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Is this man a Fraud?
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Yeah I think I want to change my vote, as long as is raising money thats the main thing.
I would still like to see a pieing though
No - don't care how much money he raises if he's deliberately not going the distance. He should dress up in his costume and walk around in the crowds raising money if he has no intention of completing the event. I think it's still called London marathon?
So now pie me
Does it for me... < re-hostlers pie >
Slugsta, I do agree with you on pure principle, but if he's one of a very small minority and is raising thousands (£75,000) for charity im happy to turn a blind eye.
There are enough scroungers and cheats around in this country without us having to thrust attentions on a apparently decent bloke doing what he can for a good cause.
I can forgive him for cutting a few corners. Whos gonna take back the electric wheelchair off the sick kid because the clown may have missed a turn or two ?
But I havent seen a good custard pieing since the days of Tiswas..
Woo hoo! Some good has come from this discussion - the pre-FLM 09 pie fight! Bring it on! I think FF will win though - he seems far too keen.
WE SHOULD SACRIFICE HIM TO OUR GOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!
And then pie him.
I'll let him off but he should really not be wearing a number.
HE REALLY SHOULD NOT BE WEARING A NUMBER
Agree great he raises so much money but he is raising slightly under false pretences and it would be more appropiate if he raised money by walking the other side of the fence on the spectators side because he has more in common with them than marathoners.
He isn't alone in cheating.
The runner who is down as the leading M80 Ken Clarke also clearly cheated and he has a habit of doing this and was claiming a world M75 half record at Bath a few years ago which he clearly didn't do. He usually joins in London around the 20k mark and runs the last bit but this year cut out the Isle of Dogs
http://results-2008.london-marathon.co.uk/index.php?lastname=&firstname=&club=&gender=&nation=&event_id=MAS&age_group%5B%5D=80&position=&split=FINISHNET&Submit=show+results+%3E%3E&a=d&o=s&start_no=30644&ostart_no=
This is what he did in 2004 for example
Results for :
KENNETH C. CLARKE
Marathon
Runner No.:
30381
Nationality:
12
Club:
Position (Overall): 12062 Position (Gender): 10308 Position (Age group): 13 SplitsKM10: KM20:1:37:19HALF:1:43:44 KM30:2:41:13 KM40:3:48:28 FINISH:4:03:21Another high profile cheater is Peter Ferris MBE , who has won his honour for raising lots of charity money but again possibly under false pretences as he also cut out the Isle of Dogs - he was on for six hours but did a miraculously quick second half.
http://results-2008.london-marathon.co.uk/index.php?lastname=Ferris&firstname=&club=&gender=&nation=&event_id=MAS&age_group%5B%5D=&position=&split=FINISHNET&Submit=show+results+%3E%3E&a=d&o=s&start_no=30262&ostart_no=
There are probably about 30 others with dubious times - a lot of overseas runners who strangely only had chips working at 40k and the finish.
(the 2004 splits look plausible apart from the lack of a 10k - possible?)
NB peter ferris can actually run the whole thing as he run 3:30 a few years ago but this year he didn't.
re Kenneth Clarke....(who had a whole page feature on him in Athletics weekly when it was thought he was one of the most amazing Vet runners in history when he did the world record half....
Agree the 2004 iis possible but he did the same in 2003 and 2005 (though that final result was removed)
This year note his 34 minute 15K stretch between 20k and 35K - which if he did the whole distance means he would run about 1:30 for trhe marathon!
5 km0:36:1010 km1:14:4315 km1:54:4820 km2:38:11half2:46:5425 km30 km35 km3:12:5540 km3:56:53finish4:17:16
note in 2003 he averaged 41 per 10K to 20K ie 2:55 pace (guessing doing that section by train rather than running) and obviously he did all the second half but at 4:40 pace.
Position (Overall): 8182 Position (Gender): 7183 started at: 09:44:58 SplitsKM10:00:00:00 KM20:01:24:56 HALF:01:31:25 KM30:02:28:13 KM40:03:37:00 FINISH:03:51:58
OK peeps,
I have passed the link to this thread to the organisers. The wording is as follows:-
Good morning,
Please take a look at this thread on the Runner’s World forum:-
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?UTN=122968&URN=11&dt=4&srchdte=0&cp=1&v=1&sp=
Whether you decide to pass this on for further enquiry is up to you but I just feel it needs to be brought to the attention of the organisers.
Regards
If some of you want to condemn me for doing it that's fine. I'll just reiterate that none of us thinks it's a bad thing that he's raising a lot for charity, we just don't accept his methods. I for one don't want him pilloried or arrested, just stopped from cheating, if that's what he's doing.
Anyway it is FLM's call now so let's let them deal with it.
SP
Totally agree with you SP. Lets hope FLM get to the bottom of this. Let us know if you get any feedback.
Nikki
I always assumed that the timing mats every 5km were there to stop people cheating, not just to give split time information back the runners.
I assumed that if you didn't pass over each mat then you would be disqualified. Why not?
On the other hand, give me a PC, a database of the results and a spare hour or so and I'll write a script to pick out most of the suspicious records. Having ludicrous results still official a year and more on is a bit poor - you'll just encourage repeat offences.
I see Screamy's tipped off the FLM rozzers - has anyone got the pies ordered?
I am saddened that someone could be a fraud when raising money for charity - most of my sponsors donate money because they realise just how hard I have to work to get round the course and this just makes a mockery of it. People will have donated to him because they are touched by what he is doing (or pretending to do).
I was checked at the start to see that I hadn't done any knitting before I crossed the start line, was 'spotted' by people from Guinness World Records who were out along the course, went across all the mats and did my blooming knitting every step of the way. It hurt like heck all the way but at least I did it.
SP, thank you for bringing it to our attention and for contacting the organisers. If he has been cheating then he should be exposed as a fraudster.
Several hypocrytes on this thread me's thinks regarding the cheating aspect....
Early posts were against him due to cheating, regardless of how much money he raised.
Then we find out its roughly £70,000 and then people say "well thats ok then".
£70k is a blimin serious amount to raise, and highly commendable, no one can disagreee with that.
But the problem here is that this guy is cheating - and in so doing, taking the achievement away from other people. The medal is meant to say you did the distance, but this guy is making a mockery of that.
Wether you are a sub 3hr club runner, or a 6hr++ charity runner - it doesn't matter, you both have the distance in common and the determination and guts to do it to the best of your ability.
Back in May last year people on the forum were slagging off a good friend of mine cos he intended to walk FLM due to health reasons not allowing him to run - people said there was no acheivement in that as anyone could walk it. He stuck to the training and successfully completed the course. when he started, he couldn't walk for more than a mile or two.
So this clown, with training, could do it. Its just he chooses the cheating route instead - instead of putting the work in! I briefly read the article someone else linked to - dont think it pointed out he takes shortcuts!
Like I said, no one can take away his fundraising acheivements, but he quite simply does not deserve a finishers medal at FLM!
My friend and I raised £2500 which was hard work, so to raise £70k is amazing, but we raised it on the condition of completing FLM. This guy is a fraud, as he has no intention of completing the course.
He's quite shreud...I'm sure Sir Alan would employ him, but thats not the issue here. I'm sure most people run along the highway after tower bridge and think "I could easily nipp over that barrier and set a new PB" but theres a huge difference between thinking it, and doing it!
On the fundraising point, this guy is a winner, hands down.
On the marathon point, he is a fraud.
Is it ok to turn a blind eye to it, because he's raising so much money? No - because his actions are belittleing the efforts of the genuine charity runners who have slogged there guts out for months in training to allow them to stand on that start line with the intention of doing the full distance.
If it was ok to get to 10 miles, then get a taxi to mile 24 then jog the last two, then it wouldn't really be the same.
Am I going on a bit now? Sorry - I guess standing on my soapbox for this amount of time makes me a prime target to get pie'd!!!!!