Rosie Ruiz: Shortcuts to Fame

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Rosie Ruiz, an administrative assistant and part-time runner, had run her first marathon, the 1979 New York City Marathon, in two hours and 56 minutes, a time that qualified her for the 1980 Boston Marathon.

The 26-year-old stunned her competitors in Boston, setting the women’s record for the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:31. She was awarded the winner’s medal and laurel wreath, but almost immediately there were suspicions that she had not actually run the race...