Wejo the Doper (LetsRun.com in the NY Times)

It wouldn't surprise me if caffeine weren't the only substance he was on.

I am guessing he probably took a legal amount.

Good article. NY Times always has good scientific writing. And Tarnapolsky is one of the leaders in the field. Great source to contact. kudos to the writer.

WTF Wejo. So a performancing enhancing substance is OK as long as it has not been banned?

That seems mighty arbitrary, and flies against the entire idea of being a clean runner.

Basically, if EPO were legalized tomorrow you'd be all over that shit. Then in 6 months if I were banned again you'd go back to railing against anyone who took it.

Hey, that's fine, just don't pretend doping is some ethical or moral thing. If it's just a legal line in the sand, fine.

wow im surprised wrote:

WTF Wejo. So a performancing enhancing substance is OK as long as it has not been banned?

If you want the shortest answer it is yes.

Millions of Americans have a cup of coffee everyday. I don't think taking a cup of coffee before a race is too much of a grey area. What is next trying to ban having a glass of water or gatorade?

Neither is harmful to anyone, all of them enhance performance.

Thea article left out one story I told. The next race I went to after the 10k discussed was the US 10 mile champs. It was the first race I ever got a free hotel room. I was super excited. I was onto this coffee thing and went down to the lobby to get my coffee at the buffet. Who do I see getting a coffee like a little over an hour before the race? Terrence Mahon (then at the time a runner, now Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor's coach). I don't think most people are drinking coffee 1.5 hours before a race because they like the taste.

I say if it is not developed in a lab and you are taking it orally then it is no big deal. It is not going to give you superhuman strength and speed. Some things that fit this description may make you think you have superhuman strength and speed but after a couple hours you regain your senses.

Can I just make one comment regarding the article, as it is very well written and Terry Graham and Mark Tarnopolsky are obvious experts.

I don't believe what the AIS is saying, however. No WAY will 1 mg/kg have an ergogenic effect. Keep telling the rest of the world that, Australia, while in the mean time your athletes pump 5-8 mg/kg into them.

It's important to make the distinction of which I don't believe Wejo or the NY times did a very good job, that there is a difference between pure caffeine and caffeine derived from coffee. I am unaware of any good evidence to suggest caffeine in the form of coffee has any ergogenic effect. This is not the same as pure caffeine, where as Dr. Tarnopolsky correctly points out, is widely studied, understood and accepted.

Lastly, another potential mechanism for caffeine's ergogenic effect is the role it plays in serum potassium levels.

jT

I used to go to the Stanford track meets all the time when the Farm Team was still based there. Just stand along the fence near the start of the 5k (the athlete area), you'd see dozens of runners with coffees/lattes/espressos in the their hand prior to their event.

The main issue with caffeine from beverages is not knowing how much you are getting. Caffeine levels in coffee vary greatly even the same blend at the same coffee shop can differ from day to day.

There is ample literature to show 1mg/kg works for SOME people.

Well, I guess if everyone is taking this I need to now as well.

What would be the ideal regiment? How much and how long before the race?

it can have GI effects so be careful before you use it...beware....i will let others describe these "effects"

[quote]wejo wrote:

Millions of Americans have a cup of coffee everyday. I don't think taking a cup of coffee before a race is too much of a grey area.

Neither is harmful to anyone, all of them enhance performance.

quote]

Caffeine doesn't work as a PED if your body is used to ingesting it. So you avoid caffeine in the weeks before a race so that your body would be sensitive to caffeine on the day of the race to enhance your performance. That sounds like a PED to me wether it is illegal or not.

That's scientific writing?

No.

wow im surprised wrote:

WTF Wejo. So a performancing enhancing substance is OK as long as it has not been banned?

That seems mighty arbitrary, and flies against the entire idea of being a clean runner.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume that you're just having fun with wejo. Otherwise, you're way off base. (I was going to call you an idiot, but being the gentleman that I am, I refrained.) Of course there's a line between banned and acceptable substances. Otherwise, no one could take vitamin supplements, carbo load before a marathon, or use GU; or for that matter, as wejo pointed out, drink water or Gatorade during a race.

surprised me wrote:

What would be the ideal regiment?

Probably the 187th Airborne. Or did you mean regimen?

OldXCguy wrote:

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume that you're just having fun with wejo. Otherwise, you're way off base. (I was going to call you an idiot, but being the gentleman that I am, I refrained.) Of course there's a line between banned and acceptable substances. Otherwise, no one could take vitamin supplements, carbo load before a marathon, or use GU; or for that matter, as wejo pointed out, drink water or Gatorade during a race.

By this logic designer steroids intentionally created to get around the laws are fine too. Hey, if it's not on the banned list, anything goes?

ten hut wrote:

Probably the 187th Airborne. Or did you mean regimen?

No, I definitely meant regiment. What made you decide on the 187th Airborne?