Cheating and Running

There's no doubt that some runners make the mistake of believing that it's worth cheating. The reality is that the only thing that matters in running is whether you run to the best of your ability, under whatever circumstances exist on race day.  Nobody will ever have a better life by cheating, period. Even if you win gold at the Olympics, never get caught, and are showered with fortune and fame, the cost of cheating will outweigh the benefit.

I’m sure almost everyone would make similar statements to those above – even those who cheat.  The sad truth is that the sport of running, like any other sport and even life in general, includes plenty of examples of participants who try to gain an advantage in an illegal, unethical, or unfair way.  It seems that we are currently under a new wave of accusations and discoveries, and it’s not good for any of us.

Recently, the online forum letsrun.com challenged a man whois under suspicion for cheating related to his qualifying for, and running, the Boston Marathon.  The challenge offers him a sizeable payment if he can run a certain race time in order to “prove” that he is capable of producing the race time that he claimed to have run.  It’s not clear whether he cheated or not, but the mere fact that he is being accused so publicly is demonstrative of the shift in focus on cheating to the sport of running, which many have long believed to be “cleaner” than other sports such as bodybuilding or cycling.

On a professional level, there are many accusations regarding drug cheating among the elite runners.  The ongoing US Anti-Doping Agency’s investigation into possible drugcheating by athletes in Alberto Salazar’s Nike Oregon Project may very well open the floodgate to widespread doping disclosures.  The problem exists in big ways.  3-time Boston Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo tested positive for EPO and faces a ban.  There have been huge doping scandals such as the incredible doping-and-bribery story of 3-time Chicago Marathon winner Liliya Shobukhova.  The list of elite cheaters is far too long to put in this blog.

And it’s not just potential professionals that choose to cheat.  A very famous case was that of an apparently pathological runner, Kip Litton, who seemed to have a system to win marathons by skipping most of the actual running:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/08/06/marathon-man

You may be reading this and thinking, “this cheating stuff is disturbing but it’s not happening on the local level that I participate in”.  Unfortunately that’s probably not true, and cheating very likely has affected you.  Remember Rita Jeptoo?  She won the San Diego Rock’n’Roll Half-Marathon last year, and since she is in Shokofeh Motlagh’s age group, Shokofeh was pushed down a place in the standings – by a drug cheat.

One of the most prominent Tucson-based drug cheat stories may surprise you – this runner held the state record for several distances, including the 8-mile record which he set at the Saguaro National Park Labor Day Race.  Read about it at

http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/the-confessions-of-eddy-hellebuyck

There are other Tucson cheat stories, some that are most certainly true and others based on sour grapes.  Race Directors sometimes ban runners that they believe have short-cutted the course.  I’ve personally heard runners brag about taking steroid and asthma medications leading up to a big race.  I have even heard one runner admit to having another runner race a marathon, wearing their timing chip, in order to register a Boston-qualifying marathon time.  (This runner believed she could never meet the qualifying standards, but did not think it fair that Boston has those standards, so she self-justified this cheating action as a way to gain entry to a race that she felt entitled to participate in).

Obviously some runners think that cheating is worth it.  The elites do it to make a large payday, but most of us don’t make a single penny no matter how fast we run.  But apparently the glory of winning an age-group prize, or being listed on the race results above others is enough of an incentive for some.  In today’s very public social-media society, it may be that runners are taking increased risks because they want more accolades (the “like” button on FaceBook is a very powerful motivator!)

I’m not an expert in psychology so I’ll avoid discussing in depth about why people decide to cheat.  For most of us, it’s best to just establish boundaries in our behavior and set some “rules” to abide by.  I’d suggest that these rules might include the following:

• Run the correct course.  No shortcuts!
• Don't use performance enhancing drugs, or get a prescription you don't really need
• Don't claim PR'S when the course is short.  I recommend claiming PR’s only on USATFCertified Courses (many of Tucson’s races are not certified).  Your GPS should be fairly close to the proper distance!
• Don't block the competition, and start in the appropriate wave in larger races.
• Race with a timing chip only if it's your own and never ask someone else to run a "qualifier" for you.

There are of course many legitimate and appropriate ways to enhance your performance.  For example, a lighter pair of running shoes, having a loved one hand you a gel along the course, taking vitamins, etc., are all acceptable.  It’s really not hard - use your conscience.  If something you are doing feels sneaky, it’s probably wrong.

It's all pretty simple but our sport and the competitive environment can make it so very tempting to search for an edge.  I’ll leave you with this final thought:  Every time you run, the most important competitor is yourself – and cheating against yourself clearly will not get you anywhere!