Seriously SOKLR? Okay, you asked.
To be perfectly frank, any number of ways.
One, which I don't believe has ever been thought of or brought up on this thread, is that he could have actually gotten a hotel room near the halfway point or later, ran off the course while still looking like a bandit to a rented vehicle. Drive to the hotel and change then pop back on later in the race. How does he do that you ask?
Well, at the pace that he's running, more runners than you can imagine stop for a potty break, yes it happens.
He goes in the porta potty and comes out with a number now exposed (or not) and jumps back in. If a runner came out of the crowd and onto the course near a bunch of porta potty, would you ask him anything? Remember, you're focusing on "your" race, not looking for a runner jumping onto the course.
His new shoes or other clothing are put on in the hotel and he appears to be a guy running towards the course to check out the race (100's of people do that on Patriot's Day, if not 1000's). That's just one of many ways as far as getting back on the course. He could just blend in as well which would be easy at that pace.
When Oscar Miranda was caught, I recall that 2 college guys watching the race remember seeing someone of his description entering the course very late in the race. Had he not been so greedy, how they have remembered him? It's because of the story that followed and them reading about it and realizing that he was who they saw. 2:17 pace and a sub 3 are 2 very different paces.
Also remember, he's been seen in photos very close to the crowd and almost makes it appear as he's running with someone or waiting for a friend.
I can come up with many different ways that he could do it and in fact, I could do it myself and not get caught. Again, it's not rocket science. Find the mats, know where you have to be at 11:00, or noon, or whenever.
The Bay Shore Marathon...heck I could go this May and cheat and unless you were looking for me, you'd never have a clue. The difference is, I would get nothing out of doing that and feel like a total loser, he doesn't.
The wardrobe change could be the way I explained it above, or one of many other ways. The friend helping theory, i don't buy it because eventually the canary will sing or at least would have sung by now. He's smart enough to do it alone, believe me, and I'm not giving him too much credit because I personally don't think you have to be that smart to pull it off at Boston, I really don't.
He was caught in a relay in Detroit, do any of you think the other runners on the relay knew? Of course not and his story about how it may have happened doesn't add up either, hence I believe they were disqualified.
The Crim, I've done it several times. At that pace you always have someone in front of you or behind you that you would never unknowingly go the wrong way. I've run from 55-60 and even if there's a gap, you would always see someone in front of you and know where to go. I ran 57 plus when I was 16, how come I didn't get lost? I'm from Macomb County and had never been on the course in my life and don't think I had ever even been to Flint.
Long winded, yes, but you asked. The ball cap and bandana came from a car or hotel room near the later stages of the race as I doubt that he would stash it in the woods and risk it not being there. A car or a hotel room, that's the answer people.