Frank Meza 2:53:10 at LA Marathon (70 years old) unofficial time (just finished)

Now you see him ------------------ Now you don't

https://imgur.com/a/wwzUnt0

Roderick Powell wrote:

All that being said, the only way to stop all the cheating is to upgrade to gps timing bibs. That will probably happen in the next 10 years, and then those losers will find another way.

With disposable timing chips on the good brands of timing equipment at around $1.00 ....and as little as $0.15c if you want to rig up your own RFID reader with generic chips , GPS will always be way too expensive, unless you have a model/structure like in South Africa, where every runner 'owns' his durable (reusable) timing chip. At most two chips depending on the race and who the timing company is.

One timing chip layout per runner, but reduced competition in the timing business ...or in fact cheaper if the running association does it.

[South Africa is a unique running country where all runners are registered to clubs, and the club structure enables the multitude of road races and big fields in events like Comrades. Casual runners or overseas entrants doing comrades etc, buy a chip (quite cheap there) and next time they do Comrades use the same chip).

Would be great to have a system like that, but then I would be out of timing work where I am based

It looks like Gene Dykes posted this last night on another thread (the one that started after it turned out Jacksonville had not jumped through all the right IAAF hoops). Gene is completely transparent about his running.

JustGene wrote:

I did look into running the Houston Marathon. In addition to a certified, record-eligible course, and a USATF sanctioned race, world records are based on gun time, not chip time. At a big marathon like Houston, I'd need to start with the elites to have a chance at a record. I tried numerous times to reach the race director and came up empty. Sometimes I think it's easier to train for a world record than it is to find a suitable marathon!

In the 90s/00s the chip that you had to tie to your laces was big. Either by zip tie or tied yourself. You *could* buy yourself as some racers did, but the RD would also provide to everyone and expect you to return after. Employed lots of people to help take of your shoe for you at the end so you didn't walk off with it.

Was a bit of a headache of course and a cost. We'll see if something like that returns. The last time I did a tri they still used it. Not sure if it's still a thing?

LA Marathon EMail wrote:

I received an email today from Conqur Endurance Group encouraging me to sign up for next year's LA Marathon. I am on their email list since I have run the race many times over the last 30 years...as have dozens of members of my running club.

Here is the response I sent them:

Please do the right thing and remove Frank Meza from the results of every LA Marathon he has run. MarathonInvestigation.com has provided clear evidence that the man is a cheater.

I am a member of a large LA based running club. Dozens of our club members participate in the LA Marathon each year. We will never run it again and will spread the word to as many others as we can if Conqur Endurance Group fails to do the right thing regarding Meza's obvious cheating.

This is the right mail. But as we have to say, nothing happens. This reflects our society. From this point of view, FM uses what is offered or allowed without any consequences.

He has a habit of hopping back in the course and running with friends.

deadesq wrote:

Thanks, Tis. Still wondering about his running with runners who finished 45 minutes behind him.

The previous post was in reply to this.

doubler wrote:

He has a habit of hopping back in the course and running with friends.

And who among us having just busted our balls to run 26.2 miles as fast as we could doesn't just run back up the course and jog in with other people ?

Or...you are simply just jealous of all the work he did to prove that someone cheated because you cheat yourself. But either way, a full accounting of your role as a cheater or not would be a nice way to wrap things up.

;hl,j wrote:

This thread has to END.

Yet here you are posting under a different handle. There are other threads for you to go to or simply get a life and stop trying to dictate what others do because they don't agree with your liberal views.

This thread must go on, it’s cheating that must end.

Great. Keep it up!

;hl,j wrote:

This thread has to END.

Why Frank ?

This thread is just beginning, unless Frank comes on with a confession and an apology. A complete fraud at this point.

I wish to give credit to a user "somebloke" who suggested in a shortish cheater thread that happened to make note of Frank Meza's CIM DQ. "somebloke" made mention about gps chips being an answer to reduce eliminate cheating. That has also been mentioned on this thread. Also I have had thoughts this morning. It keeps going through my mind...as has been mentioned by some on this thread.....Frank's fellow runners, his running family members, (who appear to be solid runners) and the athletes he has coached for better than 25 years....almost without fail, they refuse to out this man. That is a lot of respect for Frank. The fact that Frank obviously technically cheats at the triathlons too, (one event third best swimmer/another event 44 out of 45 in swimming) and so casually jumps into these races to run with family and friends as they finish...tells me that he takes races as very casual affairs. Technically he is providing pacing for these family and friend participants. I strongly believe that Frank may have become addicted to the thrill of cheating. For it to be a thrill, it must become more and more spectacular. To the point of world record beating times. AND you nust get caught once in a while for the thrill to be justified. I too believe that Frank is very astute, astute enough to break the WR only on courses not WR eligible. Whether this started on a much smaller scale, that would and did go unnoticed, to benefit his various charitable causes...only Frank knows. Sometimes things get out of hand, and I believe this did. For the thrill seeker, sometimes the ultimate thrill is tragedy. As was destined all along., many times. Last thought...Why blame Frank Meza and be so mean.. What he was doing was sooo obvious all along. Why are we such "innocent" victims.

This whole thing is so strange.. There has to be some super weird pathology/mental quirk going on that would possess someone to make a hobby of something like this.

Also, to the group threatening to not run LAM 2020, that is not the answer. These events really depend on the 20,000 casual runners who will not threaten an age group award. The small percentage of faster runners will not have the impact you think. Nobody likes get threats. Letters do work though. A bombardment of letters stating how we feel about the integrity of running and racing, asking them to look into this can work. Obviously this is a subtly implied threat, but that works better. BUT do go back, you would be just hurting yourselves to do otherwise...and for what? The best letters would come from the runners who were directly impacted. The second, third and especially the fourth place finishers in Frank Meza's age group. Most runners getting age group medals get a lot of them. I do. BUT, the one I wanted the most (OC half-marathon) it took 4 years to get, AND the year before I finished 4th by 16 seconds.

Wasn't quite astute enough to realize he's f*cking over other runners, now was he?

Dude, The wrote:

This whole thing is so strange.. There has to be some super weird pathology/mental quirk going on that would possess someone to make a hobby of something like this.

Weird? Nope, simple human ego at play. Stealth bragging about achievements that could never happen without cheating. Ego.