Charles Mutebi
18 November 2008
Kampala — THIS Sunday's MTN marathon is as good a test of human endurance as many Ugandan's will ever face. Forget positions, finishing is all that will matter for most participants and many have put in the hard work for that bare minimum.
Others are prepared to just give it a try - if it means running the comical risk of collapsing on the track so be it.
In fact, the most memorable photo from the 2006 edition was not necessarily that of the race winners but of a man crawling (see top) to the finish line with hundreds of spectators (what cowards!) cheering him on.
But the crawling finisher was of the honest majority. Because hidden among them will be a clique who think they can claim the crown with half the sweat lost or whatever amount they are willing to lose.
A fraudster could take shortcuts or secret lifts at carefully selected points along the route. Then stealthy get back on the track at some point ahead. But whatever the means, count on the cheats to devise undue methods to 'beat' the competition.
It sounds like stretching the imagination but human beings have done crazier things.
MTN publicist Sheila Kangwagye admits that cheats will be part of the gathering although reasonably stressed that immoral group will not include elite athletes who will be competing for podium places.
"For sure, some people plan to cheat but we at least know that the professional athletes won't," she said. She added that the average participant will also run by the rules because "most people are running for fun."
"Besides, athletes will be timed from start to finish by the ChampionChip and the race monitors will also be on hand to look out for cheats."
Of course the general principle of cheating is perpetuated by continuous innovation. So despite the above measures, expect determined cheats to get their way.
But as Kangwagye decently reasoned, for such a charity event: "If you cheat you are actually cheating yourself."
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