Comments on: GO SHA http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/ wisdom and tripe from a lifetime runner Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:50:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Joan http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/comment-page-1/#comment-145 Joan Thu, 07 Jul 2005 01:21:50 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/#comment-145 In response to Erin's question, I will tell a little story from the World Cross-country championships in Morocco. While at UNC, I coached a runner who made the junior world team the same year I made the senior team. Since his mother was French Canadian, he spoke excellent French and was able to chat with the Moroccan junior runners. Casually, he asked a Moroccan about his training schedule and [in French] the Moroccan answered something like this, "On Monday we train in the morning and evening, Tuesdays we are on the track, Wednesday is for long running ... Saturdays we get our injections." "Excusez moi? Injections?" Yes, injections. It was no big deal to this athlete .. and I can only surmise it is standard operating procedure for many national federations to supply their top athletes what is necessary to compete at the highest level. I realized a long time ago that it is a luxury to remain a true amatuer. To be a "player" on the world running stage, you must do what is required on the current playing field. Unfortunately, "injections" are what is required. Of course, I have no proof. I only have my instincts and the stories I hear. One US runner once said to me he wished he was good enough to warrant doing drugs. You see, it would be silly (and dangerous) for a male, 4:10 miler to take EPO ... but what about a 4:00 miler? Where is the line you cross? Some athletes don't even know they are taking drugs. Didn't Kim Gallagher's coach tell her she was taking "vitamins" before he was banned for life for steroid distribution? What about the Etheopian runner who recently died of a heart-attack at age 21? Did she know? Did her federation make her take "injections?" It's all very murky and no one wants to talk about it for fear of being accused of "sour grapes." As I said in an earlier post, I've eaten plenty of sweet, juicy grapes in my career ... so I have no personal complaints. I do feel sad for the likes of Shalane and Blake Russell and my current favorite high schooler, Jack Bolas. And countless others who WILL NOT take "injections." What does their international racing future hold? In response to Erin’s question, I will tell a little story from the World Cross-country championships in Morocco. While at UNC, I coached a runner who made the junior world team the same year I made the senior team. Since his mother was French Canadian, he spoke excellent French and was able to chat with the Moroccan junior runners. Casually, he asked a Moroccan about his training schedule and [in French] the Moroccan answered something like this, “On Monday we train in the morning and evening, Tuesdays we are on the track, Wednesday is for long running … Saturdays we get our injections.” “Excusez moi? Injections?” Yes, injections.
It was no big deal to this athlete .. and I can only surmise it is standard operating procedure for many national federations to supply their top athletes what is necessary to compete at the highest level. I realized a long time ago that it is a luxury to remain a true amatuer. To be a “player” on the world running stage, you must do what is required on the current playing field. Unfortunately, “injections” are what is required. Of course, I have no proof. I only have my instincts and the stories I hear. One US runner once said to me he wished he was good enough to warrant doing drugs. You see, it would be silly (and dangerous) for a male, 4:10 miler to take EPO … but what about a 4:00 miler? Where is the line you cross?

Some athletes don’t even know they are taking drugs. Didn’t Kim Gallagher’s coach tell her she was taking “vitamins” before he was banned for life for steroid distribution? What about the Etheopian runner who recently died of a heart-attack at age 21? Did she know? Did her federation make her take “injections?” It’s all very murky and no one wants to talk about it for fear of being accused of “sour grapes.” As I said in an earlier post, I’ve eaten plenty of sweet, juicy grapes in my career … so I have no personal complaints. I do feel sad for the likes of Shalane and Blake Russell and my current favorite high schooler, Jack Bolas. And countless others who WILL NOT take “injections.” What does their international racing future hold?

]]> By: Erin Brightwell http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/comment-page-1/#comment-144 Erin Brightwell Wed, 06 Jul 2005 23:00:32 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/#comment-144 Dibaba appears to be the premiere 5k runner right now on the world scene, with several other Africans behind her. Do you think they're dirty as you seem to suggest? Dibaba appears to be the premiere 5k runner right now on the world scene, with several other Africans behind her. Do you think they’re dirty as you seem to suggest?

]]> By: Geoff Pietsch http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/comment-page-1/#comment-143 Geoff Pietsch Sun, 03 Jul 2005 02:48:58 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/#comment-143 Joan, I love your "beautiful" response. It rings totally true since I've had the same reaction to other beautiful runners, both female and male - regardless of their physical attractiveness/beauty. But you say it so poetically. Geoff Joan, I love your “beautiful” response. It rings totally true since I’ve had the same reaction to other beautiful runners, both female and male - regardless of their physical attractiveness/beauty. But you say it so poetically. Geoff

]]> By: Joan http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/comment-page-1/#comment-142 Joan Thu, 30 Jun 2005 17:59:44 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/#comment-142 AH, well, I meant blue-heron-at-full-wingspan beautiful ... or the flash-of-white-when-a-deer-leaps-a-fence beautiful ... not attractive/beautiful (though Shalane is a cover girl). I will be more careful with my word choice in the future. Thanks, joan AH, well, I meant blue-heron-at-full-wingspan beautiful … or the flash-of-white-when-a-deer-leaps-a-fence beautiful … not attractive/beautiful (though Shalane is a cover girl). I will be more careful with my word choice in the future. Thanks, joan

]]> By: Geoff Pietsch http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/comment-page-1/#comment-141 Geoff Pietsch Thu, 30 Jun 2005 16:25:17 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2005/06/27/go-sha/#comment-141 I completely share your admiration for Shalane Flanagan's aggressive front-running, but I was amused (bemused?) by your chasitising Larry Rawson (not Rossem)for noting someone's "bronze California tan" considering the first adjective you used to describe Flanagan was "beautiful". (Yes, she is, but that's not the point.) I completely share your admiration for Shalane Flanagan’s aggressive front-running, but I was amused (bemused?) by your chasitising Larry Rawson (not Rossem)for noting someone’s “bronze California tan” considering the first adjective you used to describe Flanagan was “beautiful”. (Yes, she is, but that’s not the point.)

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