Another Serial Cheater taken down by Race Buster and Marathon Investigation!

this stuff really gives me the creeps. Not the guy who would cut courses and lie about it, but the guy(s) who care and goes on and on like any of this actually matters.

No question about it.

"Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats too noble to neglect

Deceived me into thinking I had something to protect"

-Bob Dylan, "My Back Pages"

Why do children cheat in games? Because it feels better to win unfairly than to lose fairly. Because losing feels unfair to them. Many of us grow out of that, but many don't.

People cheat on video games for the challenge of building a bot or the thrill of seeing their names on a top 10 list. And of course if there are stakes, people will cheat on anything from algebra tests to taxes.

I suspect that most of the vigilantes on these cheat threads have committed worse offenses than cutting a course, but they have convinced themselves that they are morally pure because they would never cut a course.

The destruction of Mike Rossi wrote:

Trump2020OP-the real one... wrote:

I appreciate the fact someone is finding these Rosie Ruiz wannabes.

I personally think public humiliation, scorn, and flogging should be considered for dopers, cheaters, and particularly offensive personalities.

..

It really seemed to work for Mike Rossi. Cheating at races was in line with his other character defects and it really steamrolled on him. It’s a nice change to see bad stuff happen to bad people, caused 100% by the bad persons choices.

Thecertified geniuses at the Lehigh Valley Health Network Via Marathon said NO WAY. No DQ was issued and Mike has gone on to a life of roses and riches and semi-retirement.

He did not suffer at all from the libelous charges of cheating. He's a fighter and a lover and hero to humanity.

webby wrote:

Why do children cheat in games? Because it feels better to win unfairly than to lose fairly. Because losing feels unfair to them. Many of us grow out of that, but many don't.

People cheat on video games for the challenge of building a bot or the thrill of seeing their names on a top 10 list. And of course if there are stakes, people will cheat on anything from algebra tests to taxes.

I suspect that most of the vigilantes on these cheat threads have committed worse offenses than cutting a course, but they have convinced themselves that they are morally pure because they would never cut a course.

I suspect you are absolutely right! And even though, i'm not one of the vigilantes on those sights, I suggest we all come clean right now. I'll be the first.

I round my race results down to the nearest minute when boasting on public media, or anywhere for that matter.

There, i said it.

Has anyone actually witnessed someone cheating like this during a race, whether as a spectator or racer? I saw something similar to this guy when I was running the Rock'n'Roll Las Vegas Marathon in 2015. I was on my way back when I was passing through the pavilions at the world market (mile 14/22 of the old course). There's a part on the grounds where the course goes out of one pavilion heading north, you do a gentle loop following some cones into the parking lot, then head south into the next pavilion and out of the grounds (you do the reverse coming back). As I'm heading back, I see this lady who's still on her way out, as soon as she exits the first pavilion she makes an immediate cut to the left and heads to the next pavilion, completely bypassing the section of the course where the cones go. Granted, she only cut off about 150m, but it was really surprising to actually witness such a blatant instance of cheating like this. Makes me think that if I witnessed it during a marathon it must be more frequent than I realize, and much worse than just cutting off 150m

Slippery slope. Some cheats confess and apologize. Some dig in in the face of insurmountable evidence.

Do you think someone should get age group wins, win races, in top events while doping or cheating because "it's only human"? No, someone has to care about it.

I have a lot of respect for those caught cheating and apologize. Like that Jane who cut the course and tried to cover her tracks on bike. She confessed and is the better for it.

But someone systematically cheating every course to get under 3:00, or getting their twin sister to run legs!?. Never admitting it either. Those people deserve the bad publicity, IMO.

Otherwise, why have races at all? We can just have fun runs with no accountability and no integrity. Boston could go to a lottery system, no qualifiers.

And why can't these guys with the weird one-off times not produce GPS results for their one achievement? Everyone has a GPS watch nowadays.

It's just a hobby doesn't mean there shouldn't be rules.

Trump2020OP-the real one... wrote:

I appreciate the fact someone is finding these Rosie Ruiz wannabes.

I personally think public humiliation, scorn, and flogging should be considered for dopers, cheaters, and particularly offensive personalities.

M.A.G.A...

So . . . you are advocating for humiliation, scorn and flogging for Trump? He is unquestionably a cheater and a particularly offensive personality. Not sure if he dopes.

F.A.C.A. (Flog All Cheaters Again)

Based on his Athlinks Passport wrote:

He seems like a 4:45 marathoner on a bad day, 4:00 on a good day. I'm sure the 3:18 is fake.

You know how they have biological passport for the Tour de France and Track? His Athlinks passport proves he's not capable of 3:18.

Yeah, I'm going to agree with you that this Ed does not look like a 3:18 marathoner based on how heavy he is, let alone a 3:11 marathoner. Both times that he used to qualify for Boston. I think there is enough doubt based on the evidence that he either needs to provide his GPS data or be disqualified.

I think the public humiliation part is the part that bothers me. But i definitely see your point and i will admit you made it quite well. It is a problem when something is at stake and he cheats some deserving contestant from what is rightfully theirs (like age group award or a BM qualifying spot)

Part of me says report the guy and have him DQ'd but just spare him the public flogging, so to speak. But the public outing is probably what will deter him and others in the future.

A few years ago, i came in 2nd in my age group in the largest HM in the PNW, and upon looking at the event photos and some missing split times of the person that supposedly beat me, i saw an obvious cheat. I reported them and they were disqualified and they sent me the award. So yeah, it obviously does matter to me, but i just can't believe someone would go to all that trouble of investigating unless they were personally affected.

Smoove wrote:

Dopers are exponentially worse for our sport than course cutters.

I see it the opposite. If someone is doping in a marathon, how much does it really help them? Maybe a few minutes at best. And they are still running the full 26.2 miles.

Now if a course cutter goes off course at mile 6 and renters at mile 21, how much time did he save? Probably at least an hour and a half, plus he ends up only running 11 miles.

water board 'em! wrote:

Smoove wrote:

Dopers are exponentially worse for our sport than course cutters.

I see it the opposite. If someone is doping in a marathon, how much does it really help them? Maybe a few minutes at best. And they are still running the full 26.2 miles.

Now if a course cutter goes off course at mile 6 and renters at mile 21, how much time did he save? Probably at least an hour and a half, plus he ends up only running 11 miles.

Yes, but the dopers are winning top marathons. The course cutters are middle-of-the-pack nobodies.

Yeah Butt wrote:

water board 'em! wrote:

I see it the opposite. If someone is doping in a marathon, how much does it really help them? Maybe a few minutes at best. And they are still running the full 26.2 miles.

Now if a course cutter goes off course at mile 6 and renters at mile 21, how much time did he save? Probably at least an hour and a half, plus he ends up only running 11 miles.

Yes, but the dopers are winning top marathons. The course cutters are middle-of-the-pack nobodies.

And you won't find a bandit on the podium, either.

Yeah Butt wrote:

Yes, but the dopers are winning top marathons. The course cutters are middle-of-the-pack nobodies.

What about Rosie at a certain New York marathon or what about Kelly Agnew and ask the races he "won"?

scam_watcheroo wrote:

Yeah Butt wrote:

Yes, but the dopers are winning top marathons. The course cutters are middle-of-the-pack nobodies.

What about Rosie at a certain New York marathon or what about Kelly Agnew and ask the races he "won"?

Ack, correction, Rosie at a certain Boston Marathon.

It was quite comical reading Ed's comments in the comment section below the article. His angry ranting just made him look worse. Definitely not the response an innocent or sane person would write.

Milethon wrote:

It was quite comical reading Ed's comments in the comment section below the article. His angry ranting just made him look worse. Definitely not the response an innocent or sane person would write.

The ravings of a lunatic. Truly a joy to read.

Milethon wrote:

It was quite comical reading Ed's comments in the comment section below the article. His angry ranting just made him look worse. Definitely not the response an innocent or sane person would write.

The author kept coming back with "show us your Garmin files". Did Ed say he has Garmin files? Where does that come from? I've never worn a Garmin in a race.

He’s wearing one in every single race pic.

show me what's in your wallet.

One should not have to disclose anything just because someone with no rights to it demands it.