Couple thoughts to maybe get some discussion.
I have mixed feelings on DD/Murph. Definitely want cheaters caught but it's also kind of vigilante justice. And now he's making a living off it by tracking races? It's just all a little weird.
But if you listen to his interview, wow a lot going on. He said something in the line of 4-5% violation rate (if I heard that right). We've all heard of bib mules and course cutters, but I didn't think those carrying more than one bib at time would be a thing. So there is a cheaters underworld out there, doing things that most of us wouldn't even think about.
The woman in the interview, Alisha. I sort of feel for her, especially after a breakout race like that and actually covering the distance on her own. Having a bandited pacer is almost in the gray area because unless you're talking prize money or age group awards you don't think about it too much. A friend pacing a friend in a race. But when you're getting to BQ and marathon logistics (i.e., the distance itself) I guess people take it more seriously now. But what about ultras, isn't that a thing to pace a friend for parts of the course? And I'd be real interested to find out in this case, who was the snitch? My guess, someone who ran 3:31 and didn't qualify that day.
Nevertheless, she's an experienced runner with nearly 10 years of running and racing. And she's now a group leader/coach with their rather large commercial operation there at Rogue. She should have known. Particularly in this day of Instagram and instant photos.
