Slightly sore calves, popped an anti inflam yesterday to lessen the after effects from yesterdays track session on the hip (more on that later!!)
For tonights run It was 29 O C and 87% humidity!
I Jumped into the pool after - this is supposed to be Autumn.
Just finishing Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage.
I had my eyes opened after reading David Walsh's Lance to Landis.
Rough Ride is good because it is from a cyclists perspective rather than a Journalist and gives a day to day account of him riding the Tour and how drugs and doping became the norm for Pro Cycling .
It is really quite an old book (mid 80's) but it is interesting to see how doping became so pervasive in the sport absolutely nothing like non elite distance running as far as I'm concerned but I'm sure at the top level, EPO would have been used and the finger is pointing at Spain and Italy and of course others. I mean has anyone written a book about Cacho (?) the Spanish guy who seemed to do nothing but win an Olympic 1500m Gold and Silver ?? !! (yeah I know he did more but he seemed to shun competition!)
Interestingly for me Kimmage quotes a passage where he is updating his book for a reprint and sitting in David Walsh's office when he picks up Jack Buckner's (Lufbra Student and European Champ 5000m) book Running the Distance. Jack is describing the Seoul Olympics ( 6th in 5000m 13m23) where the BIG news story was Ben getting caught! Jack offers his perspective which like all of us is wouldn't recognize a Performance Enhancing Drug from a packet of Smarties. However, certain sports have there issues and cycling recognize they have a 'sore toe' but don't believe they have 'cancer'. Their (UCI) claim refuting drugs being rampant in the sport is always that they are the most tested sport ...... But the truth is these guys have the best doctors and they know absolutely how not to get caught.
I think that cycling has very much improved its testing and the recent two cases where bans were imposed from irregularities in blood testing via the Blood passports is a significant step forwards.
However the more I read the more I'm amazed. I thought that David Millar who served a two year ban when his home was raided and EPO found and he admitted use (EPO is still undetectable?), came back as an evangelical anti doper, however, from what Kimmage says Millar is still as culpable.And what of my other 'heroes'?
Ullrich, Roach, Indurain, Armstrong?
I'm rambling but it is an area of sport I'm finding very interesting at the moment.
I know an anti inflam drug is far from 'performance enhancing' but makes you wonder what other guys might do!
Photo is courtesy of young Timmy at his Husky Beach Tri, when I first saw the photo I thought it was pebbles or sea weed on the beach - had to click on the photo to see it was all those tri guys and gals. Great photo!
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