The marathon detective who nabbed a cheating runner who later killed himself in shame says he’d do it again.
“It was such an egregious case, I can’t imagine I wouldn’t have reported on it,” Derek Murphy told The Post. “But I always exercise caution. I look for true intent.”
Sunday’s New York City Marathon recalls some of the darker chapters in the history of such grueling races, and the shortcuts that some seek in the quest for glory.
In March, a 70-year-old retired physician named Frank Meza ran the Los Angeles Marathon and finished in an amazing two hours, 53 minutes and 10 seconds — a world record for his age group.
But after online sleuths, including Murphy, questioned Meza’s time based on his race history, marathon officials investigated and ruled that he had cut the course.
In May, Murphy reported Meza’s history of questionable finishing times and disqualifications. To bolster his case, he posted a photo of Meza riding a bike on the San Francisco Marathon course in 2014.
Meza denied the accusations. In July he committed suicide. His family blames his death on online bullying.
Murphy, 48, who runs MarathonInvestigation.com, a site dedicated to busting cheaters, says he is fair.
“If I am writing about someone, I always reach out to give them a chance to come clean or have an answer.”
After Meza’s death, Murphy issued a statement expressing condolences and called for readers of his site to be “respectful.” He has also tweaked the way he works.
Murphy said he now will write less frequently about any one individual, and he bans harassment.
“I’ve always been stringent about comments on Facebook, but now I have a zero tolerance,” he said. “I am quicker to remove members from my page.”
It’s impossible to say if cheating in road racing is on the rise, but busting cheats has become its own sport thanks to Murphy, a marathoner who created his site as a hobby in 2015, as well as running coach Jonathan Cane and forums on LetsRun.com.
Murphy especially digs for red flags in races that qualify runners for the Boston Marathon.
On Sunday all eyes will be on the streets of New York City, which draw more than 50,000 participants. In 1979, Rosie Ruiz became its most famous cheater when she placed 11th among women — but was later exposed for taking the subway to the finish line.
To prevent rogues, New York Road Runners uses an algorithm to flag suspicious results. They also consult cameras along the course and lay down timing mats for runners to step on at every mile.
