Did you ever dope?

[WillemS]

Well, did you? It doesn't have to be a professional doping program, it could just be using some steroids in the gym or whatever.

Personally I've never doped, although it might be that some supplement I used contained something that is on a doping list somewhere. I can't say for sure that it didn't. It might be a dietary supplement that contained a banned substance extracted from herbs or whatever. I don't think I ever used anything that could contain something in a period of a year around any kind of sports competition I competed in.

 

[Benotti69]

Well, did you? It doesn't have to be a professional doping program, it could just be using some steroids in the gym or whatever.

Personally I've never doped, although it might be that some supplement I used contained something that is on a doping list somewhere. I can't say for sure that it didn't. It might be a dietary supplement that contained a banned substance extracted from herbs or whatever. I don't think I ever used anything that could contain something in a period of a year around any kind of sports competition I competed in.

I'm clean and have never doped to enhance my performance, but the possibility of little blue pills in older age might be a possability

 

[Escarabajo]

Maybe. One day I drank too much cafeine. Never tested positive for it.

BTW, I am an engineer so the tests has mostly been for alcohol and recreational drugs.

 

[Animal]

I can't see why an amateur would dope. The financial rewards are not there.

And for me, it's about how winning, or competing makes me feel from the inside, not some misguided idea about how others might perceive me better if I win. So cheating in any way would not provide that kick. It would be hollow and pointless.

 

[Catwhoorg]

Prior to 2004, I have little doubt I would have tested positive for caffeine any day of the week.

Still would if they ever reintroduce the limits for it.

The only drug tests I have faced were employer related, mainly looking at illegal drugs and alcohol. Doubt I'll ever have to face anything else.

 

[compete_clean]

Nope. Don't (and never have) drunk coffee or used supplements stronger other than vitamin A, B, C, D, E and potassium. Also never had to figure out the logistics of how to get the stuff or how to deal with an after competition test.

Re: Can't understand why would an amateur dope?

FWIW, my insight is from the time when there was "amateur" racing and no U23 distinction. The European based teammates I always assumed doped because they wanted to turn pro and avoid the other jobs that their lack of education and opportunity qualified them for.

In North America it seemed like it was just, "if I'm doing this, I might as well do it to win" or "I don't want someone else having an advantage over me". A few might have done it because they saw a career in racing (but that's a guess).

Of course this is limited to teammates or riders who I knew were doping and/or discussed it.

 

[Anonymous]

Nope, but my crit did vary wildly from 38 to 55 last winter, but thats been put down to cheap NHS testing equipment and the fact i have issues

 

[LarryBudMelman]

Well, did you? It doesn't have to be a professional doping program, it could just be using some steroids in the gym or whatever.

Personally I've never doped, although it might be that some supplement I used contained something that is on a doping list somewhere. I can't say for sure that it didn't. It might be a dietary supplement that contained a banned substance extracted from herbs or whatever. I don't think I ever used anything that could contain something in a period of a year around any kind of sports competition I competed in.

Yes, not for competition, and for a very short time.

Also experimented and obtained valuable information.

Put it to you this way. Anyone who has doped for competition can't be trusted to be clean now PERIOD.

If you're a coffee drinker and a morning rider, go for a day without your joe and ride, and you'll understand completely.

Anyone who isn't middle aged and thinks a late 30's pro can compete with a mid 20's pro who both have the same capacities, forget it.

The wheels of justice are the only factors which can halt this silliness.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well. No one cares how well I perform on a bike. The only thing I use is coffee and lucky for pretty much all the peloton that's not illegal!
They did have an anti-doping programme in the gym where I used to go I assume they still have but trust me; half-a-look at me and you'd know I'm not exactly the steroid-using-type!

Honestly, I think the closest I've ever been to some sort of doping is taking some relaxators on the evening before an exam. Nothing that wasn't legal though.

 

[Cimacoppi49]

Does using Librium during small bore rifle competition count? I don't recall any drug prohibitions in the 1960s from the NRA. Of course, just like Virenque noted, everybody was doing it.

 

[Fausto's Schnauzer]

Well...

....there was this Grateful Dead concert...and Wow! Jerry and the guys were REALLY on that night.

 

[Cimacoppi49]

I can't see why an amateur would dope. The financial rewards are not there.

And for me, it's about how winning, or competing makes me feel from the inside, not some misguided idea about how others might perceive me better if I win. So cheating in any way would not provide that kick. It would be hollow and pointless.

They dope for the glory of winning. When you see a 50+ year old man with fresh acne all over his back while changing after a race, you kind of have to wonder. Combine that with extreme aggression on the bike and in the parking lot, and I would suspect doping. Even amateurs want to win at any price--some of them anyway.

 

[Cimacoppi49]

....there was this Grateful Dead concert...and Wow! Jerry and the guys were REALLY on that night.

**** Cavet to Jimmy Hendrix:
Do you try to get up and practice every day?
Hendrix: I try to get high every day.

 

[LarryBudMelman]

I can't see why an amateur would dope. The financial rewards are not there.

And for me, it's about how winning, or competing makes me feel from the inside, not some misguided idea about how others might perceive me better if I win. So cheating in any way would not provide that kick. It would be hollow and pointless.

Short answer, people are delusional.

Go to a bodybuilding gym.

What does benching 315 get you? Bragging rights?

 

[High-Cadence]

Re: Can't understand why would an amateur dope?

That would be the general consensus of opinion of course. But any athlete who dopes whether professional or amateur is nothing other than a pathetic cheating " DOPE " in other word's an idiot.

 

[Ibanez]

I used to take aspirin before cross country races. A strong coffee in the morning as well. Neither was as important to me as making sure I went for a dump before the race started.

Hardcore.

 

[usedtobefast]

i never tested positive...

 

[Hugh Januss]

I'm gonna go with no.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

In 2006? .......

 

[Spider1964]

Does drinking copious amounts of alcohol till the early hours count as doping? Have rocked up to many a sporting contest with doubts about my sobriety.

Had two cans of beer before a pre-season game of football... never played better... was flying for marks that I would normally hesitate for.. can't recommend it highly enough.

Mate of mine always had a couple of beers before he played cricket to "soothe the nerves"... very good player by day and unbeatable at night.

I always trained harder and had a high cadence too.

 

[krebs303]

Testosterone,Morphine and Marijuana daily. I do have a TUE for them.

 

[Shady87]

I had an 'Atypical Analytical Result' once, T/E ratio outside the 4:1 ratio. Cleared that up with a series of random tests to establish a baseline.
Also had a missed test once. In hospital with a fractured vertebrae, didn't rock up to training where the testers were waiting for me.

Apart from Bicarb and Caffeine for rowing regattas, never considered doping.

 

[Martin318is]

I can't see why an amateur would dope. The financial rewards are not there.

And for me, it's about how winning, or competing makes me feel from the inside, not some misguided idea about how others might perceive me better if I win. So cheating in any way would not provide that kick. It would be hollow and pointless.

I certainly have.

There are many reasons to dope and not all of them are directly based upon being at the top of your form and wanting an extra "edge".

In my case, I knowingly took sudafed prior to an amateur triathlon where I knew testing would not occur, even though I was at the time a licensed racing cyclist who did races where testing WOULD occur. At that time it still contained psuedoephedrine which was on the substances list.

The reason? I had a ridiculously bad head cold with massive sinus pain and rather than abandon a race I had been looking forward to doing with friends, I went to the pharmacy and got the tablets. (this is an over the counter medicine and by no means an unusual thing at a pharmacy)

So that leaves an interesting question I guess - if you know you were never going to win the event anyway, were not even really trying to do particularly well other than have fun, and you know you are not well enough to even do as well as you normally would, yet you would fail a urine test.... what does that make you? A cheater?

 

[Spider1964]

I certainly have.

There are many reasons to dope and not all of them are directly based upon being at the top of your form and wanting an extra "edge".

In my case, I knowingly took sudafed prior to an amateur triathlon where I knew testing would not occur, even though I was at the time a licensed racing cyclist who did races where testing WOULD occur. At that time it still contained psuedoephedrine which was on the substances list.

The reason? I had a ridiculously bad head cold with massive sinus pain and rather than abandon a race I had been looking forward to doing with friends, I went to the pharmacy and got the tablets. (this is an over the counter medicine and by no means an unusual thing at a pharmacy)

So that leaves an interesting question I guess - if you know you were never going to win the event anyway, were not even really trying to do particularly well other than have fun, and you know you are not well enough to even do as well as you normally would, yet you would fail a urine test.... what does that make you? A cheater?

+1 to the bolded.

Prior to a race I had been looking forward to doing all year... came down with a mighty head cold and took 2 sudafeds and had a can of red bull prior to the start. Didn't win.. was never going to.. but outside of the rules and I knew it. Had no second thoughts about it because I did it to race... not to win the race. Still cheating I guess.

 

[Cimacoppi49]

i never tested positive...

Hey, let's start a club.