Personally don't think doping is a huge issue, think we'd see more elite athletes dying young. Also did you see the lions wr got caught doping and only served two weeks? At least our sport tries.
Aint nobody dying young from blood doping and microdosing recovery hormones my dude, this aint your grandma's east german anabolic breakfast.
"Lance, all you need, is red cells." - Michele Ferrari
(or if you believe, at this point, all of them dope (who meet the highest level criteria), then say that.
I'm not trying to shame anyone. Just trying to discern the realities at the highest level of the sport. Is it even possible to run 26:30 or 12:40 or 3:28 without doping? I'm guessing not. Shoes help, sure, but the top Africans, plus the U.S., Euro and Aussie/NZ/other athletes who are seriously contending for medals and all-time list marks? Unfortunately, I believe it's not possible w/o doping, because too many folks have been doing so not to.
They all have to make this choice, if they want to have a chance at the very top. Now, those are making U.S. teams but not necessarily contending for medals? I could believe there's still holdout non-dopers at that level, yes. But if you want to be the best, you have to do what the best are doing, unfortunately. You may get caught, or you may not if you know the latest strategies and are savvy enough.
I don't know, you tell me. Is all that basically the truth, or is it still possible to be at the highest level and be clean?
Save for Yared Nuguse, majority of these athletes are white or American or both. Regardless of Kenyan doping claims being fairly well founded, it seems like people only believe athletes aren't doping when they've been witness to their growth (in a scrutinized and wholesome way).
I'm sure there are plenty of African and European athletes who are far less suspicious in the doping realm than those affiliated with Nike right now - and yet, because we don't know as much (or what we do know is limited) - the assumption is that lack of information is bad news.
Guilty until proven innocent unless I've heard of their name and saw them young since they were younger, and their coach passes the eye test.
Doping accusations will always be around for the top athletes, but the skyrocketing tech, nutrition & knowledge base is a bit of an evener of playing fields unprecedented in the history of sport - who knows what happens next? I'm just along for the ride.
I assume you're being sarcastic. Grant has always seemed like a great kid. Maybe he's off the teat now that he's done with Bowerman. That would be cool. But 26:33 w/o doping? No.
Now, though? Maybe he's found a legal way to get the most out of himself without technically doping.
Also, the poster who said Arop and Rudisha. Really? Why do you think these two?
And of course the poster saying Sedjati, Hull, Katir, etc. ... yes we get your sarcasm.
I talk with training partners of Letesenbet Gidey and they all attest that her doping would be inconceivable. Having watched her career unfold and the respect she has for her sport, people and country, I feel she is a candidate for being clean. I don’t feel this way about the likes of Kipyegon however.
Marco Arop. One of the most talented athletes ever, and extremely humble and hard working guy. Ran 1:53 in his first season of track, and 1:47 flat with a bit more than a year of training.
He lives in Edmonton. It's the hardest working city in North America. We're so proud of him.
I agree. I would also add in Brandon Miller (800m), Hoppel, Cam Levins, Nico Young, Parker Wolfe, Graham Blanks, Nuguse, Kenneth Rooks (steeple), and a bunch more.
Obviously, I can never know if they are actually clean but psychologically, they all have the same place in my mind: they are at the "highest level" but they are not crushing the entire field.
I guess that is what draws my suspicion these days... the runner who just trots across the line in every race, doesn't look exhausted, and who has left the field in the dust. That is why the women's marathon record by a runner I couldn't even name is the most suspicious to me...
(or if you believe, at this point, all of them dope (who meet the highest level criteria), then say that.
I'm not trying to shame anyone. Just trying to discern the realities at the highest level of the sport. Is it even possible to run 26:30 or 12:40 or 3:28 without doping? I'm guessing not. Shoes help, sure, but the top Africans, plus the U.S., Euro and Aussie/NZ/other athletes who are seriously contending for medals and all-time list marks? Unfortunately, I believe it's not possible w/o doping, because too many folks have been doing so not to.
They all have to make this choice, if they want to have a chance at the very top. Now, those are making U.S. teams but not necessarily contending for medals? I could believe there's still holdout non-dopers at that level, yes. But if you want to be the best, you have to do what the best are doing, unfortunately. You may get caught, or you may not if you know the latest strategies and are savvy enough.
I don't know, you tell me. Is all that basically the truth, or is it still possible to be at the highest level and be clean?
You're."trying to discern the realities at the highest level of the sport" by starting a speculative thread on Letsrun? Good luck with that.
Rudy Winkler. He hasn't actually medaled but has been close. Probably the limiting factor there but he's amazing technically without being a physical freak
I agree. I would also add in Brandon Miller (800m), Hoppel, Cam Levins, Nico Young, Parker Wolfe, Graham Blanks, Nuguse, Kenneth Rooks (steeple), and a bunch more.
Obviously, I can never know if they are actually clean but psychologically, they all have the same place in my mind: they are at the "highest level" but they are not crushing the entire field.
I guess that is what draws my suspicion these days... the runner who just trots across the line in every race, doesn't look exhausted, and who has left the field in the dust. That is why the women's marathon record by a runner I couldn't even name is the most suspicious to me...
I agree with the general theory here - think back on runners who really excelled/dominated in college but then became seemingly mediocre as pros despite few injuries (maybe made some Olympics but rarely in contention for say top five finisher) - those are the most likely candidates who hit the drug ceiling. The ones who win medals are most sus given what it takes to do it.
Josh Kerr. I've lived and trained with him and doping is not something you can hide in camps, doping requires rigorous and meticulous storage and in all my time with him, I never once seen anything even remotely suspicious
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