Did Mike Rossi (viral marathon dad) cheat his way into Boston?

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  • gatorade&vodka
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    5 years ago 05/03/2015 6:50pm CDT
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    So we've all heard of the dad who took his kids to the Boston Marathon, and got a letter from the principal saying their absences were unexcused, and posted a response letter on Facebook that went viral: http://www.today.com/parents/principal-sends-boston-marathon-letter-over-family-vacation-t18061

    He ran a 4:01 at Boston, which isn't that odd, since the articles mention him being injured. But none of his other past results are indicative of the 3:11 BQ he ran at Lehigh Valley: http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/213451360

    Furthermore, the only pictures of him from Lehigh are taken near the finish line, whereas most runners have shots from at least 3-4 locations: (search for Rossi) http://www.uscandids.com/graduations/event/178-lehigh-valley-health-network-via-marathon-2014

    He posts some Nike+ workouts and races to his Twitter, his 3:43 from the Philly Marathon is there but not Lehigh: https://twitter.com/mikerossi22

    Anyway, have seen some doubts floating around (on Facebook, Runner's World) but didn't see a thread here, what do you think of this guy?
  • uh oh
    5 years ago 05/03/2015 7:25pm CDT
    re: gatorade&vodka
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    not awesome. not awesome at all.
  • 5k pace
    5 years ago 05/03/2015 7:28pm CDT
    re: uh oh
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    looks like he runs his 5K pace at Lehigh.

    His 10K is 30 secs slower than MP, and his halfs sure don't indicate that fitness.

    If he had a big gap of races where he may have taken time off to train I'd buy it, but he keeps racing through.

    I understand not racing all races all out.... but that BQ sure is a pretty crazy outlier.

    Doesn't look good.
  • gatorade&vodka
    registered
    5 years ago 05/03/2015 7:35pm CDT
    re: gatorade&vodka
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    I meant to mention that Lehigh does not have any intermediate split mats on course - just start line and finish line.
  • Go long
    5 years ago 05/03/2015 7:47pm CDT
    re: gatorade&vodka
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    Good catch! Looks like a cheater to me. No way he legitimately qualified. He knew this and got desperate. If he can run within even 15 minutes of his 3:11, I may give him a pass.
  • Rockgip
    5 years ago 05/03/2015 9:14pm CDT
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    On one of his training runs in March, he ran 7:54 pace for 18 miles. Given that performance, I'd say it's conceivable that he drops 40 seconds per mile in a race situation.
  • no mid-course photos?
    5 years ago 05/03/2015 9:23pm CDT
    re: Rockgip
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    Not saying he cheated or not, but that inference from training runs is pure horse manure. People can run their training runs way too fast.
  • CSU-1959
    registered
    5 years ago 05/03/2015 11:13pm CDT
    re: Rockgip
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    Rockgip wrote:

    On one of his training runs in March, he ran 7:54 pace for 18 miles. Given that performance, I'd say it's conceivable that he drops 40 seconds per mile in a race situation.

    So is your name Michael Rossi or Dan Baxley?
  • Runner Felice
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 10:17am CDT
    re: CSU-1959
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    Good afternoon your story on Mike Rossi is very puzzling he got his Boston Qualifying time from 2014 Lehigh Valley Marathon which he ran a 3:11 the only problem is there is only pictures of him crossing the finish line none on the course with his fast time he ran there should be over a dozen or so pictures of him throughout the corse ( almost all the runners who ran the course have over a dozen or so pictures ) plus the major problem most fast runner are looking at his past race times on http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/213451360 the math does not add up , if you show any coach or fast runners his past race times they would say NO WAY
    he a cheat and attention seeker trying to be in the spotlight also Yesterday Mr Rossi did the Philadelphia Broadstreet 10 mile race he finished somewhere around 1:20 that comes out to a 8 min plus per mile pace how can his marathon pace be faster ????????
  • cheatersneverwin
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 10:33am CDT
    re: gatorade&vodka
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    How can we get a news website to pick up the story on his potential cheating, so the story about his cheating can get shared and go viral on Facebook.

    I don't agree with him taking his kids out of school. Unfortunately for his kids the apples probably aren't going to fall far from the tree.
  • A parent who ran
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 10:46am CDT
    re: cheatersneverwin
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    Boston needs to tighten up their standards for certifying marathons as Boston qualifiers. There is NO WAY a marathon without even a timing mat at the half-way point should be deemed a qualifying course.
  • 534
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 11:01am CDT
    re: gatorade&vodka
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    Oh my god this guy is an egomaniac. He's got a you tube video of himself in the Boston Marathon over a narration of the Teddy Roosevelt "Man in the Arena" quote.

    https://twitter.com/mikerossi22/status/592324719853981696

    He had a shirt made in honor of him running the race, and had his whole family wear it.

    https://twitter.com/EVERLASTvegan/status/589947689208418305
    http://mikerossi.blogspot.com/2015/04/nosleeptilboston-1-day-i-cant-believe.html

    But somehow, a guy who documents every aspect of his own life can only be seen in photos from his Boston qualifying race at the finish line with his head down so you can't see his face?

    Seems plausible.
  • captain sparrow
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 11:03am CDT
    re: A parent who ran
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    I am on board from the beginning this time! Finally a cheater thread (which will obviously expand to 9000 posts in this nuthouse) that I won't have to read in review!

    Let's get this cheating scum and take away his kids to boot!
  • p00pbreathbillionaire
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 11:09am CDT
    re: gatorade&vodka
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    I questioned him on his April 26th blogpost http://mikerossi.blogspot.com about this, linking the thread. He promptly deleted my comment. Didn\'t reply to my email either. Definitely a cheat.
  • WWRD
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 11:16am CDT
    re: p00pbreathbillionaire
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    Can someone get on this? I can't stand cheaters, if he is one, nail him, if not, apologies, but this looks suspicious given his narcissism. Mm PR is near his and all other races are significantly fast than his.

    BTW, I didn't have a big issue with him taking the kids out of class, but his reaction immature, and indicates someone who takes himself too seriously.
  • boston bobby
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 11:26am CDT
    re: WWRD
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    I take issue with the fact that Today does this clever little story on the guy and he makes this trip seem so noble and important (which plenty of LetsRun will scoff at because we all run 2:30 and faster for a marathon), but he literally didn't even do what was required to have the "once in a lifetime opportunity." In a hilarious twist, Today does another story on him in 6 months after LetsRun and the internet world deface him and he is proven to be a cheater AND a d-bag.
  • go home
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 12:03pm CDT
    re: gatorade&vodka
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    You guys seriously need to get a life.
  • letsrun lifer
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 12:09pm CDT
    re: go home
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    go home wrote:

    You guys seriously need to get a life.

    This IS our life.
  • elephino
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 12:10pm CDT
    re: gatorade&vodka
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    He invites scrutiny by thinking the whole world should know about his minor dispute with his kid's school. And his BQ is quite suspicious...

    BUT

    ... it is neither Kip Litton level obvious cheating nor (crippled powerlifting miler whose name we can't say) level outrageous lying. I'd be a bit cautious about sticking my neck out calling him a cheat with my real name to races and media outlets.
  • Precious Roy
    registered
    5 years ago 05/04/2015 12:13pm CDT
    re: go home
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    Lehigh Valley course is point to point. Cheating on that course is not simply a matter of cutting the course, but would require having a car waiting or riding a bike at some point. Looking at the prior race times and the guy's physique, there is no way that guy ran a 3:11 marathon at age 47.