Marathon cheaters exposed: Meet the internet sleuths keeping runners honest – with fitness influencers under the spotlight

March 21, 2026

When runners have crossed the line following 26.2 gruelling miles of stomping their feet into the tarmac, one of the first things they do is look at their smartwatch.

Have they got a PB? Did they achieve their target time?

If the answer to both questions is yes, the majority of modern runners will turn to the Strava app to share the good news. They may even screenshot the time given to them by the tracking app and post it to Instagram, followed by a smiley snap showing off their medal.

However, before taking to social media, runners may want to think about the Strava police before clicking the post button.

What are the Strava police exactly? Well, they are people within the running community who patrol social media to check whether influencers’ times from marathons and other official long-distance running events are legitimate. DailyMail