http://masterstrack.com/2014/12/33461/What do you all think about this? I don't know enough about DHEA to know how common of a thing it is to be prescribed for a 51-year-old, but one person wrote that she likely wouldn't get...
I don't know if it's a large number. But I think it is more prevalent in masters runners than in open runners because they can afford it and they are devastated by seeing the natural decline that comes with age. It is really plainly obvious who is doing it when you see someone who was training hard and running decent times in their mid 40s, start setting PRs in their 50s when everyone else is just trying to not slow down.
I get it that nobody should care. But if that is the case, then why have age group records since they are starting to be brought down by obvious dopers? So let's either drop age group records or require random testing for those who are at that level. But for those not setting records, it's mostly just frustrating to the peers of these runners who have to watch all of social media posts of "You are so amazing!" when one of them posts their big breakthrough PRs at age 58 when everyone else is just trying not to get injured.
Just my own input. PEDs have been on my to do list for a while, still haven't committed due to life circumstances. First it was steroids to build muscle, then maybe something for explosive strength gains so I could jump higher and sprint faster. Then maybe I could try epo and take a crack at my old PBs. I would definitely haven taken them by now if they were more accessible to me. I'm not elite by any standards but I feel like I've achieved such a high level where diminishing returns has severely impacted my improvements. It would be nice to burst through the wall and over the plateau again, I'm sure that's why most people end up saucing more than anything.
Hobby joggers will cheat for an instagram, Facebook or Strava post. Otherwise, the Marathon Investigation page would be out of business, so I believe hobby joggers dope as much, if not more, as they cut courses or use bib mules! At least, they know that they won’t be drug tested and they easily get a inhaler or testosterone prescription. They should know Derrick will be analyzing race results and embarrassing them on social media, and we know that they want that!
Prevalent? I don't know. I do know at least a dozen people that dope for the "fun of it" because they know they will never get tested. Their attitude it "so what if I get tested" I'm not breaking any records.
Just looking at the responses here openly admitting banned substance use, it is clear this is stastically significant. The fact that the anti-aging industry exists and is huge is another indicator. As a masters runner competing in usatf nat champs, I have been moved up in the results several times based on random testing. This points to many more using than are caught.
The attitude of "at this level, who cares" is a justification. It seems to be a sad reality that a large percent of the population believes the rules only apply if they benefit and the rules don't apply if they won't benefit. We see this play out in sports, politics, work, school. It is a degradation of our society playing out.
In a world where so many willingly harm themselves and risk harm to others with drunkenness, why would you be surprised that anyone at any talent level would use PEDs for the fun of pursuing their hobby in what they perceive as a more advanced way?
That said, I have no idea how someone would go about doping and assume the same is true of most hobby joggers. I wouldn’t know how to start short of walking around a Gold’s Gym and randomly walking up to buff guys and asking if they know how to get the good stuff. Lol.
In other words, I don’t think many hobby joggers do it.
Speaking as an almost-64-year-old who wishes he could get back to a 70% age graded time, or even hit the 75% figure that I used to at my best--or, in truth, wishes he could show up on the starting line of our annual 10K and, for once in my life, run with the wings of angels, driven by the dragon-fire.....
I'm willing to sign on the dotted line, Satan, just once. Gimme the juice. Just once. And don't tell anybody.
I doubt the prevalence is high, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a non-negligible percentage of hobby joggers and age groupers would test positive for some banned substance or another that they use for non-running-related reasons (to build muscle to try to look good, to try to enhance performance in the bedroom, etc.)
Speaking as an almost-64-year-old who wishes he could get back to a 70% age graded time, or even hit the 75% figure that I used to at my best--or, in truth, wishes he could show up on the starting line of our annual 10K and, for once in my life, run with the wings of angels, driven by the dragon-fire.....
I'm willing to sign on the dotted line, Satan, just once. Gimme the juice. Just once. And don't tell anybody.
That's pretty sad and pathetic. I used to think people tended to become wiser with age. I guess some do, but a lot of older people are the same as ever: insecure, hung up on what other people think, and desperate to be something they're not.
But at least you provide a good illustration of the fact (I believe, anyway) that the seeming pointlessness of cheating (in your case, wanting to go from ok-to-middling older runner to ok-to-middling older runner, at least from a typical outside observer's viewpoint) doesn't mean that it's uncommon.
Hobby joggers will cheat for an instagram, Facebook or Strava post. Otherwise, the Marathon Investigation page would be out of business, so I believe hobby joggers dope as much, if not more, as they cut courses or use bib mules! At least, they know that they won’t be drug tested and they easily get a inhaler or testosterone prescription.
This, exactly. Mike Rossi?
Do you think cutting the course or using a bib mule are the only ways a hobby jogger will consider cheating? I'm sure somebody who wants a Boston time, might find a friend who's a doctor to prescribe something. Or maybe they'll claim asthma and try an inhaled steroid.
I've seen lots of people try sketchy supplements, so I wouldn't be surprised if some decide to go full Salazar.
I dont think there are many hobby jogers or sub elites on the sauce. Maybe a few but i would be real surpised if "prevalent" was an accurate description.
I´m almost a sub elite (2:22 marathon PR) and I dont dope. I would be surprised if I was beating dopers. Also FYI I am not actually good and have been tested twice at competitions. Once after finishing second at the Münich marathon in a super slow time and once in a 20k in Switzerland where for 3rd place I got an 850 franc gift card. So "sub elites" can get tested.
Judging by the geography of your races, it might be that English is not your first language, same as me. This thread made me look up 'prevalent' and surprisingly enough I found out that the most common meaning is just 'widespread', not 'predominant' or 'forming the majority'. One of those days LetsRun made me learn something!
I reckon that a decent number of people are doping to various extents... Are there many hobby joggers on EPO? Probably not.
There are loads that have been to their GP and gotten an asthma inhaler or similar though - pretty easy, isn't it? 'Doctor, I've been struggling to breathe on my recent runs' - bingo, exercise induced asthma diagnosis.
If I could take something that would help me feel better, meaning no aches and pains. Instantly heal my badly damaged right knee and give me back my full ROM, I'd take it in a heart beat.
If I were feeling fine and able to run without pain, would I take drugs to drop from a 6:30 mile down to a 6:00, no way.
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