maybe this wrote:
bill the pillow wrote:
Some one posted this in the MI comments on FB.
https://imgur.com/a/vfow0pkThe person on FB noted that he runs all the way to the side of course and seems to pause briefly (per still posted)... hard to make much out but interesting.
https://ktla.com/2018/03/18/live-video-watch-final-leg-of-l-a-marathon-on-finish-line-cam/In the video you can watch him run, for me it's from 1:26:05 LEFT in the video through about 1:23:00 when he's up to the camera.
Thanks for explaining how to find FM on the course in that video. I couldn't find him when I tried before.
Note #1: For an age-group record-breaking marathoner, FM sucks at running tangents. Does it make sense to swing wide on the final straightaway of a marathon, so wide that course marshals have to step out of your way? No, it does not.
Note #2. According to the LAM 2018 results, FM hit the 40K/24.86 mile timing mat at 2:46:52, and he has to get to the finish line by 2:56:43 (clock time; are the splits clock or net time? I don't know, but we'll assume clock time to give FM the best possible chance for now). This is a major problem for FM, because that means he has to cover 1.34 miles at a pace of 7:21/mile - which age-grades to 70%. Is FM capable of running 1.34 miles at an AG% of 70%? (If the timing mats are net time, that means he has to run 6:58/mile, an AG% of 74%.) If you don't think so, that means he has to
1) Get the timing chip across the 40K mat;
2) Pick up the timing chip before the finish; and
3) Get on the final straightaway camera.
On the final straightaway, he's on camera for 3 minutes (with runners passing him the whole time). There's no time for him to run across the 40K mat himself, hop on a bike/in a car, and then park, hop back onto the course, and hit the final straightaway and finish line mat. He's only got around 10 minutes to work with total, and if he loses ~4 to actual running, he's cooked. That's only 6 minutes to find a bike/car, drive, park, and get back on course just a mile down the road.
So why is Frank veering wide on the final straightaway at 43:41/-1:25:45?
He's not discarding an item of clothing. He's retrieving his timing chip from an accomplice.
Yeah, the veering off to discard something there makes me think an accomplice is pretty likely. It is a quick exchange and difficult to really see. Like others have mentioned, an accomplice for that length of time has got to be someone very close to him.
It's also interesting that he doesn't just get smoked by the 2:55 time/6:45 pace runners around him the way others on thread would make it sound. He nearly keeps pace, which even for this short 3 minute stretch is well ahead of most 70 year olds.