As reported last week in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the 25-year-old Norman dweller was the first to cross the finish line of the 34th Cowtown Marathon on Feb. 26, clocking an impressive 2:31:40. To give reference, that’s just a smidgen faster than a 5:50-per-mile pace.
While he beat the next finisher by a solid 6 minutes, race officials disqualified him for borrowing a friend’s bib.
Although Downard is stripped of a title, Chicken-Fried News is confident nonetheless that he will continue to win, now knowing that he’s physically capable of running a mile in half the time it takes the average Oklahoman. And that he can do that 26.2 times in a row.
Downard said he realized the entire time he wouldn’t be counted.
“I was thinking I might feign injury and exit the course,” he said. “Maybe I was a little brash. I needed something to kinda put that anguish from the week behind me.”
