Ruiz qualified for the 1980 Boston Marathon using a dishonest time in the 1979 NYC Marathon.
On October 21, 1979, Rosie Ruiz altered her marathon path at the New York City Marathon, claiming to complete it in 2:56:29. Evidence later emerged, indicating she had left the course after running a part of the race, took the subway, and returned near the finish. This unconventional method earned her an impressive but fallacious time, placing her conspicuously high and granting entrée to the coveted Boston Marathon. Though initially unnoticed, investigations post-1980 Boston Marathon highlighted this deception, serving as a focal point for addressing accountability in race qualification standards.