I re-shared an article on the Disney runner that has a Boston Qualifying time with zero recorded splits. SInce I published the article initially, through the help of some Disney Annual Pass Holders, I was able able to obtaing a couple of photos on the course of the 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon.
It was determined that this photo was taken between miles 25 and 26 of the marathon course. The time stamp show that the photo was taken at 9:16 am. There was some thought that the photo was taken later based on brightness and shadows. But when comparing brightness and shadows to photos of a runner that finished at the same time, I believe that this was taken at 9:16. The 9:16 AM photo time makes sense based on her finish time.
An additional photo was found, at the finish line – less than 1 mile after the above photo.
In, less than a mile, she switched out her visor for a skull cap, and she re-positioned her sweater to completely cover her bib. She claims to have run a Boston Qualifying time, but she took measures that made her much less recognizable. One reader commented  that this reminded them of Kip Litton. It is also similar to Mike Rossi, putting his head down after getting his BQ at the VIA Marathon.
Her obscured bib may explain the lack of photos, but not the lack of splits. She claims her chip was damaged. I broke that down in the prior article. Everyone I spoke to says she easily should have been able to obtain a replacement bib if there was a concern. This is just another case where she has timing issues in her BQ races. She was eventually disqualified from the 2015 Miami Marathon – which she used to run in Boston 2016.
She has been disqualified from 3 races to date.
I compared these photos with her recent finishes in London (approx 5:30:00) and Grandma’s (approx 5:45:00). There was no such outfit change in those races. She also hit all of the timing mats in London and at Grandma’s.
Summary
This is another example of why I re-share older posts. Often times additional information comes to light. While the finish photo isn’t quite a smoking gun, combined with the other photo, it does show that she was on course for the last mile or so of the race. She did cross the finish line at the time she was credited. But, so far there is no information that has been presented showing her on the course at other times. If anyone recognizes her from their race photos, please send me a message.
After the B.A.A. notified races that they may be asking for more information to validate qualifying times for particular individuals, I am feeling more confident that this runner will not be allowed to use this result to enter the 2018 Boston Marathon.
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She must read your blog, she sure doesn’t look to have a watch, so an easy “I would love to give you my garmin data, but I don’t believe in technology” can be used to skirt the issue. She is running with a phone though, so maybe strava? Though who in the heck stravas a 1 mile run in a marathon 😉
This is the one that claimed to go back to the start because she didn’t hear her bib beep with the others? (Which itself is a red flag)?
I’m curious as to her method. How much did she run, then she decided to swap out her outfit? Doesn’t make any sense to me, even if she was trying to disguise herself.
I was 339 no way this woman was 8 min behind me
I’m not sure how the photos at Disney work, but most races I enter have a “lost and found” section for photos, where you can look at all the photos they can’t match to a runner.
FYI- 2017 was the first race where Disney switched from using MarathonFotos to their own Disney Photo Pass. The service was horrible. I ran the marathon and in 26.2 miles they took one photo that they tried to identify as me and that person wasnt even the same gender as me. (As opposed to having nearly 40 photos of myself to sift thru and choose from the previous year.) Also, Disney Photo Pass only makes the photos available for 45 days if you are lucky enough to have some to look at. As such, the window of time and ease with which to hunt down photo evidence of cheaters has become much smaller at their races going forward.
Disney used their own photo service starting in 2016, at least for the Disneyland race in Sept. 2016. But, Disney is a joke! They do not properly vet runners. I would bet other than Boston, runners in Disney race use the most mules, or just flat out cut the course and Disney just doesn’t give a damn!
This runner is a case of what ticks me off about Marathon Guide. The marathon I work for DQ’d this runner in 2016. Marathon Guide refuses to update their database so it’s showing her as an official finisher here. Grrrr. Cool Running and our internal results pages do not list her.
I would prefer the name stay in the results with a DQ next to it as opposed to taking them out completely. It makes it easier to track in the future.
After being disqualified from multiple races, and considering the price tag of all these races (Dopey is a LOT), is she trying to say she couldn’t manage the <$150 for a GPS to prove she isn't a fraud? I don't buy that for one second.
Anyone who has put in the work to actually get to Boston Qualifying standards wouldn't simply sit by and say, oh shucks! The chip broke! Again! Gee wiz!
So, at what point does BAA ever dq an entire race from being a qualifier? Do they or have they ever? Disney races seem to have many concerns that should preclude them from being a Boston Qualifier, yet it would appear losing that designation doesn’t seem like an option/possibility. Does either race really need the other? Disney will not suffer without the qualifier designation and how many legitimate BQ potential runners are targeting a Disney race as their shot at a BQ (notice the use of the word “legitimate”).
meh, people can and do cheat at other marathons just as easily cheating is done at Disney.
I know several “legitimate” runners who have run Disney with the intent of PRing and/or qualifying for Boston. Disney is a mostly flat marathon and a fairly fast runner can get in the front corrals with a previous good time. If you have trained well and get decent weather, it is a great course to run, in my opinion (I’ve run the marathon twice and the half twice). I’ve also run 75 other marathons so I have a few to compare it to. Most marathon runners are not cheaters and would never think of cheating. It angers me that there are such low lifes in my sport. Disney should definitely disqualify those people.
I’ve only run Disney once, this year in Florida, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend it for a fast time. Even if you have a good placing the range of times in corrals is huge, and the proportion of walkers is fairly high compared to other major races I’ve taken part in. The route is fairly narrow at points, although it is pancake flat.
It may just be me, but the timing is also far from ideal. Running the second week in January means I’m definitely still carrying some Christmas weight!
It’s maybe different if you’re in the very first pen, and at the front of that to boot, but for the vast majority that take part I wouldn’t suggest that this is a course particularly suited for getting a fast time.
That said, utterly agree with your sentiment. I wish Disney were more responsive to removing cheaters from the results.
I cannot understand why people do these things, but it’s also very strange the means that Disney uses to point out this cases, but anyway it’s cool to see people concerned about these issues. Congratulations for this post.
If I understand correctly, the assertion is that she only ran the last mile. But I don’t understand why she changed from visor to cap, or why she obscured her number at the end. Wouldn’t two matching photos help her support her assertion that she ran the entire race?
Personally, I don’t get it. Why bother? I ran Vermont one year and met up with a struggling runner around mile 9. She literally said “I am going to cut the course.” And just like that, she jetted off across the road. I guess for some people the ego takes over and they can’t deal with just being mediocre. Who cares? I am not a fast runner at all, to BQ would be a dream of mine but I would never cheat to get there, what’s the point? How do you tell your friends and family you did it when you know you are a fraud?
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