Fast Running Blog

In honor of the Tour de France, I thought I'd get your opinions on how prevalent performance enhancing drug (PED) usage is in running.  We know about the doping of short distance specialists, but I was wondering how much doping is going on in longer distances.  As more money is involved at bigger races, you have to wonder how much control is in place for the cheaters.  Makes you wonder how much could have been going on before more testing was put into place.  This sounds cynical, but I know there has to be doping going on to some extent.  What is your opinion?

One of my highest goals would be to be tested - then I would that I must have done something awesome!  Paul/Logan did they do any sort of testing at the Trials?

I'm pretty sure the top finishers were all testing, and then they probably did some random testing. That is what they do in NCAA as well, or at least in D-III

And the Olympics does a ton of testing, too, so athletes of that calibre would be checked.

Yeah I know, this is a negative topic.  Being unemployed and watching what has happened to our morals in this country has me cynical of everything some days.  Grumpy runner.  Just curious though since so many top cyclists use pharmacology to squeeze out an advantage.  There will always be cheaters so not sure where to go with this topic.  How about this one, do you think a comparable amount of top runners (vs. cyclists) use PEDs?  There is enough incentive out there to use don't you think?  Who knows, just a random discussion topic.

Everyone is juiced.

Except those on this blog! ;D

I forgot about being tested in college - I guess they didn't test for everything  ;)

Also, I know from talking to some of the pro runners, that they get tested at random. Someone could show up "any day" and demand a drug test from them. I think they have to participate in the sampling in order to be eligible for the Olympics. Or something like that.

Interestingly, some people came over to my house once and demanded a blood test. I complied, and as a result was given $500,000 worth of life insurance. It was freaky. The only things I tested positive for was awesomeness and good looks.

I thought more about this while running today.  I run slow so what better way to occupy my mind than conspiracy type theories.  I was thinking of PED abuse more along the lines of seeking prize money and becoming marketable to sponsors.  Let's say we have someone with some natural running talent.  The plan would be to do some redline training below the radar for a couple of years while using steroids for recovery and incorporating EPO.  Then show up for the major marathons under the name "Blade Runner" and try to collect through prize money or signing on with major sponsorship over time.  You do well enough to write several training books.  If drug testing becomes a issue even with masking efforts, the "athlete" then moves to a less tested sport for continued noteriety (i.e. ultra races, etc.).  What do you think?   

Not to get your blood racing again, Bob, but in ironically, the guy who won the Des News 10K yesterday is in fact a drug cheat who runs under different names.  He was caught in 2002 for nandrolone.  Yesterday he came and got $ for Des News, today he went to Santa Cruz and raced the Wharf to Wharf, came in 2nd and got a nice chunk of change even for 2nd.  He picks races that are not national championships (because they drug test?) and still have prize money.  Race directors need to keep these people out of races.

Hmmm, yeah 27:15 seemed a bit doped to me for a $1500 road race in Utah. But maybe that's the point.

The purses he is going for these days are far less than before he got busted.  I don't exactly how much he got this morning, but I think it was at least $2K (winner got 3K) -- so $3.5K for a weekends work isn't too bad (especially if they don't test and the race directors don't keep him out of the races).

As an aside, Justin Gatlin's suspension is up, and no one is letting him in races (even though Nike is still sponsoring him) - unfortunately, for him, he can't make money from road races.

Yes Bonnie, that's exactly what I was concerned about.  I was thinking about how much money was being stolen away by cheats in under the radar type events like the ones you pointed out.  I know myself and many others don't run for the money, but I'd still like to see only those doing honest work earn any winnings.  Total pipe dream I guess.  I always viewed running as a more "pure" athletic endeavor, but I need a reality check as more money becomes involved in racing.