 103 17 Nov 12

parkrun 20:45 Old Deer Park parkrun # 101 27 Oct 12

parkrun 19:33 Old Deer Park parkrun # 100 20 Oct 12

parkrun 20:00 Old Deer Park parkrun # 99 13 Oct 12

parkrun 19:30 Old Deer Park parkrun # 98 6 Oct 12

parkrun 19:23 Old Deer Park parkrun # 97 29 Sep 12

parkrun 19:16 Old Deer Park parkrun # 96 22 Sep 12

parkrun 20:01 Old Deer Park parkrun # 95 15 Sep 12

parkrun 20:07 Old Deer Park parkrun # 94 8 Sep 12

parkrun 20:19 Old Deer Park parkrun # 93 1 Sep 12

parkrun 20:25 Old Deer Park parkrun # 90 11 Aug 12

parkrun 19:55 Old Deer Park parkrun # 89 4 Aug 12

parkrun 20:36 Old Deer Park parkrun # 87 21 Jul 12

parkrun 20:20 Richmond parkrun # 226 25 Feb 12

parkrun 20:42 Richmond parkrun # 225 18 Feb 12

parkrun 20:11 Bedfont parkrun # 141 11 Feb 12

parkrun 19:56 Bedfont parkrun # 139 28 Jan 12

parkrun 20:37 Bedfont parkrun # 138 21 Jan 12

parkrun 19:01 Bedfont parkrun # 137 14 Jan 12

parkrun 24:43 Black Park parkrun # 85 26 Feb 11

parkrun 20:53 Black Park parkrun # 50 26 Jun 10

parkrun 21:44 Black Park parkrun # 36 20 Mar 10

parkrun 21:19 Black Park parkrun # 33 27 Feb 10

parkrun 21:18 Black Park parkrun # 32 20 Feb 10

Where do you see any trend that suddenly Rob Young should become an instant marathoner on April 14, 2014 to be able to run 3 marathons in a 30-hour period of time in 4:07, 3:28, 3:19. Yet that's what he claims in the book. But in the months preceding this miraculous period of marathoning, he was consistently a 21-minute 5K runner (6:56), but then suddenly is able to get near that pace (7:36 pace) for the last 26.2 miles of a sudden explosion of 78 miles in a 30-hour time period on April 14-15, 2014.

Maybe he did 3 long runs (15? 16? 18? 20? miles) on April 14-15, 2014 but not 26.2 miles each.

Or maybe he did "run" 26.2 three separate times on those days, but not in 4:07, 3:28, 3:19.

And maybe he was marathon training secretly and privately before April 14 and then did either one or both of the other possible things I just mentioned.

But a mediocre 5K runner named Rob Young did not suddenly and instantly run 3 marathons on a whim without training in 4:07, 3:28, 3:19 in a 30-hour period of time. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and especially when the person claiming it has distorted, exaggerated, and falsified other personal information.