U of Colorado investigating running program over weight management program.

It's unlikely college students understand what a HIPAA violation is from a technical / legal sense.

Another factor to consider is that this is a military service academy.

It’s an environment where you’re already spread thin and doing all sorts of military and physical obligations beyond just the running you’re doing.

Also, from day one you’re told to follow orders. But there’s the problem that arises when someone in a leadership position makes legitimately unhealthy, ignorant decisions that cause more harm than good.

It is the obligation of the military member to decipher what directions are intelligent and should be followed and those that are detrimental and harmful and to deal accordingly with them. One way to do so is to go through the proper channels to address these negative directions.

I would think that we could all agree that eating disorders are just that—disorders. They are verifiably and scientifically unhealthy.

But apparently every weekend warrior here who thinks “oh I could have done that” can’t seem to acknowledge that basic truth.

What do you think they do in wrestling and football? "coercion" what is that?

What they do is they demand that you hit weight / body composition standards. It's standard practice. Wrestlers don't "watch what they eat". They go to extreme measures to hit an exact weight. The things they do are insanely unhealthy. Lineman weighing 340 pounds are insanely unhealthy. But they aren't playing unless they hit standards.

here let me google that for you: Coercion: n
the practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats.
Al Cantello verbally, emotionally, and, in some cases, physically abused his athletes. That atmosphere, combined with regularly screaming at people for being too fat was not the behavior of anyone who should be a coach. There were no “weight or body composition,” what there was was a culture of fear and bullying designed to control those who were under him

Or Moh Ahmed - he is muslim and fasts through Ramadan - but seems to survive Jerry's program. Mind you he is thin, and was in HS as well. Eating well is better, but then Bill Rodgers said that running 140 mile/week meant he wasn't always sure if he was running to eat or eating to run, meaning that he would burn off the gallon of ice cream that he just ate. But that also depends on individual metabolism.

This is why College programs these days have nutritionists on staff. No different than coaches aren't massage therapists these days either. It is beyond their job as coach. Having said that, some athletes are unrealistic as to their abilities and mileage alone isn't always the answer (as some seem to believe) as there are many who simply can't handle the load required to excel at the D1 level, so injury can happen by fueling improperly and/or load distribution. Which seems contrary to the old school idea that Valby and Cook are doing it "wrong" by doing so much XT, instead of running. That is another area where other means to an end can work. Replacing poor nutrition with good nutrition is optimal. Given the level of obesity in this country it is rather ironic that the focus here is on people not eating enough. Sounds like a focus on extremes.

Welcome to HR culture. Where if the person complains then their complaint is valid no matter how sensitive or out is touch they are. The culture must now confirm to no complaints ever.

For me the surprise is it took so long to start the investigation. This has been a persistent problem at CU.

Emphasizing the presumed necessity for weight loss is unacceptable. Of course some athletes received more pressure than others.

Program crossed this line years ago and it matters zero that an RD is trained; what matters is the enabling and the misguided ethics.

It’s time college coaches start fighting back. Athletes are allowed to run to the media and say whatever they would like. Maybe it’s time that collegiate coaches lawyer up and hash this all out in an open court. Too many coaches have lost their jobs because of so called witch hunts

I don't know, man ... this one guy overheard a conversation at Penn Relays 28 years ago.

As a current runner at cu myself, I can say that this person does not yet have an accurate depiction of the program at this point. I am saddened to read this, not simply because I disagree with it, but because I do not wish what I have endured at this program on anyone, including this person. While I agree that devotion is required to be an elite level athlete, I do not, nor will I ever believe that you need to sacrifice your mental and physical health to do so. The "intense" environment that is the cu cross country team is one that does exactly what I just described.

Hold on…. I’m sure a fair and honest investigation is underway by a college administration in a town like Boulder.

Spoiler alert: the next coach will likely own multiple genitalia, have some rad tats, own roller skates, have a cat named after RBG and drive a Subaru with at least 2 bumper stickers. You guessed it, an = and coexist, who knows maybe even hit ‘em with the Namaste. Sound about right?

I’m sorry, are you saying you have or have not sacrificed your mental and physical health to be a CU athlete?

If you have, in what way?

Name one

Hi, yes. I have suffered numerous stress fractures and developed an eating disorder as a result of being told "I have to believe the reason you keep getting injured is because of your weight."

That’s incredibly fvcked up

That’s how my coach was at the naval academy. But eating less only made my running worse, and it messed me up mentally and emotionally

Yes, it is incredibly sad and challenging. And I'm very sorry to hear about your experience. Thank you for sharing.

I read about it in the daily camera today. I think the complainant is I bit sensitive. Athletes check body comp's and adapt training programs and diet from there. That being said, now that I see Wetmore rocks a pony tail... Cancel Time

So wait many of you are defending a guy who wrote:

“You should look like a skeleton with a condom pulled over your skull." “-pg 201

Strange because I know for a fact that many CU runners deal with stress fractures.