51-Year-Old Recreational Masters Runner Tests Positive For Doctor Prescribed DHEA, Gets 1-Year Drug Ban

If he can take stem cell enhancer, why can't I take a little testosterone enhancer

http://franknjan.com/

According to the website, it looks like she won a trophy and free entry to next year's race.

HRE wrote:

I couldn't tell from reading the article whether or not she won money. DId she?

If she won money and failed a drug test and had no TUE she at least needs to be stripped of her place and winnings. Otherwise, I agree with her and don't know why someone would spend time checking her and also don't see why this would really be a problem for her. she can just ignore the whole business.

I'm sorry masters runner your attempts at personal glory by finishing 1st in your division of the ------------- marathon does not warrant drug testing by USADA whose $ 13 million already restricts them from having any tangible impact on keeping pros clean in the US. This is just another example of an agency wasting their time and money for inexplicable reasons rather then actually doing their job. For crying out loud police the athletes that matter stop banning 50 yr old runners and Chris Lukezics you a$$$es.

I think your (and other's) outrage is misplaced.

This looks like a recreational lady who loves to run in the mountains. She took 7th place in the "B" event -- I don't think this is a lady who competes for prize money. (Unless someone can find results in other races). Her "ascent" would have placed her 41st female in the main event.

But maybe my assumption is wrong. Shouldn't we make a distinction between open runners, who should feel free to go to the doctor and take medicine that is routinely prescribed to the non-running public, and club runners, who try to compete for prize money?

The question for me is did usada spend its own money testing at this race? Or did the race pay for usada to come and test?

If it's the latter I'm fine with it. If it's the former I don't see why Usada is spending its limited resources testing age groupers at a trail race where there is no age group money.

http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/awards.htm

It has limited resources go after much bigger fish.

The discussion about recreational runners taking banned supplements we can have another day.

rekrunner wrote:

According to the website, it looks like she won a trophy and free entry to next year's race.

From the interview, it sounded like this race (one that chose to conduct drug testing!) is planning on honoring the free entry to the race. She was also still in the results as of yesterday when I looked.

i think the press release from USADA was a bit overkill for this situation, but if you have a chemical advantage, you shouldn't be engaging in competitions.

Mr Stone seems pretty pro-drugs, which is okay from a health standpoint (if medically indicated), but some rules are important to enforce...at what age should doping be permitted? 50? 40? Younger? slippery slope...

This is not Nam. This is sport. There are rules.

May 13, Runner's World

Pikes Peak Marathon Adds Drug Testing

The race will test six of the top 10 finishers in the marathon and four in the half-marathon, known as Pike’s Peak Ascent. The United States Anti-Doping Agency will perform the tests.

Another Masters Runner wrote:

HRE, I'm normally a fan of your common sense posts on this board (and I love to hear the Lydiard stuff), but disagree with you 100% here. If she's signing up and racing competitively (prize money or no), she shouldn't be using DHEA and its ilk. Full stop. Prize money shouldn't be the criterion. Let's face it: for us masters runners, we're competing against ourselves but also against each other (for pride, ego, the thrill of competition, whatever you want to call it), and this lady is flat out cheating.

How do you define competitive racing? Millions of post-menopausal women have received hormone replacement therapy to treat a number of symptoms associated with aging, including slowing the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's.

If a 60-year old woman using DHEA enters a local 5k charity fun run with no prize money is she cheating? Should everyone on hormone replacement therapy be banned from any type of 'competitive' event - even those that are just recreational?

I think prize money seem like a reasonable criterion, otherwise we would potentially banning a lot of people from competing in recreational events that have real health benefits.

It is my recollection that this race was selecting the USA Mountain Running Team for 2014. It was probably required for this reason so they would be able to compete in the international championships.

knab wrote:

I think prize money seem like a reasonable criterion, otherwise we would potentially banning a lot of people from competing in recreational events that have real health benefits.

So, no drug testing for NCAA or at the high school level? There are also some high profile events that don't offer prize money. Marine Corps Marathon, for example. Not everything that doesn't offer $$$ is a fun run.

Ooooh BUSTED! See guys? See? Definitive proof that the USADA is effective.

Of course she's "bewildered". All drug cheats are bewildered.

This is a tough issue. I was diagnosed hypothyroid when i was in my early 30s. I've been taking synthoid ever since. Does this give me an advantage competing against other people in their 50s? In some ways, I think it does. My thyroid levels will always remain constant whereas people who are not supplementing will have declining T3 as they age.

I've never been in a position to win cash, i'm injured a lot, and was never even good at my best, but it makes me wonder if i have an advantage when i am healthy enough to compete.

That being said, if i didn't take the stuff i'd probably have congestive heart failure by now so it's not even a question of whether I should be taking it.

noname wrote:

This is a tough issue. I was diagnosed hypothyroid when i was in my early 30s. I've been taking synthoid ever since. Does this give me an advantage competing against other people in their 50s? In some ways, I think it does. My thyroid levels will always remain constant whereas people who are not supplementing will have declining T3 as they age.

I've never been in a position to win cash, i'm injured a lot, and was never even good at my best, but it makes me wonder if i have an advantage when i am healthy enough to compete.

That being said, if i didn't take the stuff i'd probably have congestive heart failure by now so it's not even a question of whether I should be taking it.

That's probably a question for USADA.

knab wrote:

I think prize money seem like a reasonable criterion, otherwise we would potentially banning a lot of people from competing in recreational events that have real health benefits.

No one is banning her from participating in events, only from winning awards in USATF sanctioned events. Even if the ban includes participation in USATF sanctioned events, it's unlikely anyone will enforce that.

Ghghgghgffff wrote:

I'm sorry masters runner your attempts at personal glory by finishing 1st in your division of the ------------- marathon does not warrant drug testing by USADA whose $ 13 million already restricts them from having any tangible impact on keeping pros clean in the US. This is just another example of an agency wasting their time and money for inexplicable reasons rather then actually doing their job. For crying out loud police the athletes that matter stop banning 50 yr old runners and Chris Lukezics you a$$$es.

^Best post in thread.

There were 19 countries represented in the Challenge with nine scoring men’s teams and seven scoring women’s teams.

There was a short ceremony at the top of the mountain with race director Ron Ilgen presenting medals to the top three men and women and Tomo Sarf, WMRA delegate presenting flowers to the men and Jim Estes, USA Track & Field presenting flowers to the women. This ceremony will be followed by an evening ceremony to honor all of the competitors at 5PM.

Complete results are available at:

http://pprrun.org/results/2014_results/PPATeams.txt

.

she should certainly not accept an award for anything.

That's about all I'd say - the ethics are difficult... but bottom line, her race is being enhanced chemically and for that reason she should not accept an award.

I certainly would not.

Normal hormone replacement for women only hurts running ability with more estrogen and progesterone. Testosterone is not "normal" hormonal replacement for women.