Trump’s waiting, too. Cheaters love to stall, wait for more evidence...
Trump’s waiting, too. Cheaters love to stall, wait for more evidence...
Valid points, and the weight of the evidence seems damning. I can understand wearing the bib belt, but with the extra clothing (especially compared to everyone else), the two watches, plus a history of DQs, lack of race photos, in addition to the cluster of fast times at 70+ years old...
Is there a bike share along the course or something that would allow easy access to transportation? I can't fathom someone taking the time to place bikes out along the course, or undergo that level of coordination for such a pursuit. The effort involved with cheating would be more rigerous than running the damn marathon.
There's a lot of glory in being 70+ record holder. You know how Ed Whitlock and Gene are revered?
In fairness, what's wrong with wearing two watches? I can see valid reasons for that. My Garmin battery is getting old and runs down fast. I'm not forking out $250 for another one, but I've considered wearing a second cheap watch just in case. I've seen very good runners wear two watches and they're legit. Wearing two watches doesn't mean anything.
jesseriley wrote:
Trump’s waiting, too. Cheaters love to stall, wait for more evidence...
Of course Trump has something to do with this thread.
two watches are fine wrote:
There's a lot of glory in being 70+ record holder. You know how Ed Whitlock and Gene are revered?
In fairness, what's wrong with wearing two watches? I can see valid reasons for that. My Garmin battery is getting old and runs down fast. I'm not forking out $250 for another one, but I've considered wearing a second cheap watch just in case. I've seen very good runners wear two watches and they're legit. Wearing two watches doesn't mean anything.
Given the situation his two watches are most likely for keeping track of split times and running times or to stay in sync with the help.
Meat Tornado wrote:
Valid points, and the weight of the evidence seems damning. I can understand wearing the bib belt, but with the extra clothing (especially compared to everyone else), the two watches, plus a history of DQs, lack of race photos, in addition to the cluster of fast times at 70+ years old...
Is there a bike share along the course or something that would allow easy access to transportation? I can't fathom someone taking the time to place bikes out along the course, or undergo that level of coordination for such a pursuit. The effort involved with cheating would be more rigerous than running the damn marathon.
Ha ha...yeah...I almost admire the guy for his cheating skills. It's like he plotted a bank robbery.
How Frank stacks up in races where he can’t cheat via Athlinks
The below races all happened during a timespan Frank was recording "unbelievable' race times and "rapid improvement". He is in the top 1-2% or better in races where he can cheat and a slightly above average runner/athlete in contests he is unable to cheat. In a 2014 sprint triathlon he posted a 26:57 5K 8:40 on a running course that couldn't be cheated. 2014 is the same year he ran eight marathons and was DQed from CIM for running a preposterous 2:52. This additional evidence lines up with the pics and data points from multiple LAMs. Most posters calculated he was running high 8 min pace.
If you ask a doctor they'll always say they're better than dentists.
2014 Magic Mountain Sprint Triathlon OVERALL 59/104 GENDER 44/ 65 (Ran eight marathons that year)
3/104 in the swim (He most likely cut the swim and started in a different wave.)
82/104 on the bike (Can’t cut the course)
46/104 on the run 26:57 5K 8:40 mile pace (Can’t cut the course)
https://www.athlinks.com/event/12223/results/Event/397590/Course/595895/Bib/882
2013 103rd Annual Dipsea Trail Race
Can't cut the course.
666/ 1409 545/970 Male 23/24 age group
2013 Pikes Peak Marathon 182/ 707 GENDER 156/ 537 60 to 64 4/ 27
(Probably can’t cut the course on Pikes Pike, CO trail)
https://www.athlinks.com/event/3269/results/Event/263875/Course/373522/Bib/322
2012 Pikes Peak Marathon 594/ 1686 GENDER 468/ 1118 60 TO 64 15/ 68
(Probably can’t cut the course on Pikes Pike, CO trail)
https://www.athlinks.com/event/3269/results/Event/200718/Course/273735/Bib/906
2011 Kaiser Permanente Triathlon
Bike to run transition 587/937
10K Run 127/937 42:14 6:59 mile pace
He’s able to do this because it’s an out and back two loop course. See info and maps below.
https://web.archive.org/web/20110925234647/http://www.latriathlon.com/olympic
https://www.athlinks.com/event/36633/results/Event/160209/Course/220350/Bib/844
Kaiser Permanente Tri 10K Run:
All athletes will head out of Transition 2 back onto 11th and take a left onto Grand Ave, heading north. This run through downtown will give athletes an up-close view of many of the soaring skyscrapers that make up the Los Angeles skyline. After running on Grand Ave. for just over one mile, all runners will turn around at the majestic Disney Concert Hall. Athletes will head back down Grand Ave. until 11th street, where they will turn right. Olympic Course runners will turn around at 11th and Figueroa to begin the second lap. Athletes head east on 11th and head back up Grand Ave., continuing until the Disney Concert Hall where they will turn around for the final leg of the course. Runners turn right at 11th, continuing onto Chick Hearn Ct. where they will finish at L.A. Live! Download a PDF of the run course map (click here). View the run course map below (click on image for larger view).
Mt Baldy Trail Run 2010 124/ 580 111/ 436 Male 60 TO 64 3/ 20
Again can't cut the trail.
https://www.athlinks.com/event/41963/results/Event/137092/Course/176668/Bib/564
Meat Tornado wrote:
Is there a bike share along the course or something that would allow easy access to transportation? I can't fathom someone taking the time to place bikes out along the course, or undergo that level of coordination for such a pursuit. The effort involved with cheating would be more rigerous than running the damn marathon.
Yes there is: $5 for 24 hour access and the rides are free is less than 30 minutes.
https://bikeshare.metro.net/Raddison wrote:
Meat Tornado wrote:
Is there a bike share along the course or something that would allow easy access to transportation? I can't fathom someone taking the time to place bikes out along the course, or undergo that level of coordination for such a pursuit. The effort involved with cheating would be more rigerous than running the damn marathon.
Yes there is: $5 for 24 hour access and the rides are free is less than 30 minutes.
https://bikeshare.metro.net/
They weren't available five years ago. Plus, they're too clunky and obvious. Just because you can't fathom doing it doesn't mean others won't. He's a compulsive cheater! That's why he goes to these lengths. He probably takes great satisfaction in cheating RDs now because of his CIM disqualification. He is beating the system and upping the ante with faster times. Meanwhile, a small portion of Letsrun remains dumbfounded.
He even cheated the swimming portion of a sprint triathlon knowing an upper tier finish was out of reach due to rest of the course layout.
http://bike.lacity.org/what-we-do/bike-share/If all he has to do is hit the timing mats then he should only need 1 bike that he can park, run a block around the timing mat and back to his bike, then go to the next mat and wait for the pace to catch up with him, rinse and repeat.
Frank Meza Report wrote:
Raddison wrote:
Yes there is: $5 for 24 hour access and the rides are free is less than 30 minutes.
https://bikeshare.metro.net/They weren't available five years ago. Plus, they're too clunky and obvious. Just because you can't fathom doing it doesn't mean others won't. He's a compulsive cheater! That's why he goes to these lengths. He probably takes great satisfaction in cheating RDs now because of his CIM disqualification. He is beating the system and upping the ante with faster times. Meanwhile, a small portion of Letsrun remains dumbfounded.
He even cheated the swimming portion of a sprint triathlon knowing an upper tier finish was out of reach due to rest of the course layout.
http://bike.lacity.org/what-we-do/bike-share/
Does anyone else find the girl from that ad holding the helmet and phone really cute?
Sure, there’s only one honest way, but a million crooked ways.
LA was designed around cars, and if you've lived there for decades, you can learn the streets really well. You wouldn't even need a bike, but having a driver waiting for you would be helpful. I don't think he's doing this alone.
6. The bib belt also allows the bib to be transferred to another runner, who can hide it under clothing while crossing chip mats. We've seen from the Pasadena Half that the doctor does use the belt to transfer the bib to other people.
el hombre wrote:
If all he has to do is hit the timing mats then he should only need 1 bike that he can park, run a block around the timing mat and back to his bike, then go to the next mat and wait for the pace to catch up with him, rinse and repeat.
Yes or a much smaller number of bikes. The longest calculated distance he “ran” was about 0.7 miles. That’s where the “money shot” took place. He could park halfway in between or just use another bike at this point. It would save a lot of time and energy if he employed a scooter or electric bike combo.
BTW, the good doctor’s office is very close to beginning and middle of the LAM route. Pretty easy to scout the route and plot a course of action.
The most interesting aspect is the psychology of “why”?
5. Has anyone in the history of marathoning put up a near age group WR wearing a half zip and a tech-T with a bib belt, two watches, and ran eight age graded 2:25s or better in one year?[/quote]
I lol'd. This guy is toast.
Possible nicknames for Frank Meza:
Frank the Tank
El Bandito
Dos Watches
Pik Nottil wrote:
6. The bib belt also allows the bib to be transferred to another runner, who can hide it under clothing while crossing chip mats. We've seen from the Pasadena Half that does use the belt to transfer the bib to other people.
For the LAM, it's clear he crossed the mats himself. Think about it. If one got DQ'd from CIM from crossing the mats but not being on the video, would one do the same again? No.
At LAM, he's very clearly on video and on photo crossing the mats at the same time as in the results. Who keeps bringing this up? Someone related? No hand off. There's no bib mule situation involved in the LAM for this runner, IMO.
read the thread no handoff at LAM wrote:
No hand off. There's no bib mule situation involved in the LAM for this runner, IMO.
Agree, but it looks like he's getting outside assistance to get around the course, by what means, who knows?