The Biggest Loser aired last night, and I have been flooded with emails {do to this post} about the Marathon I ran in January. Consequently, I think it's time for some clarification. I do not like how nasty things are getting, especially on some of the boards where they are quoting my blog.
First, the last time I saw Dane and his wife running was mile 17. {My husband then saw them at a water station, filming several takes. He felt bad for them-- a marathon is hard enough without accommodating a film crew}. The next I knew, they were at the finish line before me without having run past. I mistakenly assumed that they were driven the remainder of the 10 or so miles, but Carli herself cleared that up when she said,
"In this industry you are always on a time frame and sometimes it is out of your control. We had stopped along the way to film at a water station and to make up for lost time our producers drove us ONLY 3 miles up the road. I am sorry if this has offended you in any way, but we are still incredibly happy about the 23 miles we ran. We were not listed as completing the Marathon. Dane is an honest LDS Dad and I hope that they do say he completed this Marathon because had time allowed he would have!"
Second, apparently everyone is up in arms because Dane's finish time was reported by NBC as being 3:53 instead of 5:53. I believe this is just a typo on some poor editor's part. Mistakes happen, people. No need to attack a man and his family who have plenty to be proud of.
Bottom line: Dane and Carli Patterson are real people accomplishing wonderful things, and I believe them to be honest. Please take care with your comments, as I don't think there was ever any intentional deception going on. They deserve our warm support and congratulations. Thank you.
{and please don't email me saying hateful things about them. I live in a glass house and do not care to throw stones.}
14 comments:
You are lovely for clarifying this for them! thanks!! Hopefully people will give them the credit they deserve... AND YOU! for being a superwoman! WOW!!!
Good for you girl! Shows your good character.
Thanks for the clarification lady.
I'm totally intimidated by you because you ran that marathon. 6 hours? Dude, it would take me 6 YEARS. How did you do it? Seriously. I ran for like, 2 minutes the other day and was so proud of myself. sheesh.
anyway yeah, on one of the forums I read they linked to your blog and i was like "hey! I know her!" hehe. I'm glad that you wrote this post... if only because I've had a sneaking suspicion all season long that Dane was LDS and I WAS RIGHT ahahahaa. Now I can gloat to my husband.
Ok now that I've read a little more press I have to say {in a non hateful, but honest way} that I am disappointed. I think they had a chance to clarify and they didn't.
Sorry your blog got caught up in all this. :)
Hey, on the bright side- I remember the days when we wondered if anyone was reading your blog besides you and I! Now we know...Big Brother is WATCHING....
Hey---I am still just impressed by your running---I didn't even notice the other thang...
Don't worry about it! I'm glad that you said what you felt---we should all do that more often!
And as I always say---no one really knows the truth but the big guy upstairs.
I'm glad you posted a follow up because I've been curious about it all. After watching the episode this week I showed my husband your previous blog entry. He is a runner, so the time reported on NBC had him questioning it already. Good to know the clarifications :-)!
I thought his team was really idiotic for sending him home. They shot themselves in the foot doing that.
Hi. For the record, here was NBC's response, as printed in one of the blogs that is quoting you.
***In the final segment of last night's episode of "The Biggest Loser," which updated viewers on the status of an eliminated contestant, the former contestant was shown running a marathon in his home state of Arizona. NBC today learned that the contestant did not, in fact, run the entire marathon as depicted in the segment. Because the segment as aired was contrary to NBC policy, we are working with the program producers to determine how this occurred, and to ensure that corrective action is taken.***
Whether it was 3 miles or more, the fact of the matter is that they caught a ride. In any other race that is simply called cheating. Perhaps they were not intentionally dishonest, maybe they were just not very bright and don't understand the important aspects of being in a race... that you actually do the race under your own power.
You understand this - you did great.
It's just awfully hard to congratulate them. Would have been easier if they had said "We ran 17 miles, cool!" OR if they had taken 6+ hours to do the whole thing.
But more to the point, the production staff knew what was going on and went forward with the blurb... in fact making it even better by adjusting their times. I don't fault Dane for the 3:53, but still, they rode in a van for part of the race.
This is not inspirational. It really could have been inspirational, with a simple change to the story that told the truth. "I tried to run a marathon. Didn't quite make it... but I ran further than I ever have! Next time I'll get it."
But no.
Oh well.
Both your original post and today's elegant follow-up, and the way you handled all the comments that ensued demonstrate that you are a class act.
Now that NBC has officially issued a response {see here: http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2009/02/the-biggest-los.html} I've been asked what I feel about it all.
I think it's safe to say that that the consensus is clear: Dane and Carli Patterson didn't quite finish the marathon. They were disqualified, and removed from the results. I find it all quite sad.
J and I were sad the afternoon of the race as we drove away. We knew -intimately- how difficult it was to complete a marathon and how much of one's life is consumed in preparing for such a feat. We couldn't imagine accepting a finishers medal knowing that one hadn't actually finished. Even if no one ever knew the truth, it would ruin the experience, the accomplishment, the WHOLE POINT of running a marathon in the first place.
I still stand by my previous statements. I don't think they intended to be dishonest. I don't think they had any part in the reported finish time of 3:53. I think it must have been quite difficult to say no to what was going on, and I'm sure they must have been disappointed to have not truly finished what they set out to do. I want to believe the best in people and give them the benefit of the doubt, so no, I'm not angry. No, I won't call them names. I'm just sad for them.
Now, someone hurry and trip on the red carpet so this can be forgotten and everyone has something else to gossip about. :)
Good posting.
Ever think that your blog would get nearly this much attention? Insanity I tells ya!
And congrats on finishing the AZ Desert Classic!
You are a blogging celebrity now.
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