David Moorcroft training and discussion

oh pleease wrote:

Shut up about effing drugs. You people are obsessed.

The problem is though that some people seem to want to resolutely cling onto the belief that top level athletics is clean. It isn't and never has been. I do think some athletes are/have been *relitavely* clean compared to others, and of course up to the mid 80s it was possible to "legally dope" via blood transfusions.

IMO the British were fairly clean compared to the East Germans because there wasn't a state sponsored doping program and it was left to individual athletes/coaches. They certainly weren't hammering the PEDs to the levels of the East Germans, but there were the odd exceptions (a certain sprinter perhaps). And like I said, one of the most effective blood "doping" techniques was perfectly legal (albeit frowned upon) until the mid/late 80s.

Moorcroft's highlights in 1982

14 January 1 mile 3rd 3.57.12 Melbourne, Australia

18 January 1 mile 3rd 3.59.82 Sydney, Australia

23 January 5000m 1st 13.36.82 Christchurch, New Zealand

26 January 3000m 1st 7.54.95, Hamilton, New Zealand

30 January 5000m 1st 13.31.22 Auckland, New Zealand

6 March National X/C 4th 42.56 Roundhay Park, Leeds (selected for World Cross and intended to run but pulled out injured)

3 April Midlands Road Relay Sutton Park, short stage (8) 13.44

24 April National Road Relay Long Stage (3) 24.27 course record

16 May 10K 1st 28:09 Cleveland OH, USA (PB)

13 June 3000m 1st 7.52.5 (last 200m 25.9) Gateshead Eng v Czech v Yug v Aus

26 June 1 Mile 3rd 3:49.34 Oslo, Norway (PB)

7 July 5000m 1st 13.00.41 Oslo, Norway (World record) (PB)

17 July 3000m 1st 7:32.79 Crystal Palace Eng v ESP, JPN, KEN (2nd fastest time ever - last lap 54.3) (PB)

24 July 800m 1st 1.48.29 Crystal Palace AAA Championship (heat)

25 July 800m 5th 1:46.64 Crystal Palace AAA Championships (final) (PB)

27 July 1500 1st 3:33.79 Hengelo, Holland (PB)

7 August 2000m 1st 5.02.89 Crystal Palace, Thorn EMI International Meet (PB)

20 August 2Miles 1st 8:16.75 Crystal Palace, Talbot Games (PB)

30 August 1mile (Emsley Carr Mile) 1st 3.57.84 (originally down to run in the B team for GB in 4 x 800m but switched to the mile race) Crystal Palace

8 September 5000m 1st 13.30.28 Athens, European Championships (heat)

11 September 5000m 3rd 13.30.42 Athens, European Championships (final)

7 October 5000m 1st 13.33.00, Brisbane, Commonwealth Games (straight final - last lap 54.9

hollys41 wrote:

I don't think it's a coincidence that the top British runners all declined from around 87 (although Coe did have a good season in 89). Only Peter Elliott, Tom Mackean and maybe Curtis Robb stood out from the late 80s. All of whom I think were clean.

Well, if the GBR peak was from 1979-1984, the best guys were getting older by 1987.

I love that line from the commentator in the first clip: "He's just lapped a Kenyan".