Reality Races and Virtual Races -- Cheating Occurs in Both

Since the Coronavirus began to grip the world early in 2020, the majority of running events have been cancelled or postponed -- including the 2020 Olympic Games. As a result, numerous "virtual" running races have popped up to help restless runners log miles and compete. Although those miles are typically run around community running tracks and local roads or trails, many runners have jumped into the virtual racing world. It may be some time before runners can be shoulder to shoulder on a starting line to begin a race -- the reality of racing that the world has known for centuries. Until then, virtual racing seems to be gaining momentum. However, cheating in a virtual race can occur -- and has.

One runner who is participating in a four-month virtual run across Tennessee (1,000 km) recently posted online: "I have been posting my mileage every day that I run, which has been almost every day since the beginning of May and I have noticed that there are days where I am tempted to put some cheat miles in the log." I've written before in this blog about runners who have either been caught cheating or who have admitted cheating:

• Some People Cheat in Order to Claim a Run Across America
• New Zealand Long-distance Runner Falsely Claims World Record
• Cheating in Running Races is Becoming an Increasing Global Problem

Where did all of this cheating begin in running events? Some point to 124 years ago. In 1896, the inaugural Games of the modern Olympics were attended by as many as 280 athletes (all male) from 12 countries. Spiridon Belokas was one of them. Belokas was a Greek athlete who competed in the marathon during the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Belokas crossed the finish line in third place, but was later found to have covered part of the race course by carriage rather than on foot. Ultimately, he was disqualified. So, was Belokas actually the first cheater in a running race? Likely not.

Cheating has a long and dark history in sports, and as we navigate through the growing popularity of virtual races it's important to keep in mind that in many ways it can be easier to cheat virtually than it is to cheat in reality.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past