Frank Meza 2:53:10 at LA Marathon (70 years old) unofficial time (just finished)

No words. wrote:

https://freephotos.finisherpix.com/gallery/100460/11020/1

Notice how blazing fast world record holders choose to dress for races nowadays. Several layers, hat, dark glasses and staring at the floor. Of course Frank is just modest and shy.

And after Derek's expose' next week, rumor has it he'll be avoiding anymore unwelcome scrutiny by racing in a Burkha at all future events.

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As I mentioned earlier, that is one of the most cheat-friendly courses around. After planning LAM, this event would be a complete cakewalk with a driver and designated pickup points.

I will write it again since this thread is getting pretty long. There is no controversy in any of Ed Whitlock’s or Gene Dykes races. No missed mats, pictures where they are supposed to be and plenty of runner witnesses. There is zero chance this guy is legitimate.

I assume Gene Dykes gets invitations from race directors to run their race. Do you think any RD would invite Frank?

He's shy guys... wrote:

No words. wrote:

https://freephotos.finisherpix.com/gallery/100460/11020/1

Notice how blazing fast world record holders choose to dress for races nowadays. Several layers, hat, dark glasses and staring at the floor. Of course Frank is just modest and shy.

And after Derek's expose' next week, rumor has it he'll be avoiding anymore unwelcome scrutiny by racing in a Burkha at all future events.

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For his next race, FM will identify as a muslim woman, shattering the W70+ record.

Here's Frank trying out his next disguise. Expect him to add the baseball cap too as the scrutiny intensifies.

https://citizenzoo.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/tchador_lunettes_soleil.jpg

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I wonder what Roderick Powell’s disguise is? He sure disappeared!

I ran the Strawberry stomp 5k yesterday. Tune-up for next week's Wrigley River 10-miler in Long Beach. https://www.athlinks.com/event/128898/results/Event/836437/Course/1504284/Bib/601

In picture 3017_067743, a "shadowy" figure shows appears underneath a stoplight at the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and Doheny Dr, the intersection right before the 25K timing mats. In photo 3017_067776 you can see the shadowy figure is wearing a baggy blue shirt, dark (black) long sleeve shirt, long dark (black) shorts, and dark (black) running shoes. On page 4237 the shadowy figure has hands on hip, waiting for an opportune time to jump back into the course. This is the perfect intersection for a "pedestrian" to cross the street without much attention and all of sudden turn into a "runner" halfway across. Frank is using his bib belt to possibly obscure his number but it's not uncommon to see many walking marathoners in the LA Marathon - just too early to be doing so in a 2:50 pace group..

By page 4238, Frank is clearly on the course and the "shadowy" figure below the stoplight is gone. Frank just happens to be wearing a baggy blue shirt, a black long sleeve tech shirt, long black shorts, and black running shoes! His attire matches the shadowing figure below the stoplight piece for piece. Runners 40874 and 1008 pull away from Frank within a few strides on page 4238.

https://www.finisherpix.com/gallery/singlephoto/en/usd/3017/3017_067743

https://www.finisherpix.com/gallery/photobrowser/en/USD/3017#All/Run/4234

https://www.finisherpix.com/gallery/singlephoto/en/usd/3017/3017_067776

https://www.finisherpix.com/gallery/photobrowser/en/USD/3017#All/Run/4237

https://www.finisherpix.com/gallery/photo/en/usd/3017/1151/3017_246511#3017_246511

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0796287,-118.3897198,3a,90y,319.1h,88.09t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2nQAcaiqb88wUqVp0Z4lbg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Roderick Powell wrote:

I ran the Strawberry stomp 5k yesterday. Tune-up for next week's Wrigley River 10-miler in Long Beach.

https://www.athlinks.com/event/128898/results/Event/836437/Course/1504284/Bib/601

That's a pretty good Athlinks page. Hopefully, it might stop some of the trolls from giving you so much sh!t, but don't hold your breath.

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Now about all the rest. wrote:

Yep one piece of his weirdness that can be explained photo of both clocks.

Now about all the rest.

https://www.marathonfoto.com/Proofs?PIN=7J9R11&LastName=TASSONE

Are you suggesting this guy cut the course too? Very few photos of him from multiple locations. Or are you connecting him to Frank?

It was pointed out that Frank finished under the clock showing 3:03 which seemed a bit odd, someone pointed out that was the clock for the wheelies which was beside the runners clock, the page of photos was posted to confirm that, as it shows the two clocks in one of the photos.

All makes sense as Frank's finish time was around the same as those fellas photos you linked too (highlighted below), except yellow singlet/white hat fella, he dropped off the pace to finish in 3:04, but to confirm your suspicions you'd need hi-res photos.

Have you super sleuthed the photos of the others that finished around him?

Clocks and watches can get confusing when it comes to Frank, he wears two, one for the gun go to whoa time that he keeps ticking over, the other for starting/stopping/reset/rinse/repeat for his splits to make sure he doesn't stuff up like he did in the 2015 LAM where he only had one watch and recorded two 18+ minute age world class 5k splits. ?

Good find. I also found those photos helpful in that you can compare the running gait of actual 2:50-low (I presume?) marathoners with that of Meza. Every runner that comes through has several photos taken, and they all seem to have at least one that shows the back-kick characteristic of that pace - that is, at the end of each stride, the foot of their trail leg comes off the ground to about knee level. That fits well with my own experience: years of watching my own shadow tells me that when my pace is comfortably below 7:00/mile, I get that more aesthetically pleasing stride. Each of the runners before and after FM in that series have at least one "good" photo where you can tell they are moving along well.

But FM never gets that in any of his photos. His feet barely come off the ground in any picture. From a single random photo, it's hard to draw any conclusions, because sometimes you get those really unflattering photos even when you're flying. But Meza NEVER has a marathon photo, in this race or others, where it catches him at a "good moment" - because he doesn't have any.

This is what a real 2:50 odd 70 year old marathon runner looks like, couple of things to note are his build and state of exhaustion at the finish. Oh yeah, and he's only wearing the long sleeve T and singlet because it's friggin cold, which is something you really feel when you're old and skinny, believe me, I know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_qPXM10-U4

Another old un here. wrote:

This is what a real 2:50 odd 70 year old marathon runner looks like, couple of things to note are his build and state of exhaustion at the finish. Oh yeah, and he's only wearing the long sleeve T and singlet because it's friggin cold, which is something you really feel when you're old and skinny, believe me, I know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_qPXM10-U4

Excellent. A picture/video worth a thousand words.

PTF wrote:

[quote]Another old un here. wrote:

Excellent. A picture/video worth a thousand words.

Compared to:

"Loyola XC/distance assistant coach Dr. Frank Meza, who won his age group race (70+) at the Sprouts Mesa-PHX Marathon. His time of 2:53:54 set a new U.S. and World Record, besting the old record of 2:54:27 set two months ago."

Seen finishing here:

Your turn, Roderick! FM obviously took a magic bullet from a sniper, and that threw off his stride.

He's shy guys... wrote:

No words. wrote:

https://freephotos.finisherpix.com/gallery/100460/11020/1

Notice how blazing fast world record holders choose to dress for races nowadays. Several layers, hat, dark glasses and staring at the floor. Of course Frank is just modest and shy.

And after Derek's expose' next week, rumor has it he'll be avoiding anymore unwelcome scrutiny by racing in a Burkha at all future events.

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ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS ON TOO MANY LEVELS TO MENTION! Yes, all caps were needed. And not one person who's on these boards lives near the races he runs? I'd easily get him with my video camera, piece of cake!