Okay, I don`t know Chrissie, and all my thoughts are gleaned from what I`ve read about her. I may be wrong, but I believe she`s a straight-shooter. My point is she hasn`t the doper`s profile... Here`s my idea of the typical doper`s profile:
-Is an experienced athlete, with at least 5-10 years in one or various sports at a top level;
-Very driven & competitive;
-Is looking for ANY advantages he can get;
-Has come to a point where improvements are coming slower;
-Has loads of peer-pressure;
-Is part of an experienced group of athletes w/ access to cutting edge methods & materials (like a cycling team).
My example for athletes who fit this profile are Nina Kraft & Florence Griffith-Joyner. Nina had been placing well at Kona (3rd 2000 / 2nd 2002 / 3rd 2003) and had a string of wins at other IMs. She was trying to bump it up to another level. Flo-jo was a sprinter who had good results but didn`t look like a world beater in 1984. She peaked in 1988 at the age of 29 (i.e. a bit long in the tooth for sprinting), getting results no one would have predicted earlier on. And on the "getting every possible advantage" theme, she even pioneered those ridiculous hooded alien style sprinting suits... Another guy (who I like) is David Millar, who ended up doping in 2004 when his team COFIDIS named him team captain and he was expected to step it up to another level. He ended up bitterly regretted it.
Here`s where Chrissie is different:
-Focuses on enjoyment... So much so that partying was as much a focus in her early sporting activities as the sports itself;
-Isn`t manic about equipment - she races on a good yet standard Cervelo rig w/ HED jets, also she wears a standard helmet;
-She`s still improving - naturally;
-Hasn`t been a high-level athlete for long so doesn`t have so many contacts in the pro-athletic world;
-Had no peer-pressure, or past athletic results which put her in any sort of obligation;
-Is not hungry for success of the conventional kind, rather wants to do meaningful things (like working in for a Nepalese NGO in 2004 - how detached is that?).
When you`re doping, you`re desperate, and it`s also a sign of low self-belief. Nina, when she won the 2004 Hawaii Ironman she also got busted for drafting: in other words she was desperate to win. Chrissie not only raced clean in 2008 (and 2007 for that matter), but was very cool when she had a flat. She never lost her calm, had maintained a philosophical outlook (from what I`ve gathered). When she came to Hawaii in 2007 as a rookie, she had no expectations, and no peer pressure, so why would she want to risk it all by doping? No way!
-Is an experienced athlete, with at least 5-10 years in one or various sports at a top level;
-Very driven & competitive;
-Is looking for ANY advantages he can get;
-Has come to a point where improvements are coming slower;
-Has loads of peer-pressure;
-Is part of an experienced group of athletes w/ access to cutting edge methods & materials (like a cycling team).
My example for athletes who fit this profile are Nina Kraft & Florence Griffith-Joyner. Nina had been placing well at Kona (3rd 2000 / 2nd 2002 / 3rd 2003) and had a string of wins at other IMs. She was trying to bump it up to another level. Flo-jo was a sprinter who had good results but didn`t look like a world beater in 1984. She peaked in 1988 at the age of 29 (i.e. a bit long in the tooth for sprinting), getting results no one would have predicted earlier on. And on the "getting every possible advantage" theme, she even pioneered those ridiculous hooded alien style sprinting suits... Another guy (who I like) is David Millar, who ended up doping in 2004 when his team COFIDIS named him team captain and he was expected to step it up to another level. He ended up bitterly regretted it.
Here`s where Chrissie is different:
-Focuses on enjoyment... So much so that partying was as much a focus in her early sporting activities as the sports itself;
-Isn`t manic about equipment - she races on a good yet standard Cervelo rig w/ HED jets, also she wears a standard helmet;
-She`s still improving - naturally;
-Hasn`t been a high-level athlete for long so doesn`t have so many contacts in the pro-athletic world;
-Had no peer-pressure, or past athletic results which put her in any sort of obligation;
-Is not hungry for success of the conventional kind, rather wants to do meaningful things (like working in for a Nepalese NGO in 2004 - how detached is that?).
When you`re doping, you`re desperate, and it`s also a sign of low self-belief. Nina, when she won the 2004 Hawaii Ironman she also got busted for drafting: in other words she was desperate to win. Chrissie not only raced clean in 2008 (and 2007 for that matter), but was very cool when she had a flat. She never lost her calm, had maintained a philosophical outlook (from what I`ve gathered). When she came to Hawaii in 2007 as a rookie, she had no expectations, and no peer pressure, so why would she want to risk it all by doping? No way!