It is quite clear why a Pro might want to dope, but why do some age groupers use performance enhancing drugs? And not only the very fast ones, but also slower folks. What do you think is the motivation for them?
And what would it take for you to jump that hurdle?
I don’t dope and won’t dope (maybe as I get older, I might try some “anti-aging therapy”, but not with the sole intent to get faster. Just to feel better).
My guess is that for someone to “try” doping is just like trying any other drug. Somebody your know and/or trust tells you how great it was for them. You try a little. Either you like it alot or you don’t.
Some people will like it so much that they will do it more and in more volume without caring about the consequences. Some people will like it, but decide that the money or the side effects are not worth it.
A couple of studies were done on the topic and the main reason, pro or not was not money, it was ego…
For FOP ag, it’s to win, or to qualify for something when it has eluded them for too long. Kona, las Vegas, worlds.
For MOP ag, possibly to jump a plateau, to get to the FOP.
For BOP, pure ego or medicinal. Medicinal is valid, ego is also valid, but not permissible legally or ethically in competition.
What would it take for me to start? I would probably stop competing if I ever felt so far behind everyone else that I needed to dope. Only real reason I can think of would be if my body gave up and stopped producing even sub par levels of chemicals to get out of bed, but I guess I would be more concerned with living and my family at that point to continue racing.
I’m more competitive with myself than I am with others. My OCD wouldn’t allow for me to take a shortcut like that.
I think it’s the desire to improve and have an edge, perform well. Motivation to be better… same with HGH and even any diet pill, etc. for regular (non-pro) people.
Me personally? Probably would take a lot to get me involved with doping… I am afraid of what soda does to people and won’t use non-natural soap. Seems really, really wrong and strange to purposefully add pollution to one’s body.
Everyone’s in this sport to get better, it just seems like some are doing it the right way, and some want shortcuts. It’s been mentioned here a lot, there is no magic pill to being great at sport, even peds require training to be beneficial.
Totally agree. Funny part is that semi-serious athletes and gym rats think that taking peds will automatically bulk you up or make you faster.
It’s my understanding that peds simply allow you the extra energy and recovery to train harder and longer. The actual gains are a result of the ability to train MORE.
Am I off base?
Not at all, most common ones, like HGH for example simply help the body to recover faster. Testosterone does something very similar as well and provides more training motivation/tenacity(the ability to push harder)
I don’t think there is any steroid or stimulant that will simply bulk you up, or make you faster without any work.
My personal view is that what you take is between you and your physician, provided you aren’t a pro. The rules should be different for pros for all the obvious reasons. As a practical matter, age groupers are almost never tested. (They tested at Age Group Nationals last year, I think, but it was only a few people.) I assume that everyone will do what they need to do to be fast, including the possibility of doping. I have no idea how many age groupers are doping, but I suspect the curve is upward as income levels rise. 
I’m 69 and could probably drop two hours off my IM time by spending $10,000 on the right doping doctor and dope. But, I’m a practical Mid-Westerner, so I wouldn’t spend that kind of money unless I was getting a very fast bike or faster woman.
Anyway, the rules say no doping, so you shouldn’t dope. I think the rules should be changed for Age Groupers. We need Ron Paul running WTC and USAT.
-Robert
all it takes is getting beat by 15 seconds and some disjointed thinking and logic leading to a justification. In other words, there is no motivation explained by reason.
I read an article (can’t remember where) that mentioned the greatest abuse of performance enhancing drugs was at the masters athlete level. It stated that they are past their prime and are unable to compete at the level they once did (or aspired to) and dope is one way to help get there. In addition the master level athlete is more likely to have the resources ($) to afford dope. This is a very broad statement however it does make some sense.
I am not interested in jumping the hurdle.
I’ll take the flames but before I got intrested into triathlons I was more or less looking to get big (weight lifting). So before deployment I purchased “legal” growth hermons? They were purchased online from an American company. The loop hole is they change one chemical bc the FDA can ban it but it takes about a year so that’s when a new batch comes out. I did multiple cycles on deployment and even conjoined with proper post cycle therapy the side effects got bad. The motivation for me was I was going to be away for a long time, nothing to do but sleep, eat, workout, and go on watch. So I got big. Afterwards if I wanted to keep 100% of my gains I would have to cycle another compound which would be stronger etc. I stopped after my deployment but was about 6 cycles worth. It was hella fun to see what the body can do but not worth it in the long run for me. After 18 months since then all my gains from the growth hormone are gone, cannot lift nearly as much, and I don’t have an interest in lifting anymore bc I was so good and now I’m terrible. Flame away, it’s my story.
I would never dope and race. But if I get to the point where a little dope helps to get rides in and enjoy life versus being confined to the couch, I would seriously think about it.
A couple of studies were done on the topic and the main reason, pro or not was not money, it was ego…
Hmm, I wonder if one can get a TUE for low self esteem?
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all it takes is getting beat by 15 seconds and some disjointed thinking and logic leading to a justification. In other words, there is no motivation explained by reason.
So true. Never underestimate the ability of men and women (mostly men though) to rationalize away all manner of sins. People can justify just about any hypocrisy or cheat to themselves. An appropriately selective memory helps. The cognitive dissonance required seems to consequently create some appropriately messed up personalities.
MOP’ers dope?
For FOP ag, it’s to win, or to qualify for something when it has eluded them for too long. Kona, las Vegas, worlds.
For MOP ag, possibly to jump a plateau, to get to the FOP.
For BOP, pure ego or medicinal. Medicinal is valid, ego is also valid, but not permissible legally or ethically in competition.
What would it take for me to start? I would probably stop competing if I ever felt so far behind everyone else that I needed to dope. Only real reason I can think of would be if my body gave up and stopped producing even sub par levels of chemicals to get out of bed, but I guess I would be more concerned with living and my family at that point to continue racing.
I’m more competitive with myself than I am with others. My OCD wouldn’t allow for me to take a shortcut like that.
I’m with Francois…it has nothing to do with getting faster (well, wanting to get faster through shortcuts is just a symptom of a deeper problem)…it is more self esteem related on thee go front. The guys are lacking something in the self esteem department and have the misguided notion that faster results with dope vs without dope will make them feel better…same reason why casual gym rats also dope to get “bigger”…self esteem situation…those suffering from anorexia and bulemia achieve the same self esteem need in another way.
All I can suggest to those of you who have young kids and especially teenagers is to equip them with a good sense of self esteem so they are motivated by intrinsic elements and feel actualized by who they are and how they perform rather than where they fit into the pecking order of those around them whether it comes to race results, body composition, income level, academic standing etc etc
sure there is! Charlie Sheen’s Tiger Blood!
Probably the same reason they draft in local races. A pure lack of ethics.
It’s the Human Nature. Like get rich quick scams and cheating on tests, people of all levels do it to achieve something they want without having to do the work to earn it. Motivation is different for each individual, but people have cheat and lie to get ahead. It’s ubiquitous in society and it’s no different in endurance sports.