nbskis wrote:
This is all too bad. Indefensible actions, and for what? I know Kelly, he's hosted a number of local beer miles and in my limited interactions has been a good guy, so this is just really sad.
Kelly was kicked off of Runners World’s forums... for bullying.
Is Dave Reading (Bully and Troll Victim) going to feel "safe" around Kelly Agnew in the Ultra Challenge?
Probably not.
More comments on Mr. Agnew:
We actually saw this happening at a timed event in Athens in 2016. The chap was either in the 48 or 72hr race but, as I was crewing, some other runners alerted me that he was taking a shortcut on the 1km loop. Next came some investigation, alongside crewing, and it seemed whilst most of his km laps were as expected for a race of the length, he ran the odd one in 3 minutes flat.
We also saw him cutting the course and I caught him trying to do the same as your man Kelly and made sure he couldn’t go round and walk over the mat again. It was done under the pretence of forgetting something at his crew table and then trying to cross the mat again.
The organisers, once we had enough evidence and he had enough 3 min kms mixed in with his splits, took action and DQ’d the guy. I couldn’t find his name in any other race results or anything, which seems strange for a 48 or 72 hour runner.
Comically there was then a confrontation with the chap, as he knew I had grassed him up, but when I suggested we ran a 3 min km together, so I could see he was physically capable of doing so, he refused.
I’m not sure why anyone would choose to cheat in these races, there is virtually no acclaim (I say this as a reasonable 24hr runner) and the camaraderie with your fellow runners is one of the great things about it. The World 24hr Championships is a big old meeting up of friends, as much as a race, for me.
...Looks like he skipped half the Leadville course in 2015 to get a jump on the Hope Pass climb, then he didn’t have it in him to run back up it. That was the first year of the lottery and I didn’t get selected. What an a$$hole.
...Kelly was DQed at the 2012 Vermont 100 for missing multiple checkpoints and unrealistic splits between those he did make. Several runners crew members claimed to have witnessed him riding in his wife’s truck. He initially was the last sub-24 hour finisher, but was moved to the DQ list. Some of this is hear-say, but I ran that year, and witnessed his suspicious behavior. I used to be his friend, too, but after his VT DQ, and witnessing several other suspicious results, many of us dropped him. We routinely refer to cheating as pulling a “Kelly” move.
It turns out that Mr. Kelly Agnew is a Professional UltraRunner/Coach with a 3:48 marathon PR.
Kelly Agnew also cheated at the Provo marathon to get his Boston marathon qualifier.
What does the wife of Mr. Kelley Agnew have to say about her husband?
I would like to see a transcript of all of the recent conversations between Mr. and Mrs. Agnew...from last night.
That sounds fun.