I Am Sam wrote:
plus the 2:20 claimed which is no where on record
You know what else isn't on record? Any evidence of Frank taking alternate forms of transportation at a marathon. Hell, just give me him walking off and back on. Give me something.
It's much easier to believe that a runner involved with a prominent running school for decades can run a 2:20 vs. a 70 year old man can cheat at dozens of marathons and nobody can prove it.
The closest thing we have to proof, as Derek already pointed out, is the PHX video. That still doesn't prove intent. There are three or four places he could have just skipped that small section, such as by walking up the street through the apartment where there camera is positioned. EVEN IF he did that and saved 200 yards... Does that mean he cheated? No. What if he were lost? He's 70. Probably has dementia. What if he saw some kid being abused by their crackhead parent and he ran over to intervene and then he realized, oh wait, I'm running a marathon, better get back to it before the internet sleuths catch me.
The point is, the only thing that the camera proves is that IF we can believe the footage, that Frank may have not ran that part of the course because Derek (and I'm sure it has ONLY been Derek) didn't recognize him at that specific point on the video. Does it prove he was cheating for time? No. It means he may have been lost or forced to change course or wandering around for whatever reason and he's totally free to do that.