Boston Marathon bandits with fake bibs

[Susie]

Did you guys see this story?  It makes me  .

--

Runner Says 4 Others Bandited With Her Number at Boston / Woman seeking to identify runners who wore bib number 14285.
By Caitlin Giddings
Published
April 24, 2014

Imagine working hard to qualify for the Boston Marathon, running the race, and then purchasing a photo package filled with images of strangers wearing your bib number. That's what happened to Kara Bonneau, 34, of Durham, North Carolina, this week after she ran the race with number 14285, then received photos from MarathonFoto showing four other runners competing with that same number.

Bonneau suspects counterfeit bibs were printed based on a photo of her Boston Marathon bib number she posted on Instagram last Friday. She's not sure where the bandits purchased duplicates of her bib but is upset that her photo package includes shots of the four runners throughout the race, including crossing the finish line and wearing medals.

"I was really upset because of all races, people work so hard to get into Boston," Bonneau said. "I have friends who qualified but didn't qualify by enough time so they still weren't able to register for the race because it was full."
This was Bonneau's second Boston Marathon--she re-qualified at the 2013 race--and she said not having a gear check at the race's start this year was frustrating but something she was willing to accept for added runner safety. Evidence of counterfeit bibs, though, gave her pause.

"They put all these security measures into place this year that were a huge inconvenience to the runners, but it's all in the name of security so you deal with it." Bonneau said. "But then to realize there were people who no one knows or had any idea they were out there on the race course, it makes you wonder if it's really that secure at all--especially since it wouldn't be that hard to scan bibs when people enter the starting corral to make sure it's a real bib and not just a printout."
Bonneau untagged all the race photos of bandits on the MarathonFoto site so that those runners couldn't have access to their race pictures, but she's still disheartened by the situation.

"I feel so bad for everybody who worked really hard to get in the race and couldn't," she said. "It never occurred to me when I was posting that photo that someone could use it in that way. I definitely learned a lesson about posting on social media, but it's really frustrating of all the races, people would do it at this one--and in such a significant year."

Runner's World Newswire has reached out to the Boston Athletic Association for comment and will be updating this story with their response.

Apparently this is the real 14285:


And here are the others:
   

[kams]

This is so crazy. I can't imagine having the gall to do such a thing, at such a race, in such a year!!! I mean really, this is nuts.

[lb2006]

OMG

[Stingyshark]

I was just reading this! How awful!
...and I certainly would not be wearing my running club shirt.
WTF people.

[Deleted]

Oh what??? That's insane!

[clseale]

The world is filled with assholes. The fact that any runner would think that this is OK, completely blows my mind.

[LoveTrains]

People have been bandits in this race for years. It is hard to get into and that is why there are bandits.

[CallingAllAngels]

I don't get this. Why run the race if you're not going to get credit for it? I can get the same warm fuzzies as a spectator, and I don't have to run 26.2 miles for that. I guess you can get a medal, but what fun is it to steal one? You could probably figure out a way to con someone out of a Boston medal if you really wanted one, and I bet it would easier than running 26.2 miles.

[clseale]

Apr 24, 2014 15:52:02 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

People have been bandits in this race for years. It is hard to get into and that is why there are bandits.

LOL. Ummm, yes, people are bandits for all races, all of the time. When you do it for a race like Boston, where people actually have to EARN their way in, it reaches an even higher level of suck.  

[AAM2012]

Well the third photo looks like a walker and clearly didn't train properly.

I say create a Facebook page to locate and shame these people. Also, I never post my bib on Instagram because then strangers can easily locate your full name, city/state and age. No thanks!

[G22]

Apr 24, 2014 15:30:20 GMT -5 Stingyshark said:

I was just reading this! How awful!
...and I certainly would not be wearing my running club shirt.
WTF people.

I was thinking the same thing!

I feel bad for the real registered runner. It makes me mad for her.

[Stingyshark]

This was posted on the Big River Running FB.... (one of the girls is wearing one of their singlets)

Big River Running Company shared a link.
39 minutes ago · Edited
Photos are circulating of four individuals that used counterfeit bibs at The Boston Marathon. Big River does not condone the behavior of any individuals who take part in this practice. In regards to the woman wearing the Big River singlet, we do not recognize her and are appalled she chose to wear one of our singlets while wearing a counterfeit bib. The Big River community is one built on integrity and respect for one another, and these actions don't reflect what our logo truly represents.

[cinco]

Apr 24, 2014 15:52:02 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

People have been bandits in this race for years. It is hard to get into and that is why there are bandits.

Yes, Boston traditionally has a number of bandits in good fun. This year was different in they specifically asked people not to bandit, even the military. To then go to the trouble to fake a bib is an asshole move. 

As a side note, I am pretty sure I ran near the guy in the Heartbreak hill running company shirt. I specifically thought he looked in worse shape than me during the race, which surprised me b/c dudes need faster times. There are not too many younger guys in wave 2.

[kams]

Every race has bandits. It's shitty here, there, anywhere.

Diamonds are really expensive and not everyone can afford them so that's why more people steal those. It's cool guys.

[Susie]

Yeah, to me it is not so much the fact of banditing that is so morally repugnant.  I am well aware that banditing happens all the time, for good or for bad.  It's the deceptiveness of making counterfeit bibs, using somebody else's hard earned (and paid for, but that's the easy part) bib number, in a race that's so difficult to gain entry to, and was under such tight security.  In this instance it feels like a giant eff you to BAA, to the runners, to the security personnel, etc.  And that is crappy.

[foundmylazybum]

They guys look the same..and the girls look the same--like they just changed jerseys.

Also Lol at "They look like they are in bad shape."


Like all our race photos are awesome. We can't all be kams.



It's not funny, and I know it's wrong, but I just can't get myself worked up about this kind of thing.

I mean...living with the fact that you lied about your BM finisher medal? How sad.

[foundmylazybum]

They guys look the same..and the girls look the same--like they just changed jerseys.



Also Lol at "They look like they are in bad shape."





Like all our race photos are awesome. We can't all be kams.







It's not funny, and I know it's wrong, but I just can't get myself worked up about this kind of thing.



I mean...living with the fact that you lied about your BM finisher medal? How sad.

[Deleted]

Apr 24, 2014 18:00:08 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

Like all our race photos are awesome. We can't all be kams.

No, but I gave it my best shot

[kams]

Alright, alright. Of all the amazing race photos on this board, I'm lol-ing that I somehow get pinned with this one. So, let me go ahead and show you my most recent.

[Deleted]

Duplicate

[Deleted]

And yes, I'm just stunned that this happens. I don't know why I'm surprised. Why do it if your time won't even be counted? For the medal? To say you ran it? Baffled.

I feel bad for the genuine entrants and for the people who have put the marathon on. It's like sneaking into a concert. It's theft. Plain and simple.

I also wonder if they bought the counterfeit bibs naively, like if someone selling them told them they had some 'special way' to get them in, and the people might have just missed out qualifying and were so desperate to run they didn't think to check it was legit? Am I being too kind?

[mrshandy]

Apr 24, 2014 18:16:27 GMT -5 @cheshire said:

And yes, I'm just stunned that this happens. I don't know why I'm surprised. Why do it if your time won't even be counted? For the medal? To say you ran it? Baffled.

I feel bad for the genuine entrants and for the people who have put the marathon on. It's like sneaking into a concert. It's theft. Plain and simple.

I also wonder if they bought the counterfeit bibs naively, like if someone selling them told them they had some 'special way' to get them in, and the people might have just missed out qualifying and were so desperate to run they didn't think to check it was legit? Am I being too kind?

This is my guess too. Some guy off craigslist probably did something like this. Since they are all the same number.

They knew deep down, but chose to ignore their gut.

[mcc]

Apr 24, 2014 18:34:30 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

Apr 24, 2014 18:16:27 GMT -5 @cheshire said:

And yes, I'm just stunned that this happens. I don't know why I'm surprised. Why do it if your time won't even be counted? For the medal? To say you ran it? Baffled.

I feel bad for the genuine entrants and for the people who have put the marathon on. It's like sneaking into a concert. It's theft. Plain and simple.

I also wonder if they bought the counterfeit bibs naively, like if someone selling them told them they had some 'special way' to get them in, and the people might have just missed out qualifying and were so desperate to run they didn't think to check it was legit? Am I being too kind?

This is my guess too. Some guy off craigslist probably did something like this. Since they are all the same number.

They knew deep down, but chose to ignore their gut.

I'm guessing CL.  I found all of these online boston.craigslist.org/search/sss?zoomToPosting=&catAbb=sss&query=marathon+bib&minAsk=&maxAsk=&excats=

[chitownbelle]

shame on all those other runners!!!!! Wow. Just WOW.

[clseale]

I believe that they bought them on Craig's List, but I don't think an ounce of naivety was involved.

[MrsE]

That's just sad on so many levels.

[ebeth]

This happened to me at the RNR DC one year, and that is definitely no boston. don't know why you'd bandit that race or bother with a counterfeit bib if you did.

[foodie2012]

I had no idea this happens, but how crazy! I couldn't imagine doing that...that's just weird!

[gt7301b]

I just can't imagine going around telling people that I ran Boston, but knowing that I didn't qualify or raise $$ for charity.

[Deleted]

Apr 24, 2014 18:51:08 GMT -5 mcc said:

Apr 24, 2014 18:34:30 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

This is my guess too. Some guy off craigslist probably did something like this. Since they are all the same number.

They knew deep down, but chose to ignore their gut.

I'm guessing CL.  I found all of these online boston.craigslist.org/search/sss?zoomToPosting=&catAbb=sss&query=marathon+bib&minAsk=&maxAsk=&excats=

One of those ads was a guy selling it for $2000!!! No wonder it's tempting to duplicate numbers and sell them on CL. Still 100% wrong for both parties though. And I kind of agree, and normal person would doubt the legitimacy of such a bib. Surely.