Wheeler Farm Loops

Did not realize you had posted it too. Did you speak to him at all? Seems like a bit of a jerk - doing push ups before crossing the finish line.

I didn't speak to him, but we started the race about 10 minutes late that morning b/c he was the last one to the starting line and it took him forever to put his shoes on.

Heh...classic. Consistent with everything else of course now in hindsight.

You know what makes me mad? This guy isn't world class - his times are slightly faster than what I can run. He's taking away opportunities from guys just like me, who are trying to do this thing the right way.

The Runners World article is much better than the NY Times article. Tells the real story. His teammates caught him - good for them. But he still tried to weasel his way out of it, and he was still racing after being caught. I wish they would just ban him for life.

Exactly!

Ewwwww this makes me soooo angry. Its jerks like that taking away from the clean TRUE athletes that deserve it. How can they live with themselves? And be truly happy for a performance knowing it wasnt really their soul effort!

"I only used it for recovery..." Recovery is the biggest part of running fast. Running fast doesn't make you faster it is being able to recover and do it again that makes you faster.

Exactly, Chad. You are 100% right. This BBC article drives home that point...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/19930514

Mercier had tried doing the training programme without using drugs, but found it impossible. "I could do the first two days, but by about the fifth hour on the third day I couldn't do the efforts, I was getting fatigue and had to take a recovery day."

And I think anyone who believes Hesch wasn't using during competition is DELUSIONAL. He injected 50+ times in 2 years... while racing like every other weekend! And he's also running races that don't have the resources to do testing. Its a shame how he worked the system.

I read all 3 stories this morning about it. the RW article was by far the best and based on how he handled it he should be done for life

It sucks that you got beat by a confirmed doper. These elite (but not pro level) doping stories are always so frustrating. Not going to make them a pro but help them beat other Elites that are just running for the joy of it.

Oddly enough he also raced the Buffalo 4 mile chase the last couple years that draws an elite field with $10k total prize money. Luckily this year he finished just out of the prize money.

Disturbing!!! I can't believe people STILL do it and STILL think they will get away with it.

You should feel proud that you are in the company of people who think they have to cheat in order to beat you and others of your talent. I feel you should take it as a compliment. But what a waste of his talent, and what a shame that he feels it's that important to win.

Thanks for the link to Mario's story. The title: "Anything for eyeballs" is evidently quite apt for Hesch.

There has been a lot of activity on the ESPN website lately about doping, including one writer who was basically throwing up his hands and almost recommending that we legalize it so it could be regulated. I got an account so I could make a comment and I unloaded on him. Doping won't disappear if people don't think it is a bad thing.

Flat - I totally agree with you. Well said.

Shame on him. I wish you could put in a claim for the lost prize money. Doping is so lame!