So through some basic internet research and using common sense, we have come to the conclusion that this guy has at least lied about most of his running performances. What now?
So through some basic internet research and using common sense, we have come to the conclusion that this guy has at least lied about most of his running performances. What now?
His website says 96 marathon & ultra wins. I've been running ultras in the UK since 2001 and am just about as experienced on the UK ultra scene as anyone else in this country. I've never seen him at the sharp end of any ultra race, and I'm pretty sure I check out ultra results frequently enough to have spotted him.
I have actually met him as he lives & runs near me in SW London. He seems like a nice enough guy, but I just can't accept some of this claims for fast times and number of wins. I've been in plenty of those races ahead of him on his Po10 profile. He wasn't ever troubling us at the front I can assure you.
I know he does have a genuine long streak of marathons (run alone at the crack of dawn round the local park), but can't see what he'd gain from cheating and claiming false times. All sounds a bit odd to me.
Zombie wrote:
https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13248410_1015293195221605_2131585119261392004_o.jpgYep, definitely looking in WR shape. Clearly the physique that results from 2 years of non-stop 180+ mile weeks.
So preposterous and so sad.
But what about that "exquisite" running action?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfK6IuvdP3kI know this board is generally frequented by people who know running pretty well (no laughing at the back) but it still seems bizarre to me that people just swallow this.
Again, I'm almost certain his claim of 96 marathon "wins" come from him "winning" most stages of the 117-stage transamerica race. Stages were typically ~26.5 miles and run against 6 - 20 other people, most of whom were also competing in the full 117 stages, with a handful of people jumping in for just a few days along the way. His "winning" times were typically 4+ hours for ~26.5 miles, beating the same few other people day after day to amass a huge number of "wins".
I doubt that any of his wins were achieved with even locally competitive times. He says his marathon PR is 2:41 on his website - how many marathons are won at 2:41+ in the UK these days?
easy solution wrote:
does the man really not own a garmin? strava could solve this whole mess entirely
Pace and distance and time data alone wouoldn't be conclusive. You could lay a gps watch on the dashboard of an RV while you drive down the road in the middle of the night at "running speed." HR data would help though, but even that could be faked by having your buddy run for you with the HR monitor strap. Video would be the best evidence for actual running.
UK ultra runner wrote:
I know he does have a genuine long streak of marathons (run alone at the crack of dawn round the local park), but can't see what he'd gain from cheating and claiming false times. All sounds a bit odd to me.
You know he has a genuine long streak of marathons? Somehow doubt that he had people with him every day in the early hours of the morning.
Young found his feet within the sporting world and went onto representing Great Britain at Junior level in Biathlon (run-swim-run)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biathlon
(The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.)
RvaRunner wrote:
fptobin@yahoo.com wrote:I am friends with Frank Giannino. Is he still the record holder?
"The fastest run across the USA is 46 days 8 hr 36 min by Frank Giannino Jr (USA) (b. 1952) for the 4,989 km (3,100 miles) from San Francisco to New York from 1 September to 17 October 1980."
Yes. Frank is still the record holder. I am friends with Marshall Ulrich who tried to beat his record in 2008 (I think) and finished with what was then the 3rd fastest crossing.
Frank's record is the number that has gathered traction, but among serious multi-day runners and those who follow the sport closely, it is far from a 'record' free from questions. The numbers per se aren't implausible. This past summer saw 2 runners in the Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 3100 mile race in Queens, NYC average over 70 miles per day for the duration, with the 2nd place runner - in a remarkable display of consistency - never having a day below 70 miles. However, even aside from questions about the run, Frank does not own a single ultramarathon race result. That too should raise an eyebrow or two....
But he has an awesome Winnebago.
Just finished a 64 mile run wrote:
Zombie wrote:https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13248410_1015293195221605_2131585119261392004_o.jpgYep, definitely looking in WR shape. Clearly the physique that results from 2 years of non-stop 180+ mile weeks.
He's definitely rounding into peak form after running halfway across a continent to drop the 30+ pounds of reserve weight he built up for this run.
Chiding aside, there have been several actual transcon footraces, notably in the early -mid 90s, and the great bunion derbies of 1928 and 1929. "They" said that if one was young enough, in good health, and didn't get injured s/he'd get stronger as the race progressed. For the others, it was a matter of managing their physical deterioration to make it thru.
When you watch the first video the campervan isnt even moving. This suggests that they arent cheating. Both videos are pretty poor and very unfair on Rob and the crew. Crawl back into your hole and stay there.
getting their stories straight wrote:
Any indication the team is aware of this thread?
UK ultra runner wrote:
His website says 96 marathon & ultra wins. I've been running ultras in the UK since 2001 and am just about as experienced on the UK ultra scene as anyone else in this country. I've never seen him at the sharp end of any ultra race, and I'm pretty sure I check out ultra results frequently enough to have spotted him.
I have actually met him as he lives & runs near me in SW London. He seems like a nice enough guy, but I just can't accept some of this claims for fast times and number of wins. I've been in plenty of those races ahead of him on his Po10 profile. He wasn't ever troubling us at the front I can assure you.
I know he does have a genuine long streak of marathons (run alone at the crack of dawn round the local park), but can't see what he'd gain from cheating and claiming false times. All sounds a bit odd to me.
Preaching to the choir here, but...
running 26.2 training miles in one's local park does not constitute running a marathon. Mr Young is far from the first to log 200 mile weeks. Even if "they" were to award points for training miles, he wouldn't be near the top of the list.
I am the true record holder
Parvaneh wrote:
I am the true record holder
Sorry Parvaneh, how quickly we forgot your greatness! You are inspiration to us all.
Are you pacing him the rest of the way?
OMG! Seb Coe in a kilt! Crikey!
fidel wrote:
Zombie wrote:https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13248410_1015293195221605_2131585119261392004_o.jpgYep, definitely looking in WR shape. Clearly the physique that results from 2 years of non-stop 180+ mile weeks.
So preposterous and so sad.
But what about that "exquisite" running action?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfK6IuvdP3kI know this board is generally frequented by people who know running pretty well (no laughing at the back) but it still seems bizarre to me that people just swallow this.
It's been said elsewhere and above, but the absolute bare minimum evidence for this endeavor would be GPS data off of a running watch. This is 2016 -- I can see second-by-second evidence of my friends' easy runs on Strava -- so how is it that we're not going to be able to see evidence of a transcontinental world record?
The absence of this evidence is evidence of something.
Raysism wrote:
It's been said elsewhere and above, but the absolute bare minimum evidence for this endeavor would be GPS data off of a running watch. This is 2016 -- I can see second-by-second evidence of my friends' easy runs on Strava -- so how is it that we're not going to be able to see evidence of a transcontinental world record?
The absence of this evidence is evidence of something.
There is no way to get true evidence. To make a monumental claim, the burden of proof is upon them. All a GPS shows is that someone (perhaps other than RY) ran (or transported) the GPS for whatever distance at whatever pace. The best way to earn trust of doubters, is, [shocker] to earn their trust, by
a) not making bogus record claims like longest run w/o sleep
b) bringing as much evidence to the table as possible
c) not be combative with those asking innocent and reasonable questions
d) show up to a proper race and put up a decent performance. There are many multi-day races around the world where he can prove his mettle should he choose to do so.
Time to start shaming this fraud on Twitter.
SteelTownRunner wrote:
Raysism wrote:It's been said elsewhere and above, but the absolute bare minimum evidence for this endeavor would be GPS data off of a running watch. This is 2016 -- I can see second-by-second evidence of my friends' easy runs on Strava -- so how is it that we're not going to be able to see evidence of a transcontinental world record?
The absence of this evidence is evidence of something.
There is no way to get true evidence. To make a monumental claim, the burden of proof is upon them. All a GPS shows is that someone (perhaps other than RY) ran (or transported) the GPS for whatever distance at whatever pace. The best way to earn trust of doubters, is, [shocker] to earn their trust, by
a) not making bogus record claims like longest run w/o sleep
b) bringing as much evidence to the table as possible
c) not be combative with those asking innocent and reasonable questions
d) show up to a proper race and put up a decent performance. There are many multi-day races around the world where he can prove his mettle should he choose to do so.
I didn't say a GPS watch would be "true" evidence -- it's just the bare minimum.
But he could come pretty close to proving it if he were fully engaged with Strava -- all we'd have to do is send someone out there to see what's going on, and then compare it to the Strava record. The guy who set the world record for most miles biked in a year last year did it all on Strava, and people came out and rode with him.
Zombie wrote:
I doubt that any of his wins were achieved with even locally competitive times. He says his marathon PR is 2:41 on his website - how many marathons are won at 2:41+ in the UK these days?
No need to take away from your argument. Yes, let's say his PR is 2:41. He *may* not need a faster marathon PR to be an excellent multi-day runner. A 4hr marathon pace in the course of a mutliday is blazing, but of course, 26-27 miles per day ain't a multi-day; it's a stage race. It's also quite possible that with specificity in training for the marathon, he'd be faster. I happen to agree with you, but don't say that his PR is evidence of faulty claims when it seems reasonable. Not every sub 2:20 marathoner is a good 24hr or multiday runner (eg, Don Ritchie), and some 3hr marathoners are stellar for 48hrs + (eg, Traci Falbo, yet to crack 3 in the marathon, but has run ~150 for 24hr, 244 for 48hrs).
