Joe McConaughy And Boston College's Bib Forgers

While most college seniors are putting the finishing touches on final projects, Boston College's Joe McConaughy started a charity. That charity is now involved with forging Boston Marathon bibs.

McConaughy, in his final semester at BC, is an Eagle cross country and track and field athlete who started a charity called Run For Colin, which raises money for Neuroblastoma research.

McConaughy did several things to raise the send-off costs for his thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail after he graduates: He organized an event with a local bar, he sold running singlets, and he began arranging a Boston Marathon charity running group, promising applicants he would "hook you up with cool t-shirts and transportation to Hopkinton, MA for the start of the race."

One of those singlets, seen here from McConaughy's Facebook page, was worn by one of the bandits. On the back is printed "118th Boston Marathon," which was last Monday.

According to BC assistant coach Tim Ritchie, the charity behind the bib forgers missed the Boston Athletic Association application deadline for charity groups. He also said the singlet worn by one of the bandits and pictured above was from the responsible charity, i.e. McConaughy's.

The Boston College SID did not immediately respond for comment. McConaughy did not return multiple calls through his cell phone.

Then there's the other male bib forger, also confirmed by Ritchie as a former BC runner. He wore a Heartbreak Hill Running Company singlet.

Store co-founder Dan Fitzgerald said in a Facebook post on Thursday, "I do not know this individual and he has no affiliation with our store whatsoever." But Fitzgerald is a BC track alum. As is his co-founder. As is HHRC manager Louis Serafini, who graduated in 2013, making him teammates with McConaughy.

In a phone call on Saturday, Serafini denied knowing anything more about the mysterious bandits, both of whom ran for BC, mainly because he's a liar. Fitzgerald has not responded for comment.

While his charity may be for a noble purpose, what McConaughy's charity runners didn't consider was how Boston Marathon runner Kara Bonneau felt about any of this. They didn't ask her if they could invade her privacy, steal her bib number, photocopy it, and pass it to their friends. And they didn't give shit about the 36,000 other runners that followed the rules or the volunteers and race directors that put time and money into the event. McConaughy has not acknowledged his charity's ties to the bib forgers or clarified what role he played in the forgery.

Instead, Joe McConaughy's charity runners acted like a bunch of bastards who thought they wouldn't get caught. His goal for his hike in June is to break the assisted record for the Pacific Crest Trail, and with all that speed, he hasn't bothered to consider the people he passes along the way.