Shortcut scandal mars marathon

JEANSMARINES’

Some members of a prominent Toronto runner’s group deliberately skipped several miles of the 26.2- mile route during the recent U. S. Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D. C. — then accepted medals for “ finishing” the event. “The preliminary finding is that someone in the JeansMarines organization, one of the coaches, assisted the runners into circumventing the course,” said Rick Nealis, the marathon’s race director. Now, the Marine Corps wants those medals back. And the founder of JeansMarines — who assisted with the shortcut — has written members asking any runners who did not fully complete the entire 42-kilometre course to return them.

“. . . I feel at this point that we are . . . obliged to maintain the integrity and the unfaltering spirit of JeansMarines,” wrote Dr. Jean Marmoreo in an email. “ In order to do this, I believe we have no recourse other than to return any medal that doesn’t represent the total distance in the specified seven hour time limit.”

On Oct. 30, just over 20,000 people crossed the starting line for the 30th annual Marine Corps Marathon. Among them were about 225 members of JeansMarines — a group whose motto is “ Yes, ma’am. You can do a marathon.”

Nearly all of the 225 were women — some of whom had never run a marathon but had trained to walk or run this event. Ahead of them lay a course with strict time limits: finish the 26.2 miles in seven hours or you’re out; reach the 14th street bridge within 51⁄ hours or you’re out. Such rules aren’t typical for marathons.

There’s no cash prize in this, also known as “The People’s Marathon.” But there’s a reward when you cross the finish line: a treasured “ finisher’s medal,” is placed around the neck of every successful participant. Under the guidance of founder Marmoreo, some of the slowest runners were encouraged to take a shortcut. They left the route and rejoined it, shaving off several miles and ensuring that they would be able to reach the key bridge and finish the event within the seven- hour limit.

“ Beating the bridge becomes a big, big, big goal for the slower runners and the walkers,” said JeansMarines spokesperson Bob Ramsay, Marmoreo’s husband. But Ramsay insists they’re not the first to cut this particular corner. At least one charity has used the same shortcut in the past and did so again this year, he said.

“ There’s ( historically) been an informal ‘ Don’t ask, don’t tell’ system to get those (slowest) people to the bridge. There’s a couple of places where you can cross a street and go from mile 14 to mile 17,” he said. So they did it. And they were seen.

“ Runners spotted people running across the Washington Monument Mall,” said race director Nealis. It wasn’t long before he was receiving emails about the incident — and others were posting on runner’s forums about witnessing both JeansMarines and a leukemia support group breaking the rules.

“ They may have made it to the finish line, but they DID NOT complete a marathon. They may have received a medal, but they DID NOT earn it,” wrote a poster calling herself Fiona11 on the runnersworld. com website. Ramsay, though admitting what JeansMarines did was wrong, said the motives were pure.

“ One of the people ( taken on the shortcut) is severely mentally retarded. And that person was taken across and finished and got his medal and is proud as punch.”

Well, okay. Observers might sympathize with the temptation to assist someone with developmental challenges. But taking eight or nine people on a forbidden shortcut?

“ Her ( Marmoreo’s) only desire was to help her slowest little birds make it to the finish line,” Ramsay said yesterday. He said his wife was feeling pretty crummy about the whole affair, and would not be available for comment. But others who have run in the event expressed sadness.

“ Jean is a dear lady, but perhaps a victim of her own success,” said one Marine Corps marathoner. “ She’s encouraged so many women to take up running, the ranks now include people who just aren’t able to do a full marathon.” Race organizer Nealis said he will soon have data showing where people skipped the route.

Computer chips tied in

every runner’s laces

must pass over sensors

in “ magic mats” placed

along the course.

Nealis also said members of JeansMarines

weren’t the only ones

to skirt the rules. Between 150 and 200 others finished without following the full course, he said.

“ The only reason they would cheat is just personal bragging rights — which you gotta live with. They know if they ran 26 miles or not. One day they’ve got to look their grandchildren in the eye and say ‘ I know what I did and didn’t deserve that ( medal),’ ” he said.

JeansMarines says it has contacted its sponsors, which include such heavyweights as Scotiabank, PowerBar and Sporting Life, to explain what happened and assure them it won’t happen again. “We have learned a lesson, which is not everyone can ( train to) run a marathon — at least in one year,” said Ramsay.

“ We have admitted fault. And we’ve done what we can to make it better.”