I can't feel my pace wrote:
At most marathons, unregistered runners — known as bandits — are considered freeloaders preying on the good will of race organizers and official entrants.
Yet the Boston Marathon has long handled bandits with a light touch, turning a frowned-upon practice into a back-of-the-pack tradition.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/04/12/long-accepted-boston-marathon-bandits-fall-prey-stricter-security/sIuP6HB8xVYI8GChTzzs5H/story.html
Conveniently left off the next sentence:
But with tightened security for this year’s race, organizers have warned bandits they will NOT BE ALLOWED , and could be removed from the course.