Frank Meza may be advised to read this while considering his options. He obviously has no clue who he is dealing with. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/marathon-investigator-derek-murphy-reveals-how-he-catches-cheaters-n707426
Frank Meza may be advised to read this while considering his options. He obviously has no clue who he is dealing with. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/marathon-investigator-derek-murphy-reveals-how-he-catches-cheaters-n707426
Oh damn. i ran a large part of sunset blvd. on the sidewalk during 2017 LAM because there was more shade. I hope I dont get outed.
I randomly selected one of Frank's marathons, San Francisco 2014.
Age Group 65-69
1st Frank Meza - #20274 - 2:59:40
2nd Mike Urbanski - #191 - 3:37:43
3rd Johnny Goode - #155 - 3:40:23
Photos
Frank: 2 which may be just before or just after the finish, 3 definitely after.
Mike: 29 photos on the course
Johnny: 28 photos on the course
Link below for photos (click on "SEE ALL PHOTOS" - Click off to the side of the GG Bridge photo - Enter Bib # at bottom):
http://rm.gamefacemedia.com/races/340/embed
Interestingly, Mike and Johnny look like marathon runners, no bulging baggy shorts, long sleeve T (Frank's is around his waist in his photos), fanny pack, bib belt and something in his hand. In Mike's photos he has to be assisted by two helpers after crossing the line, no such worries for Frank though, although he does look a bit fatigued, probably because he stuffed up and had to put in after jumping in to make sure he got under his target sub 3 hours, only one watch you see, he discovered two is the way to go in future to keep proper schedule.
Also, quite a few videos of the SF 2014 marathon on YouTube if the super sleuths want to check them out.
As an former age group competitor, I’ve been aware of his missing timing mats, not showing up on photos except at the start and end since at least 2014. Wrote to officials regrading the unusual results with the no follow thru. He cheated the true age group winners and disillusioned top competitors.
Didn’t see it mentioned , he was DQ from the 2014 Ventura marathon.
Karma takes time but does come around.
From the evidence that Derek packaged together from LA 2019, one would think it would be a no brainer to DQ him from the race.
I think the only way LA would change its mind is if the deserving guys in the 70-74 age group complain combined with the media picking up their complaints and that they were ignored. (Derek being involved is a good start with the media.) If Runners World's website picked up the story, I think Frank would be DQed pretty quickly.
Oddly enough, Meza's PHX and LA finishes not being covered in the media (like Runners World's website) is what prompted Roderick to start the Meza threads in the first place because they cover the "slower" Gene Dykes pretty extensively.
doubler wrote:
Course-Cutting
Participants must stay on the race course which is defined as the roadway between its edges and curbs or as defined by marks or cones. Participants who intentionally shorten the route of the race (“course-cutting”) will be disqualified. Any participant leaving the race course for any reason must re-enter the race course where he or she left it or be disqualified for course-cutting. Course-cutting may be determined by eye-witness reports, by surveillance equipment and video, or by the participant failing to register times at timing mats or appearing in race photography. Participants with missing or irregular mile split times at official timing checkpoints will be reviewed and may be disqualified.
"Any participant leaving the race course for any reason must re-enter the race course where he or she left it or be disqualified for course-cutting."
From The LA Marathon website.
Well done Derek, that is black and white. It might be an idea to reach out to the "second", "third" and "fourth" (1st, 2nd and third really) as they clearly have a course of action against L.A Marathon that they can pursue in light of this clearly violated rule.
If I had been bumped off the podium by Frank in this race, I'm damned sure L.A wouldn't be fobbing me off if I had their own rules to back my case.
;.
the quiken wrote:
Oh damn. i ran a large part of sunset blvd. on the sidewalk during 2017 LAM because there was more shade. I hope I dont get outed.
You'd be fine. Trolls wither and die in direct sunlight so you had no choice.
.
Roderick Powell wrote:
Your a super sleuth. (not) You are a miserable troll. You do not even have a name, just many cowardly alias's.
My a super a sleuth is what?
Cowardly alias’s what?
doubler wrote:
I will have another article early next week. I will post the email that The L.A. Marathon sent me, and offer my criticisms of their decision.
There is clear evidence that he re-entered the course at a different point than where he exited the course. Whether he exited the course 10 yards up the road or 2 miles, there is grounds for disqualification. They do not need to call him out as a cheater. Just DQ him for a rules violation.
Staff members knew of the allegations against Frank. They were suspicious themselves. Yet they let him run unmonitored. If a small Marathon like Sprouts-PHX can have a camera on the course and away from the official checkpoints, why couldn't LA? Or why no cheater mat. In 2015 CIM knew to look for Frank and DQd him minutes after he crossed the finish line.
I will post on my social media as well: I'm sure there are people checking on the thread that have some information. They either witnessed or suspected Frank of cutting courses in the past. If anyone has any relevant information that has not yet been disclosed, all tips are kept 100% confidential. Email me at
derek@marathoninvestigation.com.
I am also going through photos from all his races to get as many data points showing confirmed splits where we know he was on the course.
It's great you are getting your teeth into this one Derek. Of all the cases you have covered on your website I think this is potentially the biggest and also the one that has done the most harm to other athletes. From Gene Dykes to Ed Whitlock who are being knocked off the age-best lists, to the next three finishers after Frank who are deprived of their rightful place on the podium.
He has been doing this for years, to boot. And will doubtless continue unless he is stopped and exposed. I think that the more publicity this gets, the more L.A and other marathons will come under pressure to remove him from the results. It hardly looks good if they are basically seen to be saying, "If after paying your entry fee and completing the race it is discovered that another competitor has cheated and "beated you", and we have evidence: we won't do a thing about it."
I mean, that sounds ridiculous, but it's basically what they are stating.
.
Also note that he again started 4+ minutes after the gun at San Francisco in 2014. He managed to hit all timing mats, but there are no photos of him actually running!
Psychology 1 wrote:
Golgi Body wrote:
I really hope the Marathon Investigations stories help bring about his comeuppance. Still, I have to agree, the psychology of it all is fascinating. I can understand cheating if there is some tangible benefit, like prize money. I can also understand wanting people to admire you; that's a near-universal human trait, I think. But wanting people to admire you for something you didn't actually do - that's what I have a hard time wrapping my head around. And if that isn't already bad enough, actually going to great lengths to make those things happen is just about unfathomable. And he's an old man! I tend to think of the elderly as peaceful, eccentric, and accepting of the absurdities of life - not out there plotting and scheming to make people think they're studs. What is going through his head when he's scurrying around off the course between timing mats? Is he trying to accumulate as much falsely-earned admiration as possible in the relatively few years he has left? If so, why?
The psychology of it all is not fascinating, not to me anyways.
It's elementary on too many levels to count as it can be done so easily. It's ego, pure ego but some people take it way too far as this chap has appeared to do.
I highly doubt he could hold that pace for any length of time on his best day, not even a half marathon.
He never mentioned that he had stopped to take a pee, not once, till confronted with indisputable evidence. Then it's plan B, I had to take a pee but just for a few seconds.
Now it'll be a different excuse. I took a pee but forgot to mention that I walked down the sidewalk parallel to the race course because I felt that I might have to go again...wait for it as I promise you it's coming. Think like a cheater and you'll come up with a rolodex of excuses.
If there was a camera across the street and it showed him just standing there for several minutes, he'll then say that he forgot to mention that he had a dizzy spell and was slightly incoherent, hence not remember how long he stood there for.
But...there's no video of him LEAVING the course to take his pee. Wait for it...
He walked the course over a half a mile on the sidewalk prior to the point where the camera shows him jumping back in, so he did nothing wrong as he can't be proven wrong. Again, wait for it.
If witnesses came forward and saw him on a bike or getting out of a car---->"It wasn't me"
Cheaters usual lie for a living. Book mark it as my theories will come to fruition soon. Wait for it;)
I don't think anybody on this entire thread has described it better than this. I'm in total agreement as well with what you are saying will be his fallback lies and he's probably already read your post and is happy that you gave him a few new ideas since his "a few seconds to pee" won't hold water anymore. Great post dude!
Correction. There is ONE picture of him actually running.
He must spend more time planning his cheating than on his actually training.
To the poster above who said he wanted to puke after seeing this guy try to pass himself off as the next Whitlock or Dykes I am in 100% agreement. Sickening!!
Pandora's Xob wrote:
Psychology 1 wrote:
The psychology of it all is not fascinating, not to me anyways.
It's elementary on too many levels to count as it can be done so easily. It's ego, pure ego but some people take it way too far as this chap has appeared to do.
I highly doubt he could hold that pace for any length of time on his best day, not even a half marathon.
He never mentioned that he had stopped to take a pee, not once, till confronted with indisputable evidence. Then it's plan B, I had to take a pee but just for a few seconds.
Now it'll be a different excuse. I took a pee but forgot to mention that I walked down the sidewalk parallel to the race course because I felt that I might have to go again...wait for it as I promise you it's coming. Think like a cheater and you'll come up with a rolodex of excuses.
If there was a camera across the street and it showed him just standing there for several minutes, he'll then say that he forgot to mention that he had a dizzy spell and was slightly incoherent, hence not remember how long he stood there for.
But...there's no video of him LEAVING the course to take his pee. Wait for it...
He walked the course over a half a mile on the sidewalk prior to the point where the camera shows him jumping back in, so he did nothing wrong as he can't be proven wrong. Again, wait for it.
If witnesses came forward and saw him on a bike or getting out of a car---->"It wasn't me"
Cheaters usual lie for a living. Book mark it as my theories will come to fruition soon. Wait for it;)
I don't think anybody on this entire thread has described it better than this. I'm in total agreement as well with what you are saying will be his fallback lies and he's probably already read your post and is happy that you gave him a few new ideas since his "a few seconds to pee" won't hold water anymore. Great post dude!
Yes sir, those will surely be one of his new excuses.
An excuse I’ve heard is, “I can do great races back-to-back/uneven pacing/carrying multiple devices/etc because I’ve got unique talent!”
I had the distinct pleasure of having drawn out Whitlock in a thread, where he manned up and posted, to his everlasting credit.
Just the FACT that he responded, in the face of nothing like this thread, spoke volumes.
Meza’s silence also speaks volumes. He is no doubt aware of this and other boards.
Whitlock = 100x the man that Meza is, based on this single fact. I don’t accept that there is any nuance which prevents him from posting in favor of the public good.
Hey Meza do yourself a favor and respond to all this. You could hardly damage your reputation further.
“I don’t accept without evidence”
BackofthePackStart wrote:
Correction. There is ONE picture of him actually running.
http://d35l3oybk21k7h.cloudfront.net/photos/photos/6277436_race_0.6233717411869687.display.jpg?1406592672
That guy couldn't run 800m at 6:00 pace, much less an 18:xx split embedded in a marathon.
BackofthePackStart wrote:
Correction. There is ONE picture of him actually running.
http://d35l3oybk21k7h.cloudfront.net/photos/photos/6277436_race_0.6233717411869687.display.jpg?1406592672
I consider that to be running, but a lot of competitive walkers would argue the point.
