Cyclists with a "Running" Problem

[DieselnDust]

5 minutes ago, saggy said:

wonder if the runners who gave there numbers away will then collect there blue numbers when they have done 10 (or should I say 9)

They winnreceive a two year ban just like the Strava Hoes who ran for them

[Shebeen]

22 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

People have got away with it in the past . This year they went digging by trolling through photos and matching numbers to people. It’s the Actionohoto Ai recognition bot that outed these peeps

Don't think so, not sure if you read the actual article. This was ladies who had their race number receive a top10 and then get an invite to an awards dinner that evening.

Obviously they didn't pitch and two and two were put together. Also loads of tipoffs, your name is printed on your bib and that's often a giveaway if Arthur is Martha.

The Running Mann is a data nerd, and now he's on the TTOM board there's a way to actually have some proper investigation into what's going on. I casually went through the top100 females, and just picked the ones who got a top result from a late starting batch. pinged 4 more. So essentially at least 6% of the top ladies were a man running in their entry without substituting. This is an easy one to trigger from photo evidence, but I figure there will be a huge amount of people who ran in someone else's race number (bib bandits) - imagine how many male-male swaps there are that fall under the cracks.

That reminds me, here's his classification of race cheats, we really could do with a cycling focused blogger like this!:

There are generally seven acknowledged types of cheating:

1. Tag Teaming (running Two Oceans as a relay race with a buddy)
2. Taxiing (covering a portion of the route in a vehicle)
3. Phantoms (one runner, two timing chips)
4. Bad Seeds (submitting an incorrect qualifier or getting someone else to run your qualifier for you)
5. Bandits (running in someone else’s number)
6. Ritchie McCawing (entering from the side / joining the race along the route)
7. Suppositories (batch jumpers who push from behind into places they don’t belong)

 

One of the push factors for this is that this event is massively oversubscribed. It sold out 17 000 in a day last september, but subs closed 43days before the event. Despite plenty of warnings, people still take the risk because they have an actual entry they can't use. Potentially subs will be run differently next year, but the event was on notice from CoCT because of the 2025 disaster.

CTCT used to be sold out, they would also close subs early but now that they are below limits they make a plan!

 

 

 

3 hours ago, saggy said:

wonder if the runners who gave there numbers away will then collect there blue numbers when they have done 10 (or should I say 9)

I guess you have to, too late to admit the truth!!

[DieselnDust]

18 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Don't think so, not sure if you read the actual article. This was ladies who had their race number receive a top10 and then get an invite to an awards dinner that evening.

Obviously they didn't pitch and two and two were put together. Also loads of tipoffs, your name is printed on your bib and that's often a giveaway if Arthur is Martha.

The Running Mann is a data nerd, and now he's on the TTOM board there's a way to actually have some proper investigation into what's going on. I casually went through the top100 females, and just picked the ones who got a top result from a late starting batch. pinged 4 more. So essentially at least 6% of the top ladies were a man running in their entry without substituting. This is an easy one to trigger from photo evidence, but I figure there will be a huge amount of people who ran in someone else's race number (bib bandits) - imagine how many male-male swaps there are that fall under the cracks.

That reminds me, here's his classification of race cheats, we really could do with a cycling focused blogger like this!:

There are generally seven acknowledged types of cheating:

1. Tag Teaming (running Two Oceans as a relay race with a buddy)
2. Taxiing (covering a portion of the route in a vehicle)
3. Phantoms (one runner, two timing chips)
4. Bad Seeds (submitting an incorrect qualifier or getting someone else to run your qualifier for you)
5. Bandits (running in someone else’s number)
6. Ritchie McCawing (entering from the side / joining the race along the route)
7. Suppositories (batch jumpers who push from behind into places they don’t belong)

 

One of the push factors for this is that this event is massively oversubscribed. It sold out 17 000 in a day last september, but subs closed 43days before the event. Despite plenty of warnings, people still take the risk because they have an actual entry they can't use. Potentially subs will be run differently next year, but the event was on notice from CoCT because of the 2025 disaster.

CTCT used to be sold out, they would also close subs early but now that they are below limits they make a plan!

 

 

 

I guess you have to, too late to admit the truth!!

I did read the article and I didn't see not pitching for an awards evening as being particularly indicative of cheating 

[Shebeen]

6 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

I did read the article and I didn't see not pitching for an awards evening as being particularly indicative of cheating 

ok, running is not your scene so apologizing in advance for the mansplaining.

Action photos AI* was not required here.

 

Two oceans half is essentially the biggest 21km field in the country, The winner gets R50k. Even the 7th placed phantom runner would have got R6k. This is handed out that evening at a gala dinner at event sponsors Southern Sun.

So when an unheralded runner with a temp license (and a father who is a springbok rugby player) with a half marathon PB of 1:59 suddenly runs a 1:24 and comes in the money and (in the top 120 of all finishers) it raises plenty of eyebrows. 

this was even on the headline radio news today, this boytjay is surely now regretting not holding back a little bit.

 

 

*Action photos AI is from temu anyway, they still don't have my argus photos!

[shaper]

18 hours ago, Shebeen said:

Don't think so, not sure if you read the actual article. This was ladies who had their race number receive a top10 and then get an invite to an awards dinner that evening.

Obviously they didn't pitch and two and two were put together. Also loads of tipoffs, your name is printed on your bib and that's often a giveaway if Arthur is Martha.

The Running Mann is a data nerd, and now he's on the TTOM board there's a way to actually have some proper investigation into what's going on. I casually went through the top100 females, and just picked the ones who got a top result from a late starting batch. pinged 4 more. So essentially at least 6% of the top ladies were a man running in their entry without substituting. This is an easy one to trigger from photo evidence, but I figure there will be a huge amount of people who ran in someone else's race number (bib bandits) - imagine how many male-male swaps there are that fall under the cracks.

That reminds me, here's his classification of race cheats, we really could do with a cycling focused blogger like this!:

There are generally seven acknowledged types of cheating:

1. Tag Teaming (running Two Oceans as a relay race with a buddy)
2. Taxiing (covering a portion of the route in a vehicle)
3. Phantoms (one runner, two timing chips)
4. Bad Seeds (submitting an incorrect qualifier or getting someone else to run your qualifier for you)
5. Bandits (running in someone else’s number)
6. Ritchie McCawing (entering from the side / joining the race along the route)
7. Suppositories (batch jumpers who push from behind into places they don’t belong)

 

One of the push factors for this is that this event is massively oversubscribed. It sold out 17 000 in a day last september, but subs closed 43days before the event. Despite plenty of warnings, people still take the risk because they have an actual entry they can't use. Potentially subs will be run differently next year, but the event was on notice from CoCT because of the 2025 disaster.

CTCT used to be sold out, they would also close subs early but now that they are below limits they make a plan!

 

 

 

I guess you have to, too late to admit the truth!!

8. Photocopying the bib and changing the seeding letter.

Something similar happened here, where she just changed the seeing letter to get a better start, but nothing stopping doing a full photocopy and changing things, although will not get an official time, just a Strava one. https://runningmann.co.za/2025/04/19/instagram-influencer-caught-cheating-at-two-oceans/

[dave303e]

is it just me that actually wants to vomit when I hear the term influencer?

 

Like really just f right off. Why are we not listening to professionals and experts in the industry. But rather we listen to people who have the ability to use their persona to sell stuff left right and center. Making them stupid amounts of money for being good at nothing other than being a social butterfly and professional bull sh tt r

 

ok it is friday, I need to bounce and go enjoy riding my bike.

[Shebeen]

40 minutes ago, dave303e said:

is it just me that actually wants to vomit when I hear the term influencer?

 

Like really just f right off. Why are we not listening to professionals and experts in the industry. But rather we listen to people who have the ability to use their persona to sell stuff left right and center. Making them stupid amounts of money for being good at nothing other than being a social butterfly and professional bull sh tt r

 

ok it is friday, I need to bounce and go enjoy riding my bike.

YES!!!

 

but it's surely two ends of the spectrum.

 

A)you get a pro athlete - Gerda. she has nice adidas sponsorship but delivers podiums and this sells shoes. this has always been the case and the industry has evolved into this relationship.

B)The you get a fitness/wellness angled person trying to improve themselves and run side hustle "business" through instagram. they appeal to the netflix bound folk and hopefully go on a journey from couch to 10km. Adidas sends them shoes and they do a post and boom, if 0.5% of the 30k followers go purchase  a pair of three stripes then they just sold 149 shoes than they gave away.

Gets problematic when the two worlds collide, and B thinks they are A - and gives out crap advice that is lapped up. Or marketing dept sees more bang for buck throwing cash at B and A and that's the budget done, sorry we can sell you some stuff wholesale? 

Also while I'm jealous i don't get given much free stuff, I'm really comfortable I don't have to be a brand whore and sell an image to get it.

 

 

[DieselnDust]

42 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

YES!!!

 

but it's surely two ends of the spectrum.

 

A)you get a pro athlete - Gerda. she has nice adidas sponsorship but delivers podiums and this sells shoes. this has always been the case and the industry has evolved into this relationship.

B)The you get a fitness/wellness angled person trying to improve themselves and run side hustle "business" through instagram. they appeal to the netflix bound folk and hopefully go on a journey from couch to 10km. Adidas sends them shoes and they do a post and boom, if 0.5% of the 30k followers go purchase  a pair of three stripes then they just sold 149 shoes than they gave away.

Gets problematic when the two worlds collide, and B thinks they are A - and gives out crap advice that is lapped up. Or marketing dept sees more bang for buck throwing cash at B and A and that's the budget done, sorry we can sell you some stuff wholesale? 

Also while I'm jealous i don't get given much free stuff, I'm really comfortable I don't have to be a brand whore and sell an image to get it.

 

 

But..but …. you’re a beer influencer…..<confused>

[Shebeen]

3 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

But..but …. you’re a beer influencer…..<confused>

not really, the only beer I don't pay for is the stuff I make in the garage!

[ChrisF]

6 hours ago, dave303e said:

is it just me that actually wants to vomit when I hear the term influencer?

 

Like really just f right off. Why are we not listening to professionals and experts in the industry. But rather we listen to people who have the ability to use their persona to sell stuff left right and center. Making them stupid amounts of money for being good at nothing other than being a social butterfly and professional bull sh tt r

 

ok it is friday, I need to bounce and go enjoy riding my bike.

 

As noted already .... two distinct extremes ....

 

Most I avoid ....

 

Yet, many of us follow two hubbers with a YT channel .... @Warren Melissa Go Riding certainly decent influencers

 

 

sorry for derailing a perfectly good rant session ...

[Warren Melissa Go Riding]

8 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

As noted already .... two distinct extremes ....

 

Most I avoid ....

 

Yet, many of us follow two hubbers with a YT channel .... @Warren Melissa Go Riding certainly decent influencers

 

 

sorry for derailing a perfectly good rant session ...

Guys, we definitely dont see ourselves as influencers hahahaha.

We just trying to do our bit to give back and get bums on seats.

[Bro Derek]

That's the thing, most people don't see themselves as an influencer but.....

If you make content to be posted on social media with the intent for people to watch it, you are an influencer

 

[DieselnDust]

2 hours ago, Warren Melissa Go Riding said:

Guys, we definitely dont see ourselves as influencers hahahaha.

We just trying to do our bit to give back and get bums on seats.

Well that’s an influencer. the intent is to influence how people view mtbing and getting bums on seats through content

[DieselnDust]

3 hours ago, Shebeen said:

not really, the only beer I don't pay for is the stuff I make in the garage!

Can’t be half pregnant bru.

You attempt to influence purchase decisions through content. 
= I ..n..f…l…u…e…n..c…e…r    🍻

[Warren Melissa Go Riding]

I suppose we dont see ourselves as influencers, as generally those people do what they do for personal benefit, well at least in our eyes. 

Our intent is different. We focus outward instead of inward.

[dalem44]

Anyone doing any of the UTD races over the weekend?