It’s been a few days since the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and one of the internet’s favorite running debates has already resurfaced.
This time, it’s about Matt Choi, the running influencer who’s no stranger to controversy.
Posts started popping up on r/ChicagoMarathon shortly after the race, claiming that Choi had videographers on e-bikes following him again, filming content as he ran. If true, it would echo what got him disqualified and banned from all New York Road Runners events after the 2024 NYC Marathon.
But so far, there’s no real proof. No photos, no video, no official statement from race organizers. Just stories from people who swear they saw something, and plenty of others saying they didn’t.
So what actually happened in Chicago?
The Rumor That Sparked Debate
The Reddit thread that kicked everything off started simply: “Apparently Matt Choi used e-bikes again? There have been messages going around that people were almost clipped or run off the road by them.”
From there, it blew up.
Some runners claimed they saw e-bikes with cameras shadowing parts of the course. One commenter wrote, “Three e-bikes. Two on the right side and one on the left. You could tell they were trying to stay on the sidewalks, but at one point the road forked, so they cut inside the aid station. It was wild.”
Others pushed back immediately, saying they were near Choi and saw nothing of the sort. “I ran near him for a few miles from like 19–21 and didn’t see him with any bikes around,” one runner said.
Another added, “I actually chirped him about it for a good laugh and he said he didn’t bring them this time.”
Some users said the rumor was just social media doing its thing. “I’m convinced this is a rumor gone wild, and I hate Matt Choi lol.”
The comments kept piling up, but one thing was clear: there was no photo, no clip, nothing to confirm it. As one user put it, “If there were bikes, there would be footage of it. The fact there isn’t any yet suggests he didn’t have any bikes with him.”
No Evidence So Far
By Tuesday, there was still no verified evidence of e-bikes filming Choi on the course.
Some runners pointed out that his photos don’t show up on MarathonFoto, leading to speculation he might have covered his bib or blocked his number. Others noted that many runners’ photos hadn’t appeared yet either, and it could just be a delay.
One person who spoke with Choi before the start said he seemed relaxed and polite. “He was a really nice guy,” they wrote. “Didn’t see any crew or cameras.” Another added, “I saw him and there were no e-bikes. Guy has learned his lesson.”
Still, enough people claimed they’d seen bikes nearby that the story stuck. Some even said they’d emailed the Chicago Marathon and Abbott World Marathon Majors asking for answers, though no public comment has been made.
A Familiar Pattern
If this sounds like déjà vu, that’s because Choi’s had a few of these moments before.
His relationship with filming on race courses has been well-documented, most notably by Marathon Investigation, which has covered his pattern of blurring the line between content and competition.
At the 2024 New York City Marathon, Choi ran a 2:57, but that time didn’t stand for long. He was disqualified and banned for life after officials confirmed he’d been followed for the entire race by two unauthorized e-bikes filming him.
He later apologized, writing, “I was selfish … I made it about myself. We endangered other runners, we impacted people going for PBs, we blocked people from getting water.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d been called out.
- In Houston 2023, he ran under someone else’s bib.
- In NYC 2023, he ran as a guide but caught criticism for turning it into a self-promotion opportunity.
- And earlier this year at the Marquette Marathon, a videographer on a one-wheel board was spotted filming him up close, though it’s not clear if that setup was officially approved.
To his fans, Choi’s energy and hustle are inspiring. To others, it feels like he’s turning races into a personal movie set.
What Might Have Happened in Chicago
Right now, there are a few possibilities:
- There were no bikes at all. Many runners near Choi said they didn’t see any, which supports the idea that he followed all the rules this time.
- Filming happened off-course. Some say his brother and photographer were on e-bikes, but on sidewalks or spectator zones — not the race route itself.
- Brief appearances. Maybe the bikes showed up briefly and slipped away unnoticed. But again, no one’s produced proof.
Until the Chicago Marathon or Choi himself speaks up, it’s all just speculation.
Influence vs. Integrity
Even if this turns out to be nothing, the situation taps into a bigger question for running: what happens when social media meets sport?
For influencers like Choi, running isn’t just about performance anymore — it’s about storytelling, filming, connecting with audiences. That’s not inherently bad, but when it clashes with race rules or other runners’ experiences, it creates friction.
As Marathon Investigation put it earlier this year, “Road races are not personal film sets. They’re collective athletic events, built on fairness, safety, and community.”
That line, between building a brand and respecting the sport, is what keeps bringing Choi back into the spotlight. He’s charismatic, he’s talented, but after multiple controversies, people are watching more closely than ever.
No Official Word Yet
So far, the Chicago Marathon hasn’t commented on the rumors, and Choi hasn’t addressed them either.
He’s usually quick to share post-race content, but his Instagram this week has been all recovery videos and no race footage, something many took as suspicious, though it might just be coincidence.
For now, we’re left with a lot of talk and not a lot of proof.
A Reputation That Sticks
Even if this ends up being a false alarm, Choi’s past is hard to forget. Once you’ve been disqualified for something like this, every future race comes with a shadow.
As one Reddit user put it, “Even if he didn’t do anything wrong this time, people are going to assume he did. That’s the price of doing it before.”
Maybe he’s learned his lesson. Maybe not. But the fact that an unverified Reddit thread can explode into a full-blown controversy shows how fragile that trust has become.
As another commenter summed it up, “There’s a really easy way to avoid all of this: stop turning races into content shoots. Just run.”
