Start mechanics, and a very strange behavior caught on tape...

What weird start are you talking about? I don't see anything.

That last entry wasn't me.

The strange behavior isn't on a start, it is in an interview with another Canadian ex-sprinter, Angela Taylor-Issajenko, I believe.

Well, since there is nothing to be done about moniker hijacking, I guess whomever was trying to sabotage the thread has succeeded! --so far, that is.

Congratulations on a successful counter-measure, as I am out.

Sprint Geezer wrote:

Well, since there is nothing to be done about moniker hijacking...

Did you register your name?

Spint Geezer, interesting question about Ben's drug use.

While Ben was clearly a "high responder," his physique really wasn't that maxed out.

See this pic--

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2005/02/21/mn_balco5997.jpg

Kelli White, not Ben-- another high responder who was also using HGH, Insulin, EPO, the stimulant modifini, as "prescribed" by Balco's Victor Conte.

Point being the PED arsenal has grown exponentially since Ben's era and as the recent article about Eddie Hellybuyck in RW mentions, the synergistic effects of EPO, testosterone, and HGH (can't remember if insulin was included, but it should have been).

Bottom line is put Ben on EPO (train longer/harder), HGH, and insulin and he would have been faster, no doubt-- how much faster we'll never know.

Sprint Geezer wrote:

Well, since there is nothing to be done about moniker hijacking, I guess whomever was trying to sabotage the thread has succeeded! --so far, that is.

Congratulations on a successful counter-measure, as I am out.

The person who did that to you is my long time tormenter here, and he posted a pic of me, which I am not asheamed of, but the post will be deleted soon because he uses it to try and make fun of me.

REGISTER YOUR HANDLE!!! Trust me on this.

I don't intend to register my moniker, just because it isn't important enough to me.

The tormenter has gotten in his shots, and I'm sure there are more to come in the future, and I am OK with that.

Interesting point by another poster, that of the "high responder".

How do you know Ben wasn't a high responder?

I'm quite sure Ben Johnson is a high responder, by virtue of his win. He sure wasn't the only sprinter in that race who had used steroid at some point during training.

He wasn't taking EPO or HGH or insulin with his winstrol, though, and those substances are synergistic.

The point of posting Kelli White was to show a level of muscularity that surpassed even Ben in his "prime" was now being achieved by top women. Marion Jones is another who had a "hardness: and definition to her musculature ben couldn't match.

So yes Ben had more in the tank.

I will accept your conclusion that he had more in the tank, although it is difficult to imagine.

Seeing that photo of Kelli White is pretty impressive, but I'll raise you:

http://sports.in.msn.com/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=3481999

and even more so,

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/89112876/Bob-Thomas-Sports-Photography

That second one gives you a better idea of what he was like. I was around when Ben was training, and he was really something, even compared to the 'roid monkeys at the Gold's Gym back in the day. His muscular density was unbelievable, even compared to other top sprinters I've seen.

Not taking anything away from Kelli White, though. While we're on this, check out this shot of Linford Christie:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2008/07/30/f-olympics-track-qa.html

!

Here's another youtube vid with some better footage of Johnson getting buried in his first few steps--either too eager, no 'roid power, or a combination of both:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfGfAA82cv4

Good angle at around 3:56, close-up unfortunately cropping his feet out of the frame at 5:25

I can't tell you how many times I have done that both in practice, and in competition.

[quote]Sprint Geezer wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tu86YxqP1c/quote

]

Hahahaa, in the background: An ad for "audio cassettes!"

Sprintgeezer wrote:

Here's another youtube vid with some better footage of Johnson getting buried in his first few steps--either too eager, no 'roid power, or a combination of both:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfGfAA82cv4

More likely video of Ben learning the technique. Probably every one of us who read charliefrancis.com has tried Ben's start--and it didn't work for anybody. Charlie himself said that Ben was the only one who was able to start like that, so I don't think it's roids, but technique that matters. Getting out a long way on the first step is easy: It's continuing without pausing to collect your balance that's hard.

I actually went the other way, with John Smith's technique and Bud Winter's (modified) block settings. Start at 10 minutes, and don't miss the priceless footage of Bud Winter, Tommie Smith, and others in this video:

More on the Armin Hary start. This is Hary running 10.00 in Zurich in 1960. I defy you to watch him in lane 4 the first time without saying that he cheated:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8kc6MfplhE