What if Viren had not blood doped in 1972

You are assuming that Viren was the only blood doper in the race. Why?

Pre lost, get over it.

I've never seen this video. I've only seen the account depicted in the movies. I never really like Pre before, but now I have respect for him... weird..

And by the way, has there ever been a more gutless way to earn a bronze than the strategy used by Ian Stewart?

Discuss.

Comments like these make no sense to me. Was he supposed to be polite and hold back? He beat Pre pure and simple. Plus, he very nearly got the silver.

Here is a quote from a comment under the video that sums it up pretty well: "pre tried to make it a guts race but no one else bought in and he got beat. i dont see why people think pre running positive splits is so badass. running your best means you need exhibit mental control so you dont burn yourself out and get beat like pre did."

A more gutless way to earn a bronze??? You mean outsprinting the American? Weird, I thought that was the point. Had it wrong all these years.

Was he caught or is it just becaue "everyone" says he blood doped? Did he admit it?

I love(d) Pre as an athlete and sitting and kicking is not gutless, he still had to have the guts to run that fast. it's a race strategy that worked for him.

It's who crosses the line first.

My favorite story on doping actually is one of Lasse's countrymen at Los Angeles in 84. He blood doped before the race using blood that he had withdrawn during a period when he was using steroids out of season. This kicked up a totally unexpected steroid positive for him.

So he totally was able to get away with blood doping it was the steroids from the year before which got him caught.

History repeats itself, ask A. Contador

A Brit wrote:

A more gutless way to earn a bronze??? You mean outsprinting the American? Weird, I thought that was the point. Had it wrong all these years.

Pre went for the gold, Stewart merely went for a medal. Perhaps it would have been more accurate to say that Stewart ran more conservatively (i.e. with less guts) than Prefontaine.

But what do you friggin' Brits know. You're all arrogant azzholes. Otherwise you'd have left the American colonies alone and gotten the hell out of Ireland.

Grand assumption wrote:

You are assuming that Viren was the only blood doper in the race. Why?

Due credit to Viren, he was the only one who ever owned up to it.

Another What If wrote:

Due credit to Viren, he was the only one who ever owned up to it.

He has never owned up to it. He has danced around the question, neither confirming nor denying.

Another What If wrote:

Grand assumption wrote:

You are assuming that Viren was the only blood doper in the race. Why?

Due credit to Viren, he was the only one who ever owned up to it.

No he didn't. Stop spreading lies. I read a book in which Viren and his doctor talked about how Viren didn't blood dope because his blood was naturally thick, and if he blood doped it would be too thick and not able to pump correctly. I can't remember the name of the book, but I'm sure others have read the same book.

Mr. Obvious wrote: nor denying.

As I said, he owned up to it. Indirectly, but he did.

letsrun is stupd wrote:No he didn't. Stop spreading lies. I read a book in which Viren and his doctor talked about how Viren didn't blood dope because his blood was naturally thick, and if he blood doped it would be too thick and not able to pump correctly.

Didn't I see you defending Lance Armstrong on another thread?

Another What If wrote:

letsrun is stupd wrote:No he didn't. Stop spreading lies. I read a book in which Viren and his doctor talked about how Viren didn't blood dope because his blood was naturally thick, and if he blood doped it would be too thick and not able to pump correctly.

Didn't I see you defending Lance Armstrong on another thread?

No. You've never seen me defending Armstrong and you never will.

Another What If wrote:

Due credit to Viren, he was the only one who ever owned up to it.

When did he own up to it? I haven't heard this before; it's not in his Wikipedia bio.

I think Pre ran a great race here and gave it his all - Viren was just better. Prefontaine wasn't going to win.

Nothing cowardly about Stewart's race, either. He nearly got dropped by Prefontaine et al and worked his way back up to the front instead of giving up. What's gutless about that?

eurodonkey wrote:

When did he own up to it? I haven't heard this before; it's not in his Wikipedia bio.

Yes, because everything you ever do in your life is in your f***ing wikipedia bio.

letsrun is stupd wrote: No. You've never seen me defending Armstrong and you never will.

You might want to reconsider. I read a book (can't remember the title) that proclaims Lance is, was and has always been clean.