Bandit racing

search for my name and bandit, I posted on this last week.  I rode a century last Sat where only two of us out of five actually registered (the other guy said "I'd feel like a scmhuck all day".  The others, in fact, took water at aid stations, some foood, and one even got sag support.

Most races support a charity.  They all have insurance.  Most provide some sort of food.  Most have security and or police they have to pay to close roads/provide access.  Some have sag wagons

If you bandit a race and in any way take part in these benefits it is wrong and, in my opinion stealing from the RDs.  If, on the other hand, you are riding or running on roads open to the public, then it's technically OK.  How often have we been running or riding and we've come across people with bib numbers?  It happens, but there's a difference between being out for your "usual" run or ride and passing through a race and actually banditing.

For example, on Thanksgiving I was doing a 13 mile training run in prep for my first half mary.  I set up the route so I would run the same course as the 3 mile turkey trot on streets where my friends were running.  I ran through the start after it had all started, and saw some friends, ran through the finish area and kept going.  Took no aid.  Although the streets were closed to cars, I could have run on the sidewalk.  Was that banditing?  I don't think so, but others may differ.

I don't like it. I like it a lot less if you take anything from the aid stations.

And FWIW, I think banditing a non-competitve bike ride is different from banditing a road race. In road races, the roads are closed for the participants; in rides, the roads are open to anyone.

I hear ya on that.  If I were even going to consider it I would have done it being 100% self sufficient. 

I think the main reason that I'm not comfortable with it as an intentional act is that I could completely ruin the whole situation for a lot of people if I were to have some kind of accident or medical emergency while on the course.  Unlikely, sure, but possible.

That situation is rolling the dice.  Taking aid from aid stations is out and out theft as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry I missed your thread last week, Chris.

I've tried to look at it from all angles, but am unable to come away with anything but "... banditing a race is stealing".

When stripped down to the basics, a banditeer is enjoying the fruits of something that other people have paid for ... even if assistance is not taken at aid stations. 

Before I was an athlete at all (feels like a different life!), I lived in Boston.  Seems like tons of friends and acquaintances -- including people who were otherwise honest, who would go back to correct a cashier that had overchanged them, that kind of thing -- had bandited the Boston marathon at least once.  Some people did it every year.  So it seemed "normal" to me.  I didn't know the difference: it seemed people either "ran bandit" or landed a charity slot and raised tons of money.  "Qualifying" was some distant blurry concept in my mind, didn't describe anyone i knew.

Now that I know what goes into putting on races and rides, I would never find that acceptable.  Banditry = stealing = not okay.  That guy who took sag support on the ride - DUDE!  He needs to REPENT, pay his reg fee retroactively, AND volunteer to drive the sag van all day next year. 

Todd - is it legal to sell your bib?  If it is and you're serious I'll pay you the registration fee.  I could do it slow as a training run, I'm just not in condition to race it.

Otherwise I'll see you out there cuz we'll be cheering you on.  I'm bringing my cowbells!

Yeah, but I'm asking if it is legal as in maybe he can email or phone the RD and tell him he's got an injury but he has someone who will buy the registration - can we switch?  Something like that.  Again, that is if he wants to. 

If you really want to beat Chris then maybe you will know someone who will be at the race who would accept a large amount of money to sabotage his race.  It would have to be a really large amount of money.  Just sayin'.

Seriously, I think he's doing a 15K run the day before out at the state park.  At least that's the routine he did last year.  He's an animal.

No.

If I didn't pay to participate, I don't participate.

I also don't jump subway turnstiles or sneak into movies I didn't pay for.

Don't pay don't play!! Do you cheat or draft also?  Most of the races are raising money for good causes so support them if you are going to race.  If you were not able to get in the race because it filled up that to bad, register early next time.

I don't want to be rude but I hate cheaters and I have been cheated in the past.