11,000 marathon runners disqualified.

[Regular.Cyclist]

This story popped up in my news feeds today.

11,000 runners out of 30,000 disqualified from the Mexico City marathon for cheating using bike cars and buses.

Marathon training is a huge commitment so I really don't get why so many have done that.

https://runningmagazine.ca/sections...ified-from-mexico-city-marathon-for-cheating/

 

[Cycleops]

Different attitudes there perhaps? Where the medal is more important than the actual achievement itself.

 

[alicat]

One reason is stated in the article. Maybe you didn't read it just as those who took part in the marathon didn't run it.....

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

One reason is stated in the article. Maybe you didn't read it just as those who took part in the marathon didn't run it.....

I did read it and will take your post as an attempt at jest and nothing more.

Boston qualifying time will only account for a small percentage of those disqualified asna great many wouldn't be able to afford the associated costs to participate in it.

If a GFA time was the aim then cheating would be a lot more prevalent in other marathons than it is.

I'm currently 3 minutes outside a GFA time for Boston and am looking around for flattish one where I can hopefully get the time required.

 

[classic33]

How long has rum been colourless?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

They clearly didn’t realise the checkpoints were there

 

[Beebo]

It does seem slightly pointless because you are only really cheating yourself and the whole point is to complete it, very few are actually looking to win.
But I suppose people just can’t help themselves. I’m sure people cheat in sportives too.
I’ve heard rumours of people cheating at Parkrun, which is frankly a complete waste of everyone’s time.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

They clearly didn’t realise the checkpoints were there

It’s usual for mass entry events like this to have timing mats spaced out along the route. It’s solid as friends and family being able to track those taking part but I suspect the real reason is to root out cheats.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

It does seem slightly pointless because you are only really cheating yourself and the whole point is to complete it, very few are actually looking to win.
But I suppose people just can’t help themselves. I’m sure people cheat in sportives too.
I’ve heard rumours of people cheating at Parkrun, which is frankly a complete waste of everyone’s time.

I lost sight of those in front of me during a parkrun once and ended up taking the wrong route. I real at the end when the distance was notably shorter than expected. If came us as a 5k PB for me at the time. I contacted parkrun and asked them to expunge that run from my history.

I have since come within 2 seconds of that erroneous time sticking to the route I now know.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Can you imagine a bus full of runners stops just by the finish and they all jump out? 😂

 

[Dogtrousers]

One third of the field? That's utterly nuts.

 

[Dirk]

How long has rum been colourless?

Never heard of Bacardi?

 

[Moon bunny]

How long has rum been colourless?

White rum, e.g. Bacardi.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Can you imagine a bus full of runners stops just by the finish and they all jump out? 😂

Ran the Paris Marathon in the early 80's, there was a fair bit of cheating there, streams of runners disappearing into the woods and reappearing having cut out a major loop. Some guy climbed off the pillion seat of a moped just in front of me. I was on target for sub 3 and headed up the Champs Elysees when I was overtaken by a lady wearing immaculate make up with not a drop of sweat on her ( and it was a very hot afternoon)

 

[Sharky]

Another Google report, included this...

Some runners have claimed that their trackers were not working properly and that they did not cheat.

Instead, they argue that the faulty trackers caused their times to be recorded inaccurately despite passing through the checkpoints.

I suspect that there is more to the story than the sensationalism headline article.