I don't mind. It's easier to move up in the rankings this way versus training harder.

I think it's good they are targeting Agers. There has been a big proliferation of PED use among age group athletes especially recently.

It won't stop the flood but it may help slow the rising water level a bit.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Ya, it sure would suck to have some cheaters busted. Letting them get away with it sounds like a better option

Has the penalty changed?

This is great

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

OP is probably complaining because he's on PED and affraid of getting caught.

In the same line of logic, it would sure suck to let guys who make their livelihood in the sport get away with cheating, directly blocking clean athletes from doing so. That's already happening, and this is just a bit of a slap in the face without accompanying increases in pro testing protocol.

It's not that I'm against amateur testing, but massive increases to it while pro testing has heaps of holes in it is kind of a slap in the face. The SEC doesn't look at my trading habits for my retirement account with the same scrutiny as it does for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. There's a reason for that.

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IG: idking90

I stay increase testing, fines, and life time bans. I don't dope or cheat, so lets catch all the ones that do and remove them from the sport. Random in and out of season testing, test all podium winners make it hard for the cheaters to dope without getting caught.

I do understand there are tons of ways to beat the test. I watch soldier after soldier get tested in the military for drugs and sure some beat the system for a while, but sooner or later everyone gets caught either on the test or trying to avoid the test.

If membership fees go up fine. I rather pay extra on my entry fee for a race to see everyone tested than get another hat and t-shirt to advertise for the race director any way.

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http://www.toughmantri.com

https://robinsonsstrengthandendurancecoaching.wordpress.com/

Disagree. Just my gut, but I'd bet it's much more likely that amateurs/age groupers at the top are doping than the pros, simply because they have MUCH more money. Age groupers are rich; pros are poor. Look at Cody Beals' personal I&E statement from this year and try to argue he has $800-$1000 per month, if not more, to throw at PED's...and he's sick good too. Meanwhile, this guy from the article Matt Bach is a NYC hedge funder and probably earns 10x-20x per year.

It's in the range of $500-1000 per test. That is a bit more than a tshirt or finishers medal.

I think there are more age groupers using PEDs than we think. Maybe not at your local YMCA Olympic distance races. But at Ironman I can see someone going for a Kona slot, thinking no testing here, I'll do whatever it takes. It may not be EPO, but it’s not hard to get a doctor to prescribe testosterone, an inhaler for asthma you don’t have, or an extra pint of blood from your doctor/nurse friend.
I don’t think age groupers are doping the way the Pro are. Because Pros have regular after race testing they have shifted to micro doses in their training. But Age Groupers have very little chance of getting tested after a race and may be tempted to try it for their big race, maybe just once.
A few years they guy who won my age group at the Grand Fondo New York did get pop for EPO. So I like the policy of if you win your age group you also win a drug test. What’s the point of doping if you can’t win? A better policy would be to test everyone who gets a Kona Slot. It wouldn’t be that hard to do it since there are so few slots at IM races these days, and there should be money available with the increases in entry fees and the increased amount of entrants.


Biff
Certified IRONMAN Coach

Absolutely

I acknowledge the /pink, but would be a pretty piss-poor cheater to be juiced uo and finishing 150th in my AG at Kona.

I don't disagree with the general concept of wanting to eliminate doping from the AG ranks but unlike most here I'm not living in a fantasy world. So, given reality, I'd rather see the limited resources be put towards a real effort to have a legitimate impact on knocking doping out of the top end of the oros...the ones who actually benefit financially from competing.

I agree

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

Or are you the ideal doper. Just needed that little boost to get to Kona and now can say you raced Kona for the rest of your life?

" Ironman representatives declined to disclose the total cost of the amateur testing program, but said that it will be funded through its professional athlete membership..." So next time people complain about their entry fee going toward a pro prize purse, keep that in mind.

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_____________________________________________________
Instagram | Team Kiwami North America

I don't know enough to speak to triathlon, but in cycling, there is quite a bit of overlap and movement between the pro level, higher categories, and even masters racing.

Testing winners at races, pro or amateur, is only a very mild deterrent. Only a complete idiot goes to a race 'hot'. Dopers will only be caught and truly deterred by random out of competition testing. So whether you only want pros to be tested or both pros and amateurs, testing only winners at races is ineffectual. Have you read "The Secret Race"?

The difference between pros and AG are fake, and many other sports/countries do not have them.
Testing is the only thing that can stop doping. And the best testing is based on intelligence.
It is not that hard to find individuals or groups that cheat, but the testers have to know those people.

Right now testosterone is the 500 pound gorilla in all sports.
It is time for athletes to make a stand instead of saying, "my doctor gave it to me".

Agree that the flood cannot be stopped, but hopefully slowed.

"Elite-performing" is pretty far from purely random.

That is why it is done randomly, then you are talking 100 test per race with 2500 racers.

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http://www.toughmantri.com

https://robinsonsstrengthandendurancecoaching.wordpress.com/

I'm glad this guy passed all 3 times since he actually won Maryland (presuming he's totally clean) but being tested 3 freakin times? That sounds strange in itself to me.

I understand your point, and agree in principal. But I think it is also important to realize that so much of the doping is "trickle down" knowledge. Older athletes that learn where to get product, how to use it, how not to get caught, etc. They then teach the younger guys coming up in the ranks.

So part of breaking the cycle is getting the older older age grouper dopers out of the sport. That way there are fewer people there to lead up and coming athletes off-track.

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2015 USAT Long Course National Champion (M50-54)

'

Would you be happier calling them 'athletes that compete internationally at the highest level of their sport' instead of 'pros'? The differences aren't fake, especially when it comes to WADA and doping. Those differences exist in every country and every sport that is part of WADA. 'Pros' are part of the registered testing pool with their NADA and are held to completely different standards in terms of whereabouts.

The challenge with testing is catching people, not so much about knowing who is doping. Everyone knows the Russian skiers are doping, but it apparently isn't so easy to catch them. Same with all the track runners and swimmers, it isn't a mystery who is doping, but they are rarely caught.