Half Marathon Mishap And Those Who Went Bonkers

By now, most people in the running community and even a few outsiders have heard or read about the mishap that occurred at the US 2026 Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta. With about two miles left in the race, the female leaders, who were well ahead of the pack, were led off course, resulting in those in back ultimately crossing the finish line before the misdirected runners could make up lost time. 

Almost immediately, the media and pundits, or self-proclaimed experts online, commented before USATF had even issued a statement. One so-called expert, in particular, David Roche, absolutely lost his shit and has been carrying on ever since. 

It turns out that the lead female, Jess McClain, decided not too long ago to work with Roche, a questionable decision in my eyes, but to each their own. I'm not sure why anyone would work with Roche when he has taken on at least one athlete who has served a doping ban. His write-ups about training, threshold runs, and coaching in general are questionable, some calling them over-simplistic and others calling them flat-out wrong, but again, people can choose to work with whomever they please. 

I'll skip over McClain's jaw-dropping progression that landed her in elite territory...ahem, and focus more on the resulting circus in response to what went down. I wonder if anyone quick enough to bitch and moan before any information was revealed feels any different now that it has been noted that the reason the lead car veered off course was because it was responding to a call about an officer down. I suspect not, at least not the ones who went absolutely apeshit. Narcissists gotta narcissist, after all. A foot race is far more important than anything else in some circles. 

Despite McClain handling the situation with at least some grace, given this was a selection race and one with prize money, money, money, her coach did anything but, showing he's not a great representation of his athlete. Several individuals argued that runners should have the course memorized, while others insisted that athletes in the lead are too focused on their efforts to remember complicated courses with multiple turns. I would agree with the latter and think most do; however, I wouldn't so quickly dismiss those arguing otherwise and treat them like garbage. It's as easy to say, "Here's why that's not the best solution," and present an opinion as it is to call others idiots and their ideas trash. 

I was notorious for going off course when I ran, so it was helpful to have the course marked or a lead vehicle to follow. I actually veered off course in the state meet in high school. Luckily, the other girls who followed me and I were able to get back on track quickly. I won the race, probably because the adrenaline kicked in when I realised I was going to have to catch up to the new leaders once I turned around. But I digress. 

Roche was quick to publicly blast anyone suggesting runners know the course. Arguing online is fine, but when you promote yourself as being part of a husband-and-wife team that is all about fun, inclusion, community, and kindness, tearing people apart in the bitchiest way possible doesn't really fit the brand. 

What's worse, though, is that he and his wife took to their podcast to bitch even more. Early in the episode, Roche admitted that he enjoyed making fun of the "idiots" online, meaning those who disagreed with him on this issue. You can hear the excitement in his voice as he inches further up his already too-tall horse. In that same episode, Roche boasts about his lawyer background and how this will help him navigate the situation for his athlete, but neglects to mention that his license was suspended in 2020 for reasons unknown. 

Most people agree that McClain deserved the win and all that goes along with it. USATF came out with a statement of sorts, basically avoiding the blame as much as possible and assuring everyone that the organization is working on a solution. In the meantime, others in the race have acted with honor and dignity, some even offering to give up their spot so that the three misdirected runners could advance to the race in Copenhagen as part of the world team. The Atlanta Track Club tried to take at least some responsibility and even offered to throw some cash at the problem in case that might help. It sounds like everyone will be compensated appropriately, financially at least. 

Fiasco aside, I just can't imagine hiring a coach who would call others who simply disagree idiots and then boast about it on a podcast. When I think of some of the best coaches, past or present, it makes me laugh trying to picture them responding in such an out-of-control, childish, and emotional manner. It is not a good look. And shame on him. There's no need to be a dick. His reaction makes me wonder what's going on with all the misdirected hostility and intense chatter.  

Another Greedy Celebrity Promotes Diet Drugs

Former professional tennis player Serena Williams was recently criticized quite harshly on social media for promoting the weight-loss drug Ozempic (I assume Ozempic because it was implied she was injecting herself in the ad) or Rybelsusin, the oral medication, in a commercial that played during the Super Bowl. Good. The strong reaction was appropriate. It's nice to see at least some people are against promoting hardcore weight-loss drugs with very limited long-term testing to the general public. Not long ago, I jotted down some observations in a blog post about Oprah doing the same thing. Neither celebrity is out to help others with these kinds of promotions. They're in it for themselves. 

Not surprisingly, over 10 percent of Americans are currently on some kind of weight-loss drug. About 40 percent of Americans are currently classified as obese, but there's no way to tell exactly who is taking the drugs. Cost, even with insurance, is a deterrent unless you have money, money, money, so anyone purchasing them has to have anywhere from $400 to well over $1,000 a month extra on hand. Boulder, Colorado, has somehow become an anorexic and bulimic mecca in the middle of the obesity epidemic. But while there might be benefits for certain individuals to use these types of drugs, taking them is never without risk. 

To clarify, the distinction I'm making is addressing the use of these drugs for weight loss, not for controlling diabetes. I could possibly see the potential use for a diet drug if a person is obese, possibly too large to exercise comfortably, and takes the drug temporarily while working on lifestyle changes. However, that's typically not how the drugs are promoted, sold, or taken. A relative of mine was prescribed something similar to Ozempic when she complained to her doctor that she had gained 15 pounds. She has always been petite, but she was able to obtain a prescription anyway, despite the potential dangers and side effects of these types of medications.

The fine print on any Ozempic advertisement states that common side effects include nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and dehydration that can lead to kidney problems. Other side effects include heartburn and acid reflux, fatigue and headaches, dizziness, altered taste sensation, pancreatitis, gallbladder issues, hypoglycemia, vision changes, and possible thyroid cancer. Keep in mind that these are the listed side effects. Reported issues that are not listed include gastroparesis, gallbladder issues, intestinal blockage, physical changes, pain in the extremities, blood clots, dry mouth and dental issues, arthritis, vision changes, and increased risk of cardiovascular issues. Holy crap. And I bet that's nowhere near a complete list. 

If you think big companies or the FDA give a single shit about the health of the average citizen, look into the corrupt history of the FDA or the history of how powerful and corrupt big companies and the government can be when it comes to shoving products and lies down the throats of the hoi polloi. 

Some people argue that using a weight-loss drug is cheating or taking the easy route instead of changing habits, but my issue with these types of drugs is the fact that they are always created more for profiting the rich than for people's health. 

One could argue that fast food commercials are as bad as drug commercials. Maybe this is true, but fast food isn't being promoted as nutrition to be ingested daily. Commercials are showing their product without any suggestion of health, only that it supposedly tastes good. In moderation, there's nothing wrong with fast food. Diet drug commercials, on the other hand, are promoting a product that has to be used daily in order to achieve the desired results, and, based on the advertisement presented at the Super Bowl, the subtle message appears to be more about looking thinner than feeling well, even though Serena mentions moving and feeling better...while flaunting her body. 

Oh, and did I mention that Serena's husband is on the board of Ro, the tele"health" platform that makes it easier for anyone to gain access to and use these drugs? Um...yeah. I'll leave it at that. 

In other news, the boxer Imane Khelif was outed as having the SRY gene, confirming what rational people had seen with their own eyes but were told wasn't true. Strangely, he said he would take a test to compete in the 2008 Olympics, so I'm not sure if he means in the men's division or if he still thinks it's OK for men to punch women in the face in the name of sport. As expected, those who were adamant that Khelif was a woman and demanded apologies from anyone calling him a man are oddly silent or still calling people who tell the truth bigots. 

In still other news, Nikki Hiltz, who claims to be non-binary, won the women's division of the Wanamaker Mile. This is another way of saying a woman won a woman's race. The insistence that everyone call her "they" is just ridiculous. She's a female competing in the female division. 

I'm not saying these things to be mean. It's just frustrating that we are living in an age where we are told to pretend we don't see what we know to be true, and that telling the truth gets us labeled as haters or transphobic. 

Lastly, the Roache husband and wife team, Megan and David, continue to humiliate themselves for likes and attention in their latest YouTube video. It's hard to even watch, and it's impossible to do so without cringing. I mention this because I stumbled upon a critique of the video that was spot on and a pleasure to read. I commented on the blog post and will say here, too, that more and more, people like David and Megan are looking like characters in a Black Mirror episode, specifically the Common People episode, only the Roaches seem to enjoy debasing themselves. 

OK. That last part might be a little mean, but Jesus fucking Christ. The world is all kinds of upside down and backwards lately.