St. Louis Cheater Banned From Boston Marathon

Pictured: Kendall Schler, presumably waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Here at Patch, we’ve had tons of Boston Marathon veterans and novices chime in with training advice in recent weeks. But one thing we haven’t touched upon so much is how runners should absolutely not prepare for Monday’s big race.

So here’s one pitfall to avoid on the way to Boston Marathon glory - don’t get caught cheating at a different marathon.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that in a scenario echoing the Rosie Ruiz controversy of the 1980 Boston Marathon, Kendall Schler’s triumph in the 2015 GO! St. Louis Marathon was cut short last Sunday, when officials noticed she never actually ran the race.

It seems she merely crept out of the crowd and onto the road at the final checkpoint, then jogged across the finish line.

Speaking to the Post-Dispatch, GO! St. Louis President Nancy Lieberman speculated that Schler may have placed first by accident - knowing the attention would lead to scrutiny.

That would explain why Schler had to scramble to put her bib on after she had already won the race, or so it briefly seemed.

It would also account for why, in a video available at BostInno, Schler hardly looks stoked about the win, or getting her picture taken with Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

This likely isn’t even the first time Schler got away with claiming unearned accolades in St. Louis’s 26.2 mile run. She placed third in the 2014 GO! Marathon - temporarily qualifying herself for the Boston Marathon - but St. Louis officials have retroactively nullified that proverbial bronze medal, unable to find any photographic evidence of her on the course before the finish line.

Image credit: St. Louis Post-Dispatch