I have not gone to age group nationals in almost three decades. Ive stayed away for a number of reasons (like I suck at biking running and swimming); but another reason is the cheating. It was visible when I did it last…a ton of drafting. It was also unpleasant in the swim (very rough and not polite)…and that does not include the non-visible doping.
So…anyone have a handle on what it is like these days? Male mid 50s. Is everyone now doping with T and HGH; or has it calmed down? Have people eased up on the cheating?
I didn’t feel like the drafting was an issue the last two times I raced Milwaukee Nats.
Regarding the various hormones middle aged men might be on, I often wonder about that, but what do you do. I’m not racing to win, but for enjoyment and to get a good result for myself. If that result puts me head of more or less of the competition on a certain day it certainly can affect my mood, but I don’t give any serious thought to the people who are on therapy. I assume it’s quite a few, but for all I know when I pass people on the bike or run they think the same of me?
3 Likes
USAT national races have more referees than any other local race I do (which typically have none). There will be penalties handed out, and now there is a penalty board you have to serve it before going into t2. If you don’t serve the penalty you get a dq. They give warnings for blocking, but I know about mount line penalties, I don’t specifically know drafting ones. I was doing a super sprint in Irving where the course was opposite side of the road, after the u turn I rode next to the curb, which was left, you know because you ride next to the curb, and the moto just told me to get right as a reminder.
Perhaps that’s another reason to go, they are on closed courses which is nice.
As to who’s on what, I’d say don’t let it affect you. It’s some of the top competition of the year, I go to Multisport nationals for that. I don’t know the frequency of testing, other than observational guessing it is probably low. I’d be mad if I knew someone was on it and raced nationals, but otherwise I just have to assume they aren’t.
I haven’t been to Milwaukee but I hear it’s a favorite of many people.
I used to follow a guy on Youtube named Nick Bare who recently, with a bunch of other fitness influencers, seem to have discovered hybrid training and act as if it is brand new.
More power to them but heh coupling musculation to a sport isn’t new…
Anyway, those guys are symptomatic of a trend of people coming from musculation/bodybuilding and discovering running/endurance sports. The content around Ironman has exploded on Youtube over the past years.
Which is great, however most of those guys aren’t natty. They don’t take substances for triathlon, most of them were already on juice but yeah… In the end they are age groupers on the sauce
Their body their choice but one could argue it is not very fair to competitive natty age groupers
So to answer your question: it doesn’t look like cheating is decreasing (although it is not intentional as I just explained) but I have no data to back it. Just a general observation
On a thread on FB a guy mentions he going to swim in the last wave in an IM and since he’s not eligible for awards he going to wear his favorite shoes, which are prohibited by WTC rules. Post after post blast him for being a cheater, some getting quite nasty. Same FB group, older guy talks about how TRT allows him to continue to pursue his IM endeavors, people praise his motivation and perseverance!
I went to Milwaukee for Nats in 2015 in the 40-44 AG and our Swim Wave got pulled from the fridgid așs water so the course could clear a bit. We had a delayed 10ish minutes back on the dock. I hate the cold and shivering for that time then getting back in the water to swim killed my day, BUT… there was no drafting that i saw. I think they did a great job controlling that part. I believe every sport has dopers so you either have to accept the possibility or be mad all the time.
No way to know how many folks are on low-T treatment (other than it feels rampant in the SoCal Master cycling scene). As for drafting, I second the relatively clean bike on the Milwaukee course. I think it helps that there are wide roads, lots of marshals on the initial park out-and-back, followed by the bridge “hill” that allows strong riders to drop hangers on.
So maybe you are a candidate for the sprint duathlon national champs in Omaha this year. No swimming, eliminating one of your self-identified suckiness disciplines and avoiding the unappealing lack of politeness in the water. Drafting? Mandatory! Well, legal, at least - and mandatory if you want a good result. Unhappiness #2 obliterated. T and HGH? I’m confident that it’s out there, but I’m clean and reasonably competitive, so it can be done.
1 Like
ah well Internet what can I say
Love your user name btw
1 Like
Milwaukee is a good course and the swim is pretty good as well… protected cove with a bottle neck going under a bridge. Ref’ing has gotten super slack in USAT sanctioned events with a lot of warnings, don’t know how Nationals is comparatively since I’ve not raced it myself the past few years… I’ve raced at Milwaukee several times since it has been there multiple times since I’ve been going to Nats.
I’ve seen clean racing and then I’ve seen very blatant draft packs at Nationals. Flip a coin, really depends on the day… if you really suck at swimming, biking and running… you’re not competing for a podium anyway so ???
We’re about the same age and yes I’ve had competitors popped post Nationals for T or something else. I don’t think about it too much but my wife on the other hand is super suspicious of people at Nats. Tends to be a lot random (testing) and I’ve podium’d and been top 5 in my AG but never tested. What are you going to do though?
Milwaukee as I said is a good course and site. Enjoy the town as well.
1 Like