Yanno, I've seen people cheat in 5ks and 10ks. They take shortcuts when no one is looking and they beam with delight when they get an award. I just beam with delight knowing I didn't get an award but I finished it honestly.
I understand the point of race officials allowing patients who are recovering from life-threatening illnesses a different/easier route - especially designed, but that particular race was not for that purpose.
When I do something, I want to do it honestly, regardless of the outcome. My reward is completion, not necessarily competition. Certainly, it is nice to have a ribbon to hang up (a participation one or the race number/jersey/t-shirt would suffice in my instance), but how does one look at a ribbon, knowing they cheated.
I think, also, of that woman a number of years back who cheated on, I believe it was, the Boston Marathon, stealing the "rights" of the person who actually did the distance and would have won if that person had not short-cutted her way to the victory tape. It was apparently discovered later, but winning was not the same. The moment was stolen.
Comment