There are a 7 Boston eligible marathons that pass through Washington’s Snoqualmie Tunnel. Last year, I wrote about the controversy regarding these races, and alleged ‘course poaching’.
The courses are downhill and fast. They are popular for those needing to run a bit faster to obtain their Boston Qualifying times.
The Bib Mule
Heather originally finished as the 2nd overall female in The Tunnel Light Marathon, finishing in a time of 3:12:49. Her prior personal record was approximately 3:39:33 earlier in 2018. Her time at Tunnel Light would have qualified her for The 2020 Boston Marathon.
Photos showed that a different runner ran with her bib.
According to Susan, the owner of the race, Heather denied ever registering. I cannot think of any logical reason why a runner would enter and run the race under another runner’s name without their knowledge.
Additionally Susan informed me that registrants must show photo ID to pick up their packets. Susan also confirmed that Heather’s credit card was used to pay for the entry.
This additional information leaves no room for doubt. Heather knowingly had this runner wear her bib. It is unknown whether the motivation was to qualify for Boston, or if there was another motivation.
Don’t want to use PayPal? Click below to contribute without going through PayPal.
The credit card in her name leaves zero doubt.
I bet Heather was a little less than pleased when her male mule earned a female podium finish. Oops.
Thanks, MI.
I’ve run this. They don’t do packet pickup ahead of time and you have to present your ID to get your bib. There’s no question.
It’s funny that these races are linked to Sabrina Seher and she’s always was involved with the tunnel races. Not sure if she ever BQ but it makes me wonder how many could had snuck into Boston.
This is one of Susan’s races, not Sabrina’s.
Does nobody use surnames any more?
Looks like bib 421 has been removed from the list of finishers. Should have a big DQ instead. That would teach her more lesson than just being removed. IMO
I did the Tunnel Vision race and picked up my own bib and 2 others without showing ID or written permission from them. So that may be the policy but it is not strictly enforced.
Wow, I ran next to that guy/Heather for literally 25ish miles of that race. It was so odd to read that article and see the picture.
A lot of races state that you have to have photo ID and/or written permission to pick up someone else’s bib, but I have rarely come across any that enforce this rule.
This race doesn’t allow transfers, refunds, or deferrals and entries are limited. Not everyone is up to speed with the paradigm that informal bib transfers are major transgressions. I’m not defending or excusing it. But I do see public messages in my running group from time to time offering to sell a bib, from people who are just trying to recover their fee and transfer their entry within the group. Someone always chimes in with the rules and expectations. It’s a process of education and peer pressure.
Hi.
You make a worthwhile point.
However in this case it is obviously an attempt to
CHEAT!!!
Sometimes in life “I wrestle with my conscience and win!”; therefore having this site – and others – is a great help for those like me who may (literally?) stray off the straight and narrow.
I’m just saying, cheating (to gain a BQ) may have been the motivation, or she might have just wanted to recover $80 or $100 for an entry she couldn’t use. The guy might have just wanted a supported training run, or see how fast he could go on the course, or run with someone who was entered. I don’t know either runner. I’m not defending it, but it might not have been a premeditated attempt to claim a BQ. Or that might be exactly what it was.
Isn’t running the tunnel marathon to BQ cheating anyway. In for a penny…
Comments are closed.