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Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

marathoninvestigation.com

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Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#91

Post by jackmott »

npunt wrote: post #20

Regardless of the cheating, this type of post doesn't fully sit right with me. Given the permanence of record on the internet, this does bring up the issue of how we police bad behavior, and how we incorporate forgiveness into that. That said, the poster was pretty fair, and generally refer to her as "the runner". It definitely reads as an obsessive sleuthing, no doubt in part because there were follow-on discoveries…

In time you will come to know that obsessive internet race cheat sleuthing is the greatest form of entertainment in the world. You get your Sherlock Holmes fix, you get insane psychologies to study, and you do good for the world, putting honest racers back on the podium.

There is a new crazy story every year or so, tune in next year, it is going to be great!

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#92

Post by jackmott »

gabemart wrote: post #25
npunt wrote: post #20

Regardless of the cheating, this type of post doesn't fully sit right with me. Given the permanence of record on the internet, this does bring up the issue of how we police bad behavior, and how we incorporate forgiveness into that. That said, the poster was pretty fair, and generally refer to her as "the runner". It definitely reads as an obsessive sleuthing, no doubt in part because there were follow-on discoveries…

I commend your call to sympathy. I don't like taking a drive-by, salacious interest in a story that doesn't affect me in the least, but will probably have serious, perhaps devastating consequences for the person involved for a long time professionally. I also think it's worth pointing out that the original article, while using photos of the person involved, never uses their full name, so is to some extent not google-…

don't have sympathy, these people are always awful.

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#93

Post by Belphemur »

kbart wrote: post #88
DanBC wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but I don't see any "shame-fest" here. Did you read all the comments? Did you see she's closed her social media accounts?

I was talking about the article itself. I don't usually read comments bar selected few sites (HN included), because there are always trolls and haters. It's not the article's fault that we have such dire situation on the whole Internet.

I think you're missing the big picture. As said in the parent, other news are covering also the story with her real name and pictures.

It's a shame fest with media trying to give as much info on the woman they can. Not this article in particular, but the coverage of the story is borderline hateful. The Internet don't like cheater.

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#94

Post by greeneggs »

oxide wrote: post #42

Personally I am fascinated by marathon cheats. Every time I see a story about someone cheating in a marathon I can't help but wonder what was going through the person's head before, during, and after. I also wonder how often they do it, and why. You don't win any money, there is no incentive I can make out beyond bragging rights. I mean, they aren't exactly footraces, right? It's an endurance test, IMO. Usually for c…

Many races do have cash prizes. For a smaller race, it could be just a trophy, or a trophy plus something from a sponsor, but it could also be cash ($50-$100+ range).

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#95

Post by jerf »

leereeves wrote: post #47
npunt wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The drive-by internet mob can be awful. A just & fair society is one where punishments fit the crime, and internet mobs deliver outsized punishment for all sorts of minor and often illusory things. I worry about how this woman is dealing with this situation, right now, in realtime - perhaps her past behaviors are a sign of some issues she's dealing with. I'm heartened by many of the comments in the blog who advocate…

I think people don't realize how the little things add up. Any one member of an Internet mob doesn't hurt an alleged wrongdoer much, but together they do deliver outsized punishment for all sorts of minor and often illusory things.

Social feedback mechanisms appropriate for small tribes of 100-150 people become overwhelming when used by 100,000-150,000 people, to say nothing of what happens if you add three more zeros.

You can see modern celebrity as the flip side of this problem, too. 100,000,000 people giving just a bit of respect and thumbs up to someone becomes quite a torrent of social currency.

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#96

Post by southphillyman »

I did this by accident before, at a 5K. I arrived to the race so late that when I crossed the starting line to BEGIN the race it registered that as my finish time and I'm posted on the result website as finishing in 2nd place.

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#97

Post by pc86 »

Belphemur wrote: post #93
kbart wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was talking about the article itself. I don't usually read comments bar selected few sites (HN included), because there are always trolls and haters. It's not the article's fault that we have such dire situation on the whole Internet.

I think you're missing the big picture. As said in the parent, other news are covering also the story with her real name and pictures. It's a shame fest with media trying to give as much info on the woman they can. Not this article in particular, but the coverage of the story is borderline hateful. The Internet don't like cheater.

> other news are covering also the story with her real name and pictures

Should they blur her face and not use her name?

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#98

Post by pc86 »

Belphemur wrote: post #93
kbart wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was talking about the article itself. I don't usually read comments bar selected few sites (HN included), because there are always trolls and haters. It's not the article's fault that we have such dire situation on the whole Internet.

I think you're missing the big picture. As said in the parent, other news are covering also the story with her real name and pictures. It's a shame fest with media trying to give as much info on the woman they can. Not this article in particular, but the coverage of the story is borderline hateful. The Internet don't like cheater.

> other news are covering also the story with her real name and pictures

Should they blur her face and not use her name?

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#99

Post by pc86 »

greeneggs wrote: post #94
oxide wrote: post #42

Personally I am fascinated by marathon cheats. Every time I see a story about someone cheating in a marathon I can't help but wonder what was going through the person's head before, during, and after. I also wonder how often they do it, and why. You don't win any money, there is no incentive I can make out beyond bragging rights. I mean, they aren't exactly footraces, right? It's an endurance test, IMO. Usually for c…

Many races do have cash prizes. For a smaller race, it could be just a trophy, or a trophy plus something from a sponsor, but it could also be cash ($50-$100+ range).

I have to believe that most people can make $100 in much easier ways than running most of a marathon

Re: Runner Disqualified After Claiming 2nd Place in Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon

#100

Post by jaxn »

oxide wrote: post #42

Personally I am fascinated by marathon cheats. Every time I see a story about someone cheating in a marathon I can't help but wonder what was going through the person's head before, during, and after. I also wonder how often they do it, and why. You don't win any money, there is no incentive I can make out beyond bragging rights. I mean, they aren't exactly footraces, right? It's an endurance test, IMO. Usually for c…

While the vast majority of participants in races are doing it for fun/exercise, there are a handful of sub-elite runners at most races who are in it for more competitive reasons.

It could be prize money, but that is usually small. There are other types of compensation though. Being a member of a race team, receiving free or discounted gear, free entries to races, and some level of celebrity within the running community.

It's fun and rewarding, and a ton of hard work.

I suspect that a significant portion of her world is now rocked. In order to run those times, she is running every day and probably participating in group workouts, etc. A significant part of her social network is likely tied to her success as a runner, even though it is not her primary job.

I can only imagine how difficult this must be, which makes her decision to cheat so baffling.

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