Frank Meza was a devout runner who, late in life, began entering marathons. Other runners now question his times, saying he cheats.
It wasn’t until Frank Meza checked the internet that he realized so many people were talking about him. Hundreds of strangers from across the country had posted on message boards, branding Meza a liar and a cheat.To that point, the retired physician had forged a different sort of reputation. Soft-spoken and gray-haired, he had mentored Latino students while working to provide healthcare for low-income patients throughout Southern California.
Accusers don’t believe him when he denies cheating, nor do they accept his explanations for incongruities in his race times. Meza suspects the only way to redeem himself is by having an official observer accompany him at his next marathon.In the meantime, his story offers a glimpse into the curious world of long-distance running, where, even at the recreational level, a history of fraud has fostered widespread distrust.
“So when Frank is training with them, he’s training with some of the best runners Los Angeles has ever seen,” Diaz says. “People ask who he is running with … that’s who.” Marathons had become high-tech by then, with chip-implanted bibs that can be detected by “timing mats” at a half-dozen or more spots along the course. Sometimes a bib fails to record, but, for the most part, race officials can create a rough picture of every runner’s progress from start to finish.Records show Mesa took about 3 ½ hours to finish marathons at first. His results began to improve in 2014 as he dipped below three hours, a mark of distinction among runners of all ages.
“I don’t run that kind of time,” he says. “I actually told them, if you disqualify me, I won’t protest. I don’t want any doubts to be there.” In 1980, Rosie Ruiz slipped onto the course near the end of the Boston Marathon and crossed the line as the apparent winner. A week passed before officials determined she had cheated.
Their principal objected and the incident went viral, causing people to examine Rossi’s previous results. Questions soon arose over whether he had legitimately qualified for Boston. “You look for something that really jumps out,” Murphy says. “If someone’s throwing down a five-minute mile in the middle of a marathon, that catches your attention.”
None of the data he collects can answer an essential question. It might make sense to cheat for a Boston Marathon victory, but why cut corners in smaller, less-important races with no prize money or fame at stake?Runners make their way down Hollywood Boulevard during the 2019 L.A. Marathon. On March 24, the day Meza set an unofficial record for his age group at the 2019 L.A. Marathon, several people offered congratulations. Within 24 hours, the posts turned accusatory.Discussions on letsrun.
“It’s weird stuff,” says Burfoot, the runner and journalist. “There seems to be this tendency for middle-age males who are very successful in their careers to start cheating at marathons.” The stories cited questionable splits, the California International Marathon ban and suspicions regarding a 2019 marathon in Phoenix.
Race officials started looking at the same images weeks ago. They are in the process of disqualifying Meza, but have not finalized the decision, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized by the marathon to speak to the media.
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