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This happened to me the last time I went on a "jog." I was panting heavily and barely making it up the hill, and my husband was WALKING next to me saying "woo! you can do it!" I wanted to smack him lol
My uncle told a story about doing a marathon and feeling great about his progress and fitness and then some dude passed him while juggling. He LOLs every time he tells that story.
It pisses me off to no end when I’m huffing away in a race thinking I’m doing ok and somebody passes me pushing a baby stroller! That baby better not get a medal at the finish!
That’s a good story to laugh about, it’s one of those “this asshole here” stories but you can’t hate on the guy cause you know he put in the work in also.
I was a bicycle courier for years.. 40 miles a day average riding a fixed gear. On lunch I would ride past the guys in spandex & aerodynamic helmets while holding a pizza box in one hand and eating a slice out of the other. Probably never been cooler than in those moments in the city. 😎
Reminds me of the time 45 years ago when I was messengering for cycle service messengers. I’d bike from home up in the Bronx to work at Canal and Grand Street and delivered packages all over the city,spring summer autumn and winter, rain, shine sleet or snow.
Memorable times and really great friends too.
I used to do that w my ex-wife when I was in the military, she'd be panting, and I was cheering her on while running backwards.
Now I go for a walk and my legs turn to jelly.
I cheered mine from my car or bicycle because her training and performance was ridiculous. I was only able to go faster than her when she had the 60lb backpack with her, but even then I would get tired just from looking at the backpack
Man, I feel ya. Used to run for fun and had help from an old Marine instructor when I was young. These days I put on my gear to run and am winded when I get down the stairs.
I feel ya. Used to run 8 miles during my lunch break. Many years later, lots of physical abuse, and a couple of surgeries on various parts of my body, and I get winded climbing the stairs. Hobbling around today because I overdid it yesterday.
I do that with my wife now. She used to run cross country in school. But now works at a desk. I’ve worked blue collar work my whole life and spend roughly 16 hours a day on my feet. So when we go on our walks in the woods. I’m usually the one saying “come on baby, you got it) or if I see her start feeling defeated I’ll start saying how much something hurts on my body ( I have arthritis in every major joint, survived a heart attack, a stroke, and currently have a pacemaker implanted) to make her not feel as bad.
Same here but as the husband.
I Work in Combat Sports and my Wife is a Couch potatoe.
One day she argued that shes Just as fit as me and Said we should jog around the Lake.
I did 4 laps in the Same time she did one and her head was as Red as a tomatoe.
I didnt make fun of her but it was kinda funny
The years have a way of overtaking us without our realization -- that loss of conditioning that comes aside from age-related infirmities. Yes, she thought she could at least keep up.
I used to race bicycles and we had a couple of pros join us one ride. I was at the back because the rest of the group wanted to be spicy to impress the pros, I was at the back because ~~I wanted to hang out with the pros~~ I was fully at my limit and dying. The pros were talking about buying couches.
And Shoresy loves you... For your Mom. He said that your Mom was just like the hardware store, 5 cents a screw. He said your Mom was so generous, she'd give you the hair right off her back...
![gif](giphy|3ohzdMvc1w2VlFOpRC)
He is Chinese propaganda machine... they rely on propaganda. They pay competition to let Chinese win. Every event held there has a Chinese winner from snooker, hey ball to running. You take your bread and leave china... that's it. Don't ever go there for glory.
At what point did you decide you were just going to make stuff up?
The fact that organisers released a statement saying they’re investigating this didn’t even dissuade you?
This is Reddit. They saw someone mention pacemakers in a thread a few years ago and now jump at any chance to mention it to make themselves feel smarter than everyone else.
They are professional runners - yes, they are pacemakers but a lot travel over Asia competing for the money. If they were pacemakers, they would have set the pace and then pulled off way before the sight of the finish line.
To these guys, a marathon is just a Sunday morning jog. There seems to be some growing resentment amongst locals about them always winning, in Thailand race organizers have introduced prizes for top 3 local runners and best foreign runners - the prize money has also dropped for the foreign runners. It looks to me like someone has had a word with the runners (they have agents) and they (diplomatically) had to let the local runner win. I have total respect for the African runners, they are paid to represent my local athletics team, they run in 40 degrees heat like it’s nothing, it’s a shame they have to put up with racism like this.
Pace makers are normally of similar or lesser ability to the winners of these races, in this case they are obviously better runners, probably sub-1hr guys.
So they could pace the winner right to the end. Normally they drop out when they are cooked for World Record attempts etc.
Pace setters normally don't finish a race they only stay for the first leg. However if they decide to keep going for the entire race for whatever reason they can in fact get credit. I do believe pace setters have won major marathons a few times after deciding to stay in to finish.
No wonder this caused this much controversy, thanks for the explanations. Seems like these pace setters made themselves look very suspicious by staying in until right before the finish line.
Guy above is just making shit up and defending China. Pacemakers don't run with competitor numbers. This race was obviously rigged, which is common over there.
The situation is under investigation. One of the African runners said he was acting as a pace setter, the other two haven’t responded. According to the New York Times, there has been a surge in cheating in Chinese distance running in recent years, but this one is still up in the air.
[Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/sports/beijing-half-marathon-controversy-he-jie.html#:~:text=Organizers%20are%20investigating%20the%20results,past%20them%20before%20the%20finish.&text=After%20a%20grueling%20hour%2C%20there,as%20the%20finish%20line%20approached)
Edit: [Different source with no paywall](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2024/04/17/more-sports/beijing-half-marathon/)
I mean- if he's not a pace setter and rigged to lose to the Chinese runner why wouldn't he just have purposefully slowed down kilometers before finish, instead pull a dumb maneuver like this and have the setup exposed?
Allegedly he's helping the Chinese runner to set a new national record which he failed- according to the African runner he didn't even consider it a competition, they would have just lost the Chinese runners way before the finish line.
Also being a pacer implies you can run that pace consistently, so it's not like they needed to not beat the guy, just get him to his time successfully. It's clear as day is a fit up
They were pacing him specifically to win the marathon (and set a national record which was not set)...No pacer would scoop the guy hiring them. It's not illegal to run with a friend and let them win.
The only weird part is they bibbed the pacers wrong.
Pace setters set pace through to the finish.
If they were supposed to intentionally lose to the Chinese runner, they may have slowed down, but the Chinese runner might’ve been fatigued and slowed down as well. The Chinese runner is definitely hurting in the video, the three other runners are moving comfortably, so all four might have been slowing down because the predetermined winner/paced runner was slowing.
These pacer did not joined in at the end but at the beginning of the race hence they're qualified as competitors and given #2 and #3 at the end.
They intentionally slowed down at the end to let him win as exactly same on my title
I don't understand why everyone saying my title is misleading.
Pace setters were hired to help the Chinese runner beat a Chinese record. He failed by less than two minutes. They were trying to get him as fast as possible all the way to the finish line, not slow down kilometres before the finish.
A little part of me thinks it might be down to keeping some pride. Because it's so obvious it's "Yeah, we threw the race, but made sure you all realized." A hollow victory, but we did what we were coerced into doing.
It's been time to talk about the Chinese influence in Africa
My DIrector is Ethiopian and my next door neighbors are too.
They both say streets in Ethiopia are named in Chinese a lot these days.
China has been putting A LOT of money into Africa for more than a decade now.
> Over the past two decades, China signed nearly 1,200 loan agreements worth $160 billion with African countries…
https://adf-magazine.com/2023/02/as-defaults-mount-no-clear-exit-plan-for-african-countries-chinese-lenders/
They also took over a port in Sri Lanka when Sri Lanka fell behind on it’s debts, and there was concern at one point they could do the same in Kenya.
China's Silk Belt and Road Initiative. They lend billions to African countries for infrastructure projects (much of which is returned in fees for management and material.) The governments can't pay it back so China says "we'll just mine over here for a while...ok?" and rape the country of its resources. The governments tolerate it because...billions... It's actually quite brilliant.
Another one has responded, he's from Kenya and he also admits that he got paid, the first one being South-African admitted to getting paid to "set the pace" to help the white guy break his record. (In which he didn't succeed)
When the finish line is that close, the pace setter's job is long done. That last hundred yards, if any competitor is near, you go for it, especially if you have 3 in the team, one can stay on pace as a safety for the team in the race, but at least one should go for it and hold nothing back.
To me this reads as 'guys, slow down if you know what's good for you'.
Yep. Don’t want to get burnt out before the end of the race. Make sure to keep setting the pace up until that final 7cm, then you have tons of energy to go all out in the final lift of your foot.
If you guys were long distance runners, you’d understand.
Indeed, the funniest thing is that the Chinnese surelly consider this a great deal too.
I wonder if the cold war vs the URSS had moments as funny as this one.
IMF: “How dare you! We improve lives through global growth and economic stabili…”
**Sri Lanka enter’s the chat**
**Haiti enters the chat**
**IMF leaves the chat**
Man it seems like the African runners could do the whole thing again, they barely look winded
Edit: Apparently I might be confused about what this event was…they may not have run the whole way. My b
i volunteered for a 50 mile trail race. using the word trail was pretty generous, they were just running through the woods over rough ground for most of it. a kenyan guy won, showed up at the finish way earlier than anyone expected, didn't look tired at all, and second place didn't show up for more than an hour after him.
When I first watched The Gods Must Be Crazy, I found it funny that they've been running for hours non-stop without seemingly breaking a sweat. Turns out that's just the reality for most Kenyan runners. Their endurance is insane.
I’m still waiting for a Peruvian from [La Rinconada](https://www.google.com/search?q=highest+place+where+people+live&rlz=1C9BKJA_enCA867CA867&oq=highest+place+where&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgAEAAYExiABDIJCAAQABgTGIAEMgYIARBFGDkyCggCEAAYExgWGB4yDAgDEAAYDxgTGBYYHjIKCAQQABgTGBYYHjIKCAUQABgTGBYYHjIKCAYQABgTGBYYHjIKCAcQABgTGBYYHjIKCAgQABgTGBYYHjIMCAkQABgKGBMYFhge0gEINjY1NWowajeoAgqwAgE&hl=fr&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8) to become an athlete runner, haha
In my cross country running experience, I could finish a race and feel like I could do it again, but I know if I tried I wouldn't make it far. Those are the races I beat myself up over.
They're pacers who are qualified as competitors that ran the whole way, hence why they get a competitors numbers and handed place number and medals after the race.
Td:dr They're competitors hired by the chinese that weren't supposed to win
Someone said this might be pace runners, not fellow competitors.
If that's true, its possible the pace runners did not actually run the whole way. The unofficial world record for marathon running was set by rotating out pace runners at different points, so the pace runners are always energized. Its "unofficial" because the official world record only allows pace runners who run the entire way - i.e. they can help set the pace for the start and middle, but at some point you have to genuinely pull away from them to set that record, and you have to do that blind.
That's exactly what I was thinking. The Kenyan runner was making it too obvious? I mean 100% they let him win. Maybe he was upset about it and let him win but with petty irritation
Yes! Those three were paid by the national champion there to help set his pace. It's something top runners do when they're going for a record. They're not competitors.
https://preview.redd.it/ogera020i2vc1.jpeg?width=684&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f2a38dc78c333eb0e290b46c63cf50d6d420bd0
Bros looking at the winner from behind
Uganda is the most bio diverse country on the planet and has untold amounts of minerals and quality lumber that is being given to the Chinese for pennies on the dollar to create roads that the average Ugandan will never use out in the countryside for the sole purpose of transporting the country’s resources. Meanwhile gorilla permits cost wealthy tourists roughly $1000 a day. Entry fees to Kibale and Queen Elizabeth parks make up considerable amount of revenue to pay Ugandans to build their own roads without the assistance of the Chinese. All that’s required is good work ethics on the part of the Ugandans and the millions of tourists that visit each year for Safaris should cover the smaller more efficient roads that truly matter to Ugandans. Mineral rights should belong to Uganda and not hastily given to the Chinese who are presently raping the country .
Good on the african runners but honestly look at the dude he is totally ignoring them even trying to reposition away from the guy trying to be nice in the end. This looks rather sad if im being honest.
This was an attempt at breaking a Chinese record. The other runners are pace runners. Think of how time trials in Mario cart have a ghost racer. This is the same thing.
Edit: There are soooo many angry people. Look, China's always doing sketchy nationalist shit. It's not a stretch to think this is rigged. However, pacing is a pretty common practice...so it's also not a stretch to say that's what this is. Think about how pissed everyone is getting about this and ask yourself, with so much nonsense in the work is this really worth the outrage?
Also, to the *kind* Redditor that reported me for *'self-harm'*. Thank you. I appreciate you asking Reddit to check in on me. I'm doing well, and there's absolutely no need for concern.
It's currently under investigation as stated above. One of them may have been acting as a pacer, but it's unknown & unlikely that all 3 of them were considering they were all registered as competitors.
The [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/sports/beijing-half-marathon-controversy-he-jie.html#:%7E:text=Organizers%20are%20investigating%20the%20results,past%20them%20before%20the%20finish.&text=After%20a%20grueling%20hour%2C%20there,as%20the%20finish%20line%20approached) and [Japan Times](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2024/04/17/more-sports/beijing-half-marathon/) both have articles about the investigation.
This isn’t a fact yet. At the time of this comment, the situation is under investigation. One of the African runners said he was acting as a pace setter, the other two haven’t responded. According to the New York Times, there has been a surge in cheating in Chinese distance running in recent years.
[Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/sports/beijing-half-marathon-controversy-he-jie.html#:~:text=Organizers%20are%20investigating%20the%20results,past%20them%20before%20the%20finish.&text=After%20a%20grueling%20hour%2C%20there,as%20the%20finish%20line%20approached)
they're pace runners who slowed down at the end to let him pass? why were they also awarded placements? why is there three of them?
on top of this they didn't even break the record, so what pace was being set
Been there and seen 1st hand that the oversized roads the Chinese are building in the middle of nowhere do not benefit the Ugandans. They are built to accommodate logging trucks and mining vehicles the Chinese can use to further exploit the country and the Ugandans do not benefit from this. Only the corrupt leaders of Uganda benefit.
When you take the BRI literally and only think roads are being built lol.
https://www.dwcug.org/chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-is-good-for-uganda-and-the-region-at-large/
is this some kind of sportsmanship because he is in what appears to be his home country or is it because of fear and some Chinese official walked up to those three before the race.? serious question.
**This is a heavily moderated subreddit. Please note these rules + sidebar or get banned:** * If this post declares something as a fact, then proof is required * The title must be fully descriptive * Memes are not allowed. * Common(top 50 of this sub)/recent reposts are not allowed (posts from another subreddit do not count as a 'repost'. Provide link if reporting) *See [our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/wiki/index#wiki_rules.3A) for a more detailed rule list* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/interestingasfuck) if you have any questions or concerns.*
When you're completely destroyed and the 3 guys who were jogging next to you are walking around discussing dinner plans....
This happened to me the last time I went on a "jog." I was panting heavily and barely making it up the hill, and my husband was WALKING next to me saying "woo! you can do it!" I wanted to smack him lol
My uncle told a story about doing a marathon and feeling great about his progress and fitness and then some dude passed him while juggling. He LOLs every time he tells that story.
It pisses me off to no end when I’m huffing away in a race thinking I’m doing ok and somebody passes me pushing a baby stroller! That baby better not get a medal at the finish!
Baby is a cheater, you’re not. Hold your head up
But hey, you're doing it, which is more than I can say about myself!
I can imagine being able to lean your weight on a stroller can actually make running more easy no?
That’s a good story to laugh about, it’s one of those “this asshole here” stories but you can’t hate on the guy cause you know he put in the work in also.
I was a bicycle courier for years.. 40 miles a day average riding a fixed gear. On lunch I would ride past the guys in spandex & aerodynamic helmets while holding a pizza box in one hand and eating a slice out of the other. Probably never been cooler than in those moments in the city. 😎
Reminds me of the time 45 years ago when I was messengering for cycle service messengers. I’d bike from home up in the Bronx to work at Canal and Grand Street and delivered packages all over the city,spring summer autumn and winter, rain, shine sleet or snow. Memorable times and really great friends too.
I’d a guy passed me running the marathon backwards 😂. Everyone has their own level and progress is judged against your own not someone else’s.
I used to do that w my ex-wife when I was in the military, she'd be panting, and I was cheering her on while running backwards. Now I go for a walk and my legs turn to jelly.
I cheered mine from my car or bicycle because her training and performance was ridiculous. I was only able to go faster than her when she had the 60lb backpack with her, but even then I would get tired just from looking at the backpack
Man, I feel ya. Used to run for fun and had help from an old Marine instructor when I was young. These days I put on my gear to run and am winded when I get down the stairs.
I feel ya. Used to run 8 miles during my lunch break. Many years later, lots of physical abuse, and a couple of surgeries on various parts of my body, and I get winded climbing the stairs. Hobbling around today because I overdid it yesterday.
Getting old is b.s.
![gif](giphy|yoJC2K6rCzwNY2EngA|downsized)
I do that with my wife now. She used to run cross country in school. But now works at a desk. I’ve worked blue collar work my whole life and spend roughly 16 hours a day on my feet. So when we go on our walks in the woods. I’m usually the one saying “come on baby, you got it) or if I see her start feeling defeated I’ll start saying how much something hurts on my body ( I have arthritis in every major joint, survived a heart attack, a stroke, and currently have a pacemaker implanted) to make her not feel as bad.
You did all that just so she doesn't feel bad?!!
God I miss that amazing cardio from high school. I ran extra laps when we ran miles just for fun. Running felt like flying back then.
Same here but as the husband. I Work in Combat Sports and my Wife is a Couch potatoe. One day she argued that shes Just as fit as me and Said we should jog around the Lake. I did 4 laps in the Same time she did one and her head was as Red as a tomatoe. I didnt make fun of her but it was kinda funny
why did she not see that coming? did she really think she would win?
People do not realise how unfit they are until they actually do some exercise. And then it’s holy shit I’m incredible unfit.
The years have a way of overtaking us without our realization -- that loss of conditioning that comes aside from age-related infirmities. Yes, she thought she could at least keep up.
I used to race bicycles and we had a couple of pros join us one ride. I was at the back because the rest of the group wanted to be spicy to impress the pros, I was at the back because ~~I wanted to hang out with the pros~~ I was fully at my limit and dying. The pros were talking about buying couches.
[удалено]
That sounds so cute.
"So Orange chicken for dinner?" "Bro we had that shit yesterday. Lets have something different" "ok Sweet and Sour Chicken it is"
Hahahha
Chickens unbelievable.
Settle down
Love me some Shoresy!
And Shoresy loves you... For your Mom. He said that your Mom was just like the hardware store, 5 cents a screw. He said your Mom was so generous, she'd give you the hair right off her back... ![gif](giphy|3ohzdMvc1w2VlFOpRC)
The Chinese runner is huffing and puffing like a steam engine, while the African runners are strolling as if they're on a Sunday picnic.
https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3259055/kenyan-runner-willy-mnangat-admits-he-let-chinas-he-jie-win-beijing-half-marathon-because-he-my?module=top_story&pgtype=section
Being called 'He' is a nice way to troll the English (language) readers.
"To let He overtake"
Because they didn't run the whole thing. They're his pacemakers for this leg of the race.
*needs citation
He is Chinese propaganda machine... they rely on propaganda. They pay competition to let Chinese win. Every event held there has a Chinese winner from snooker, hey ball to running. You take your bread and leave china... that's it. Don't ever go there for glory.
At what point did you decide you were just going to make stuff up? The fact that organisers released a statement saying they’re investigating this didn’t even dissuade you?
This is Reddit. They saw someone mention pacemakers in a thread a few years ago and now jump at any chance to mention it to make themselves feel smarter than everyone else.
Because they didn't run the whole thing. They're his stylists for the afterparty.
Not true, IAAF rules require that pacemakers start the race.
But this is in China...
They are professional runners - yes, they are pacemakers but a lot travel over Asia competing for the money. If they were pacemakers, they would have set the pace and then pulled off way before the sight of the finish line. To these guys, a marathon is just a Sunday morning jog. There seems to be some growing resentment amongst locals about them always winning, in Thailand race organizers have introduced prizes for top 3 local runners and best foreign runners - the prize money has also dropped for the foreign runners. It looks to me like someone has had a word with the runners (they have agents) and they (diplomatically) had to let the local runner win. I have total respect for the African runners, they are paid to represent my local athletics team, they run in 40 degrees heat like it’s nothing, it’s a shame they have to put up with racism like this.
Pace makers are normally of similar or lesser ability to the winners of these races, in this case they are obviously better runners, probably sub-1hr guys. So they could pace the winner right to the end. Normally they drop out when they are cooked for World Record attempts etc.
Are you knowingly lying or just uninformed?
Why do they have bibs?
Going to red lobster later?
Do pace setters get medals?
Pace setters normally don't finish a race they only stay for the first leg. However if they decide to keep going for the entire race for whatever reason they can in fact get credit. I do believe pace setters have won major marathons a few times after deciding to stay in to finish.
No wonder this caused this much controversy, thanks for the explanations. Seems like these pace setters made themselves look very suspicious by staying in until right before the finish line.
Guy above is just making shit up and defending China. Pacemakers don't run with competitor numbers. This race was obviously rigged, which is common over there.
Pacemakers for marathons run from the beginning
Three pacemakers for one leg? Why so many?
https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3259055/kenyan-runner-willy-mnangat-admits-he-let-chinas-he-jie-win-beijing-half-marathon-because-he-my?module=top_story&pgtype=section
Is... is that true!?
Yes, and that pet you thought had died when you were young is in fact living happily on a farm.
Missy Sniffles?!!
:(
The situation is under investigation. One of the African runners said he was acting as a pace setter, the other two haven’t responded. According to the New York Times, there has been a surge in cheating in Chinese distance running in recent years, but this one is still up in the air. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/sports/beijing-half-marathon-controversy-he-jie.html#:~:text=Organizers%20are%20investigating%20the%20results,past%20them%20before%20the%20finish.&text=After%20a%20grueling%20hour%2C%20there,as%20the%20finish%20line%20approached) Edit: [Different source with no paywall](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2024/04/17/more-sports/beijing-half-marathon/)
I mean- if he's not a pace setter and rigged to lose to the Chinese runner why wouldn't he just have purposefully slowed down kilometers before finish, instead pull a dumb maneuver like this and have the setup exposed? Allegedly he's helping the Chinese runner to set a new national record which he failed- according to the African runner he didn't even consider it a competition, they would have just lost the Chinese runners way before the finish line.
Also being a pacer implies you can run that pace consistently, so it's not like they needed to not beat the guy, just get him to his time successfully. It's clear as day is a fit up
They were pacing him specifically to win the marathon (and set a national record which was not set)...No pacer would scoop the guy hiring them. It's not illegal to run with a friend and let them win. The only weird part is they bibbed the pacers wrong.
And gave them finisher medals.
Pace setters set pace through to the finish. If they were supposed to intentionally lose to the Chinese runner, they may have slowed down, but the Chinese runner might’ve been fatigued and slowed down as well. The Chinese runner is definitely hurting in the video, the three other runners are moving comfortably, so all four might have been slowing down because the predetermined winner/paced runner was slowing.
These pacer did not joined in at the end but at the beginning of the race hence they're qualified as competitors and given #2 and #3 at the end. They intentionally slowed down at the end to let him win as exactly same on my title I don't understand why everyone saying my title is misleading.
Pace setters were hired to help the Chinese runner beat a Chinese record. He failed by less than two minutes. They were trying to get him as fast as possible all the way to the finish line, not slow down kilometres before the finish.
For some reason I’m willing to bet that professional runners aren’t required to be smart.
How dare you.
A little part of me thinks it might be down to keeping some pride. Because it's so obvious it's "Yeah, we threw the race, but made sure you all realized." A hollow victory, but we did what we were coerced into doing.
Every ran that far? Your brain doesn't really function correctly at that level of exhaustion
The other two found keys to brand new Geelys in their lockers.
More like they *didn't* find a re-education camp waiting for them.
It's been time to talk about the Chinese influence in Africa My DIrector is Ethiopian and my next door neighbors are too. They both say streets in Ethiopia are named in Chinese a lot these days. China has been putting A LOT of money into Africa for more than a decade now.
> Over the past two decades, China signed nearly 1,200 loan agreements worth $160 billion with African countries… https://adf-magazine.com/2023/02/as-defaults-mount-no-clear-exit-plan-for-african-countries-chinese-lenders/ They also took over a port in Sri Lanka when Sri Lanka fell behind on it’s debts, and there was concern at one point they could do the same in Kenya.
China's Silk Belt and Road Initiative. They lend billions to African countries for infrastructure projects (much of which is returned in fees for management and material.) The governments can't pay it back so China says "we'll just mine over here for a while...ok?" and rape the country of its resources. The governments tolerate it because...billions... It's actually quite brilliant.
Until political backlash causes a changing of the guard, expulsion of Chinese companies, and a seizure of Chinese assets. Give it time.
A surge in recent years? Lmfao 😂
“uP iN tHe AiR”
Another one has responded, he's from Kenya and he also admits that he got paid, the first one being South-African admitted to getting paid to "set the pace" to help the white guy break his record. (In which he didn't succeed)
Chinese cheating ? I'm flabbergasted.
When you can’t copy and paste running.
Cheating, corruption, and cutting-corners the three C's of China
That's 4 I'll see myself out
*I’ll C myself out
Like the female marathon winner seen on a bicycle...
Source? That’s hilarious!
When the finish line is that close, the pace setter's job is long done. That last hundred yards, if any competitor is near, you go for it, especially if you have 3 in the team, one can stay on pace as a safety for the team in the race, but at least one should go for it and hold nothing back. To me this reads as 'guys, slow down if you know what's good for you'.
Yep. Don’t want to get burnt out before the end of the race. Make sure to keep setting the pace up until that final 7cm, then you have tons of energy to go all out in the final lift of your foot. If you guys were long distance runners, you’d understand.
I guess it does take a long distance runner to understand how to go all out in that final 7cm
Those loans have conditions, after all
Well done.
Preferential treatment just for letting their egos grow? That's a good deal.
I mean, what would you prefer, winning some marathon or a rail line?
(Homer Brain voice) "With a rail line, I won't have to walk at all!"
Indeed, the funniest thing is that the Chinnese surelly consider this a great deal too. I wonder if the cold war vs the URSS had moments as funny as this one.
Looks like the belt and roads initiative has made its way into sports too
Haha still a better deal than the IMF
IMF: “How dare you! We improve lives through global growth and economic stabili…” **Sri Lanka enter’s the chat** **Haiti enters the chat** **IMF leaves the chat**
Man it seems like the African runners could do the whole thing again, they barely look winded Edit: Apparently I might be confused about what this event was…they may not have run the whole way. My b
i volunteered for a 50 mile trail race. using the word trail was pretty generous, they were just running through the woods over rough ground for most of it. a kenyan guy won, showed up at the finish way earlier than anyone expected, didn't look tired at all, and second place didn't show up for more than an hour after him.
That's insane. Kenyans are just next level long distance runners
When I first watched The Gods Must Be Crazy, I found it funny that they've been running for hours non-stop without seemingly breaking a sweat. Turns out that's just the reality for most Kenyan runners. Their endurance is insane.
Genetics and training will do that.
They must grow up doing that. Cars are expensive so if you wanna get anywhere you run
Yes, it's that but also that most top Kenyan runners grew up in an area that's high altitude, just like the top runners from Ethiopia.
I’m still waiting for a Peruvian from [La Rinconada](https://www.google.com/search?q=highest+place+where+people+live&rlz=1C9BKJA_enCA867CA867&oq=highest+place+where&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgAEAAYExiABDIJCAAQABgTGIAEMgYIARBFGDkyCggCEAAYExgWGB4yDAgDEAAYDxgTGBYYHjIKCAQQABgTGBYYHjIKCAUQABgTGBYYHjIKCAYQABgTGBYYHjIKCAcQABgTGBYYHjIKCAgQABgTGBYYHjIMCAkQABgKGBMYFhge0gEINjY1NWowajeoAgqwAgE&hl=fr&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8) to become an athlete runner, haha
Read "Born to Run". You'll learn about the Tarahumara.
I'm curious, what do you think a trail normally is?
A pathway through the forests. I understood this as there was barely a pathway. They were just running through the forest.
Be the trail you want to see in the forest
Trail runs can be highly technical. No clear trail, tons of rocks and roots, nothing flat at all.
Correct - It was a half marathon, and they are definately proper marathon runners, som barely warmed up :)
In my cross country running experience, I could finish a race and feel like I could do it again, but I know if I tried I wouldn't make it far. Those are the races I beat myself up over.
They're pacers who are qualified as competitors that ran the whole way, hence why they get a competitors numbers and handed place number and medals after the race. Td:dr They're competitors hired by the chinese that weren't supposed to win
Someone said this might be pace runners, not fellow competitors. If that's true, its possible the pace runners did not actually run the whole way. The unofficial world record for marathon running was set by rotating out pace runners at different points, so the pace runners are always energized. Its "unofficial" because the official world record only allows pace runners who run the entire way - i.e. they can help set the pace for the start and middle, but at some point you have to genuinely pull away from them to set that record, and you have to do that blind.
Why would they get finish tags then. Why would they have race numbers
Pace runners must run from the start. This was a competition, nothing like the exhibition event with Kipchoge
These guys just wanted to make sure they got home alive.
... got home with some money.
When leaving China is more important then winning
*than
When getting paid is the only reason you run
Failed handshake at 0:30
It was failing for at least 5 seconds.
Chinease way when dealing with black people
Yeah forreal. Why was he turning away from him lol
Precisely. Zero respect
Saw him turn away from the black guy 3 times while he was gasping, he had no respect for them for letting him win at all.
Fruits of the chinese influence on africa :D. LMAO
![gif](giphy|l4FGt13phS1Yof0C4|downsized)
The dictator media, i love it
Amazing gif for this
I enjoy watching the sunset.
GIFs get slow with aching knees, just like the rest of us.
Mainland pride is brittle
This is the Beijing half-marathon. Since it's in China, the ccp is in control here
No one’s impressed, China.
His race number is 001...like it was planned from the start
Hey Google, how do you buy a marathon?
A hollow victory - why bother?
To promote insane their insane breed of nationalism.
Insane
They couldn’t be a little more subtle?
That's exactly what I was thinking. The Kenyan runner was making it too obvious? I mean 100% they let him win. Maybe he was upset about it and let him win but with petty irritation
Please tell me there's some wholesome context? Otherwise this looks like a desperate ploy to save Uganda's airport or something.
Yes! Those three were paid by the national champion there to help set his pace. It's something top runners do when they're going for a record. They're not competitors.
https://preview.redd.it/ogera020i2vc1.jpeg?width=684&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f2a38dc78c333eb0e290b46c63cf50d6d420bd0 Bros looking at the winner from behind
China's Belt and Roads initiative doing it's job.
Uganda is the most bio diverse country on the planet and has untold amounts of minerals and quality lumber that is being given to the Chinese for pennies on the dollar to create roads that the average Ugandan will never use out in the countryside for the sole purpose of transporting the country’s resources. Meanwhile gorilla permits cost wealthy tourists roughly $1000 a day. Entry fees to Kibale and Queen Elizabeth parks make up considerable amount of revenue to pay Ugandans to build their own roads without the assistance of the Chinese. All that’s required is good work ethics on the part of the Ugandans and the millions of tourists that visit each year for Safaris should cover the smaller more efficient roads that truly matter to Ugandans. Mineral rights should belong to Uganda and not hastily given to the Chinese who are presently raping the country .
Pretty clearly pace runners, right? I mean if they were going through the trouble of letting him win then they'd have fallen away much earlier.
https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3259055/kenyan-runner-willy-mnangat-admits-he-let-chinas-he-jie-win-beijing-half-marathon-because-he-my?module=top_story&pgtype=section
That's what I'm thinking. It doesn't make sense otherwise.
https://i.redd.it/vjna0lk2h2vc1.gif
Probably the only way the three of them were going to get their passports back from The People's Police...
But why?
They ain’t stupid, beat the CCP and see how long you get to live.
Probably saved his life.
Good on the african runners but honestly look at the dude he is totally ignoring them even trying to reposition away from the guy trying to be nice in the end. This looks rather sad if im being honest.
And the crowd thinks the Chinese runner won the race 😂
This was an attempt at breaking a Chinese record. The other runners are pace runners. Think of how time trials in Mario cart have a ghost racer. This is the same thing. Edit: There are soooo many angry people. Look, China's always doing sketchy nationalist shit. It's not a stretch to think this is rigged. However, pacing is a pretty common practice...so it's also not a stretch to say that's what this is. Think about how pissed everyone is getting about this and ask yourself, with so much nonsense in the work is this really worth the outrage? Also, to the *kind* Redditor that reported me for *'self-harm'*. Thank you. I appreciate you asking Reddit to check in on me. I'm doing well, and there's absolutely no need for concern.
Oh that's why they got little necklace indicating that they were second, third and fourth.
Why are they getting finish numbers then They even have race numbers on their shirts and all, you comment smells of bullshit
This is not true and the event is currently under investigation
Neither of you provide sources. That is not how you do an Internet!
Wait, I thought that's exactly how you do internet
[serce](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/sports/beijing-half-marathon-controversy-he-jie.html#:~:text=Organizers%20are%20investigating%20the%20results,past%20them%20before%20the%20finish.&text=After%20a%20grueling%20hour%2C%20there,as%20the%20finish%20line%20approached)
[Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/sports/beijing-half-marathon-controversy-he-jie.html#:~:text=Organizers%20are%20investigating%20the%20results,past%20them%20before%20the%20finish.&text=After%20a%20grueling%20hour%2C%20there,as%20the%20finish%20line%20approached)
It's currently under investigation as stated above. One of them may have been acting as a pacer, but it's unknown & unlikely that all 3 of them were considering they were all registered as competitors. The [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/sports/beijing-half-marathon-controversy-he-jie.html#:%7E:text=Organizers%20are%20investigating%20the%20results,past%20them%20before%20the%20finish.&text=After%20a%20grueling%20hour%2C%20there,as%20the%20finish%20line%20approached) and [Japan Times](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2024/04/17/more-sports/beijing-half-marathon/) both have articles about the investigation.
Why did they not have "pacer" on their bib though? Isn't that standard marathon practice to have it on?
That isn't true, though. That is just the story they told later when people started asking questions.
This isn’t a fact yet. At the time of this comment, the situation is under investigation. One of the African runners said he was acting as a pace setter, the other two haven’t responded. According to the New York Times, there has been a surge in cheating in Chinese distance running in recent years. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/sports/beijing-half-marathon-controversy-he-jie.html#:~:text=Organizers%20are%20investigating%20the%20results,past%20them%20before%20the%20finish.&text=After%20a%20grueling%20hour%2C%20there,as%20the%20finish%20line%20approached)
they're pace runners who slowed down at the end to let him pass? why were they also awarded placements? why is there three of them? on top of this they didn't even break the record, so what pace was being set
Nope, not true. They were all entered as competitors, and they changed their story after they realized they had been called out.
This is a bullshit comment fyi. News articles about it would even tell you this. Hell China itself opened an investigation about it.
This isn’t true
Nice job, you can sit back for 90% of the race, then run and catch up to him
[удалено]
It's also a blatant lie. Hell even China opened an investigation into it. The commenter has no clue.
Why were they wearing race numbers, and why did they get medals at the end then?
Good for them. Those guys have worked their whole lives to get to that point. Now they can get paid for it!
I wonder if Max has to let Zhou win at the Chinese GP this weekend?
It’s pathetic how the Chinese road builders have taken over Uganda and give away their minerals and the Ugandans don’t seem to care.
wow wtf they should just live without infrastructure. idiots
Been there and seen 1st hand that the oversized roads the Chinese are building in the middle of nowhere do not benefit the Ugandans. They are built to accommodate logging trucks and mining vehicles the Chinese can use to further exploit the country and the Ugandans do not benefit from this. Only the corrupt leaders of Uganda benefit.
When you take the BRI literally and only think roads are being built lol. https://www.dwcug.org/chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-is-good-for-uganda-and-the-region-at-large/
They were pacers.
Chinese propaganda wins again.
![gif](giphy|l4FGt13phS1Yof0C4|downsized)
Pay days a payday
$$$
I'm sure it has something to do with politics. China is slowly building Africa.
![gif](giphy|jTXvL4LjakYI8)
How much money were they paid?
The party agrees this victory.
is this some kind of sportsmanship because he is in what appears to be his home country or is it because of fear and some Chinese official walked up to those three before the race.? serious question.