A suspicious time by a 70-year-old doctor prompted online outrage and ultimately his disqualification from the L.A. Marathon. (Getty)

Frank Meza broke a Los Angeles Marathon record in March when he crossed the finish line in 2:53:10, the fastest time ever for a 70-year-old man.

The time was too fast, some proclaimed, prompting in investigation into his race. The next fastest time in his age group was recorded by Dan Adams at 4:10:07.

‘Impossible’ time

On Monday, the L.A. Marathon agreed with Meza’s skeptics, deeming one stretch of Meza’s race “impossible” and disqualifying the runner.

Even though there’s often little to nothing at stake in these races outside of the top finishers, the marathon community is serious about the integrity of the sport.

Meza drew ire of online running community

MarathonInvestigation.com — a website obsessively dedicated to holding race cheaters accountable — and much of the rest of the online running community set its sights squarely on Meza after his result.

“At this point I have no doubt,” site operator Derek Murphy told the Los Angeles Times in June about Meza cheating in the race.

Officials: Meza left course, returned at different point

L.A. Marathon officials reached the same conclusion after an investigation, determining via video footage that Mesa left the course and returned at a different point.

“Dr. Frank Meza violated a number of race rules during the 2019 Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon, including re-entering the course from a position other than where he left it,” a statement released on Monday read. “The video evidence is confirmed by a credible eyewitness report and our calculation that Dr. Meza’s actual running time for at least one 5K course segment would have had to have been faster than the current 70-74 age group 5K world-record [an impossible feat during a marathon].”

Meza maintains his innocence

According to the Times, Meza, a doctor, has maintained throughout the controversy that he ran the race cleanly. He didn’t back off his stance on Monday.

“I didn’t cut the course,” Meza said.

Meza told the Times that he exited the course simply to find a bathroom.

Why would Meza cheat?

The Times profiled Meza, describing him as an active community member who devotes his free time to low-cost health care, mentors Latino students and is an assistant track coach at Los Angeles Loyola High.

It also reports that he’s a serial marathon cheater who has twice been disqualified and ultimately banned from the California International Marathon.

A recreational runner, Meza told the Times in June that the scrutiny was taking its toll.

“My take on all this, it was supposed to be fun. Obviously it’s not fun anymore.”

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