I read orange as 16*6*0. 16809 looks totally legit and the runner closest to our hero for most of the race until he faded towards the end. The photo of them together appears to have been at the 10km mark when they were 1 second apart, oranage lead by around a minute through 30km (so unfortunately may not have been aware of the shenanigans behind him), then gave it all back and 3 minutes more on the way to 35km. I wonder if Clement remembers getting passed by a 70 year old train at that point?
Frank has a 40 year old son, also a doctor and a runner. He had a bib for the race but looks like he didn't use it. As Frank waddles down towards the 25km mark a younger dark haired guy can be shown stretching in the bottom right. He's in street clothes and they don't make eye contact so maybe it's a weak theory but could that be his son?
Arguments against? See above. Arguments for: All the other runners stay to the right of the road - it appears to be the racing line and/or they're subconsciously following the yellow marking. Our hero tilts to the left - towards the man in black. It's that move that sends him in front of the wheelchair.
doubler should buy the 25km video for the next runner across the line - I wonder if it shows FM coming to a halt and/or contacting the "spectator"
Hi Derek:
Please provide the contact e-mail for the representative from the LA Marathon that you are corresponding with regarding Frank's transgressions. All of the people on this thread can e-mail them individually to apply pressure for Frank's disqualification. I personally will advise them that if they do not disqualify, we will go to the press and social media outlets to make them aware of Frank's cheating, and more specifically, the LA Marathon providing a suspicious level of protection for him. Additionally, we will advise that if they do not disqualify, a class action lawsuit (signed by LA marathon participants) will be put together against the LA Marathon for defrauding the LA Marathon participants of a fair race, as per the registration contract language. When they lose the case, fines levied against the LA Marathon will be a refund of all participant entry fees, plus legal fees for class action counsel. It's time to go to the matresses folks. We tried playing nice, but Frank and LAM are unwilling to be wise and surrender. We now have to take them by force. Comrades, let us unite and bring this unfortunate situation to closure.
doubler wrote:
Lip Kitten wrote:
I guess this is possible but unlikely. Doubling back to transportation would have taken extra time and effort.
If he generally ran only 1/4 mile or so at a time, it would work fine. He could park as close as possible to the timing mat - or just beyond.
It’s simple without an accomplice. If he’s been doing this pre-2014, it would seem likely to me that it’s been a solo effort.
This is probably a basic question which has been answered before a lot. But, how does he even know where the timing mats are? You can often expect the usual 5km, 10km, half, 20mi etc.. but a lot of bigger races (and LA) do different increments. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25km etc.
Review past results. Most races don't change. NYC does 5kms and the half which I know from past results and running the race. This race appears to to 5kms only. I WISH they had a half market because I'd bet a dollar FM left the course immediately after the 20km mark, dropped down to Melrose and cut laterally across to the corner with Doherty that's shown in the 25km video.
The strongest theory would have to be checkpoint-to-checkpoint by bicycle.
One could leave a windbreaker and sunglasses with the bicycle, and along with a helmet, it would provide more than enough of a disguise to get from point-to-point without incident.
There are plenty of riders around a marathon course cheering for runners. A cheater would be indistinguishable in the crowd. Heck, one could probably ride along the sidewalk right next to the course, or even on the course. As long a the cheater dismounts far enough away from their entry point, pretends to be part of the crowd, and doesn't draw attention, absolutely no one would take notice.
Anybody see any bicycles around the course in the race photos?
I was initially thinking this theory would still amount to a considerable amount of physical exertion, but bicycles are equipped with motors, so it wouldn't take much effort at all...
This particular cheater has "entered" a number of triathlons, so one would assume he should be fairly comfortable on a bicycle.
Roderick Powell wrote:
Great race Frank. Wow!
This is Roderick Powell's original post. Methinks Roderick suspected Dr. Frank Meza of cheating and wanted to get a discussion started without Rod actually being the first to cry foul.
It's actually not that difficult. just check the online and, or the mobile tracking app before the event to see where runners will be recorded for tracking purposes. Also, Frank's done this race a few times so he knows the drill. In addition, Frank seems not to mind getting DQ'd (which to most runners would be an embarrassingly horrible experience) like he's done at the California International Marathon . so if the race/timing marshal flags him,based on suspicious times or lack of hitting a map, then it's just another Sunday for Frank. Walk away. In addition, most elite marathons like NYC and Boston have dummy "mats" set up along the course that they don't publicize to monitor possible cheating and, or rare malfunctions.
It's crazy to me that not one larger media outlet (Runners World, LA Times, Lets Run main page, etc.) has made mention of this story. In my opinion, Meza's actions are more newsworthy than any other previous case of cheating. He perpetuated this fraud for YEARS. He earned national recognition from Runners World for a past CIM result. He was DQ'ed from several previous races. He coaches at one of the nation's top schools for academics and athletics. He claimed to run WORLD RECORD times. Incontrovertible evidence now exists of him cheating...and not a peep from a mainstream media outlet. I don't get it.
I don't know if this was previously pointed out, but one of these three doesn't look like a sub three hour marathon runner:
But which one?
Penry the mild mannered janitor?
Mal Content wrote:
Roderick Powell wrote:
Great race Frank. Wow!
This is Roderick Powell's original post. Methinks Roderick suspected Dr. Frank Meza of cheating and wanted to get a discussion started without Rod actually being the first to cry foul.
Yes, he was being just a tad ingenuous, Rod just wants to be loved and didn't want to be seen as the bad guy, but he was playing devils advocate.
But we should thank him.
Dr Frankenstein. wrote:
I don't know if this was previously pointed out, but one of these three doesn't look like a sub three hour marathon runner:
https://imgur.com/a/64rHntBBut which one?
Here's a better question:
What's the BMI of each one?
Reckon I could be fairly close with Ed as he looks to be the same height and weight as me, so 19.
Why No Attention wrote:
It's crazy to me that not one larger media outlet (Runners World, LA Times, Lets Run main page, etc.) has made mention of this story. In my opinion, Meza's actions are more newsworthy than any other previous case of cheating. He perpetuated this fraud for YEARS. He earned national recognition from Runners World for a past CIM result. He was DQ'ed from several previous races. He coaches at one of the nation's top schools for academics and athletics. He claimed to run WORLD RECORD times. Incontrovertible evidence now exists of him cheating...and not a peep from a mainstream media outlet. I don't get it.
Well its up to those of us on this thread who are bothered enough to do something about it.
The contact details of all these outlets are publicly available. There is the youtube video posted earlier of Frank cheating on the L.A marathon along with a catchy accompanying tune.
I am quite sure that with the accompanying information, quite a few media outlets would be interested with running the story. They just haven't been alerted yet. There are tip lines and journalist contact details for every newspaper and station in the country.
They just need to be alerted to the story in a concise way that conveys the ludicrousness of the lengths this old doctor has gone to in order to cheat his way into the record books.
Get emailing...
And after his stunning 2:53:27 effort at the 2018 Long Beach Marathon, FM still apparently had the energy to take off his race number, go back out on the course and run across the line with #14735.
http://www.finisherpix.com/gallery/photo/en/usd/2561/14735/2487_100239#2487_100239
I do not believe that #14735 is involved in any of this as he appears in many course photos in many races, so please leave him alone.
But if you want to run that lead to ground, you will see that this is not the only time FM has crossed a finish line with his colleague.
https://www.marathonfoto.com/Proofs?PIN=R5W141&lastName=BLAND
https://www.marathonfoto.com/Proofs?PIN=P2S342&lastName=BLAND
(look closely....)
Why No Attention wrote:
It's crazy to me that not one larger media outlet (Runners World, LA Times, Lets Run main page, etc.) has made mention of this story. In my opinion, Meza's actions are more newsworthy than any other previous case of cheating. He perpetuated this fraud for YEARS. He earned national recognition from Runners World for a past CIM result. He was DQ'ed from several previous races. He coaches at one of the nation's top schools for academics and athletics. He claimed to run WORLD RECORD times. Incontrovertible evidence now exists of him cheating...and not a peep from a mainstream media outlet. I don't get it.
It's crazy to me that you demand others care about something that many of us don't.
He would've got away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids.
Why No Attention wrote:
It's crazy to me that not one larger media outlet (Runners World, LA Times, Lets Run main page, etc.) has made mention of this story. In my opinion, Meza's actions are more newsworthy than any other previous case of cheating. He perpetuated this fraud for YEARS. He earned national recognition from Runners World for a past CIM result. He was DQ'ed from several previous races. He coaches at one of the nation's top schools for academics and athletics. He claimed to run WORLD RECORD times. Incontrovertible evidence now exists of him cheating...and not a peep from a mainstream media outlet. I don't get it.
nick vt wrote:
Why No Attention wrote:
It's crazy to me that not one larger media outlet (Runners World, LA Times, Lets Run main page, etc.) has made mention of this story. In my opinion, Meza's actions are more newsworthy than any other previous case of cheating. He perpetuated this fraud for YEARS. He earned national recognition from Runners World for a past CIM result. He was DQ'ed from several previous races. He coaches at one of the nation's top schools for academics and athletics. He claimed to run WORLD RECORD times. Incontrovertible evidence now exists of him cheating...and not a peep from a mainstream media outlet. I don't get it.
It's crazy to me that you demand others care about something that many of us don't.
Says the guy who is reading and then responding to a thread on Letsrun about it.
10/10 for Roderick
10/10 Rod
You little devil Rod. ? wrote:
Mal Content wrote:
This is Roderick Powell's original post. Methinks Roderick suspected Dr. Frank Meza of cheating and wanted to get a discussion started without Rod actually being the first to cry foul.
Yes, he was being just a tad ingenuous, Rod just wants to be loved and didn't want to be seen as the bad guy, but he was playing devils advocate.
But we should thank him.