Good for the RD and race officials to stand up got what is right. Other cheaters should take note. Perhaps the tide is turning on how cheaters are viewed.
Good for the RD and race officials to stand up got what is right. Other cheaters should take note. Perhaps the tide is turning on how cheaters are viewed.
What did she do exactly? Sounds like someone handed her a gel who wasn't part of the race aid stations?
I was thinking actual cheating like course cutting or drugs. Did they say what she did? I get any rule breaking is cheating but I feel like taking a gel from a spectator instead of an aid station is not on the same level as cutting the course. They said the man she ran with was registered in the race too.
Most running races I'm aware of don't have outside assistance rules, but triathlons do
What did she'd wrong? You can have a pacer if they are entered in the race.
What did she do?
The Realist wrote:
What did she'd wrong? You can have a pacer if they are entered in the race.
What did she do?
I would like to know too. Seems like the legit winner in not an elite time. Did someone hand her a gel or something?
Looks like an RD that actually enforces rules. Good on him/her.
The article clearly states that the race officials sent out 5 notifications that it would be against the rules for receiving fluids or gels from anywhere or by anyone besides an official aid station. The exception to the rule was carrying your own. So she broke their rules. If you have a problem with that, then run another race.
Geux for it wrote:
Looks like an RD that actually enforces rules. Good on him/her.
Barb McKeever doesn't like this.
I wonder if they had a Referee. They were very careful to follow the rules in regards to assistance but technically only a Referee can DQ an athlete.
Shes not wearing a elite type bib # and a 2:49 wins by a lot so I'm guessing not a big race with elite fluid stations but stIill a 2:49 type marathoner should know the rules against taking aide. If the oly trial qualifier was goal why not run Houston where you going have a lot more people to pace off of. Looks like she ran a 2:48 at CIM l, a Comp entry and elite fluid arrangement doesn't seem out of realm of possibility.
Nevertheless know the rules and respect them and your fellow competiers. Considering she got warned several times, I say good for the RD.
Read the article, knuckleheads.
Bourgeois said someone on a bicycle brought West “nutrition and liquids†several times during the race. Bourgeois said West was warned by a marshal “at least once that we don’t allow that.â€
It says she received nutrition and liquids from someone on a bicycle. It also says she was warned about it.
I agree read the article before you comment. It looks like the race made it clear that outside assistance would result in a DQ. Either she missed the notifications or she thought they would not enforce the rules/she would get caught. While it sucks I have to agree that you should pick another race that doesn't have such rules. It does suck to not be able to get to take your own nutrition but I have this problem every time I race a marathon. Also she apparently according to the article was warned during the race. Maybe she was confused b/c she had done this at many other races but the rules are the rules. Also the title of this article is a little misleading. I think there is a difference in breaking the rules versus cutting a course/doping. Title should read "marathon winner dq'd after breaking rules" I vote to change it. All in favor say "I".....
This happened in another race a year or two ago, in a race in the south. Never heard of such a rule in a mid - small race. What is it with you yahoos down south?
Ok, but did they cheat their way into Boston?
Well I'll be! wrote:
This happened in another race a year or two ago, in a race in the south. Never heard of such a rule in a mid - small race. What is it with you yahoos down south?
It's part of the rule book for US track and Field regarding road races. The idea is to not give runners an unfair advantage over others in the race. It's a good rule.
Rule 241.2 (g)
http://www.usatf.org/usatf/files/f1/f101f17f-1b8b-4f1b-ac9c-d9022155aa94.pdfI have never taken anything from anyone other than an official station when I was in a position to place or win. The guys I run with are aware of that. It's like an official telling you how big your lead is. They aren't supposed to do that so don't ask them if for example you have a biker escorting you.
"Mandy West, a Nike Running specialty account executive from St. Louis who was the first female finisher at the Louisiana Marathon, was disqualified shortly after the race Sunday for “receiving assistance,†"
Probably had some of that Nike special juice in the bottles!!
LuhWhoser wrote:
Read the article, knuckleheads.
Bourgeois said someone on a bicycle brought West “nutrition and liquids†several times during the race. Bourgeois said West was warned by a marshal “at least once that we don’t allow that.â€
That was not in the origional article. It has apparently been updated with additional details. It's a common trend of journalist to post rough drafts to get it out there first.
Does the USA Olympic committee care? If she obtained the marathon qualifying time and she wasn't disqualified could she still run the US Olympic marathon trials?
If she was DQ'd, the performance is invalid and therefore can not be used for qualifying for the trials
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This is a can of worms if not handled properly. Consider all the age group winners. Some may have received the same type of assistance and did not get DQ'd - Identifying an "elite division" within the larger race can help.
It's unfortunate that most runners, timers, and race directors do not know the rules for road races. Races with professional fields usually have a "technical meeting" where the rules are reviewed