Competing and hormone therapy in men (what does BT think) (Page 2)

Yes, I did actually have to look at the rules, and if you are taking beta-2 antagonists... asthma inhalers... and you get tested and pop for them, you do indeed have to show that it is a medical necessity. If it is found to be theraputic, you will them be issueed a TUE, and you will have to maintain it. You just do not need that before racing, and that is only for non-tested pools... which recreational athletes are.

Heart medicines and cold medicines are banned IN competition, which is number one. But if you use a heart medicine, or cold medicine the day of the race... you are cheating. But I'm sure nobody ever does that.

Do what ever get's you to sleep at night Bud. Sorry I don't take my hobby as seriously as you do.

Not all cold medications are banned.  I've not used one while racing that I can recall, but in case my allergies were flaring up I did check on Loratidine (antihistamine) which I occasionally use and found that it is permitted in competition.

www.globaldro.com

It really just depends. You have to look at the list. All the "drins" are... psuedo/ephedrine... and then some only are after a certain limit. Some inhalers are fine, but only up to a limit. It isn't complicated, you just have to look it up. But it is a lot more than anabolics... oh, and weed. You can't smoke weed. Not sure how that is a perfomance enhancer... but it is indeed CHEATING.

Well, I guess I asked for it.

So I started this 4 years ago. I was in a depression. Could not even put 2 thoughts together. Didn't even want to get out of bed. Go to the doc, and I was LOW. Not below average, LOW. So I started taking T, it was no light switch I assure you. Doc just put me to normal. It did help, and it has been adjusted down. So then I start doing tris. Never even dawned on me... I'm a RECREATIONAL athlete. Paying good money to do an event and give the winner a check. I didn't learn about TUEs until the second year reading a thread here. It never occured to me. I 100% feel it is theraputic, and not enhancment. I am in violation of not filing for a TUE... but the rules state I had to have one in place BEFORE I started using it, and that time is long gone. Sorry if it offends... but I just don't care.

Don't bother lecturing me on living life in a black and white world. There is not a person on this planet that follows every rule, every time, no matter what. Sometimes, when nobody is around, I do not use my turn signal to change lanes. Sometimes... I actually will go in through the out door. And I hope this does not cause a aneurysm... but sometimes, I get in the pool without showering.

Everyone makes decisions on what they are willing to do, and what level of risk they are willing to live with. Don't get too upset when somebody does not make the same decision as you. I make my choices that I can live with, and I accept the consquences for my actions. I'm not doing any races this year... and who knows, maybe if I want to do one again... I might actually not do one because of this rule... but for now, it just does not rank very high on the list of what keeps me from looking at myself in the mirror.

You know what does bother me... people that do not stay to the right except to pass. Yet pretty much the entire field does not do it. I actually do... but then I have to go further out passing other people that should be over, when there is nobody else there. But it is against the rules to pass on the right... that is an advantage, and it is a disadvantage to me because I have to go further. But do I yell at all of them for breaking the rules? No, I run MY race. That's the course, thats what I do. And the world keeps turning.

What else bothers me is that women have been using homone replacement for decades, to regulate cycles, and make up for what is lost post menopaus. Yet when I guy does it, well it's just for vanity and some sort of PED use.

My best advice to the OP is that if it bothers you, then don't do it.

Thank you powerman for your honest and rational contribution to this discussion. After reading all of the haughty and angry responses you are getting, I must say that I support your position and would support you if you decided to race a USAT-sanctioned event. I think that many, if not most, of the triathlon community would also agree. As you alluded to earlier, I would safely say that most people in the community would be unaware that prescription low-T medications would be banned as PED's. I didn't know it until I opened this thread.  I did several races before I even knew what USAT was, let alone know the details of their doping policies.

In the discussion and study of ethics and morality, there is the well-known concept of Letter vs. Spirit of the Law. I think it's pretty clear that you and the OP, if he decides to take the meds and compete, are clearly within the spirit of the rule. The spirit of the rule, IMHO, is that the USAT wants to forbid participants from taking PED's to gain a competitive advantage. I feel the intention of the rule is mainly focused on the pointy end of the curve--the pro's and the elite AG'ers, those competing for money, podium and Kona spots. Sure, they don't want the MOP and BOP AG'ers to dope, because that would be stupid. There are many reasons why they don't test average AG'ers. Money being a big one, but they probably don't perceive a big problem so don't care enough to test. So I disagree with the poster who so vehemently and repeatedly proclaimed that this is black and white, there is no gray area! There is a gray area and we're staring at it.

As I said, I think that many would agree with me. Not many would post it here because they don't want the self-righteous beat down that I'll probably get--the same one powerman's been getting. But I don't care. I'll choose the side of empathy and compassion. There are those here that will proudly say that they don't care about your personal situation or background. They don't care what your doctor says. Your medical condition and your doctor's treatment plan make you ineligible. Period. Stay home.

Well, that's not me. This is a hobby for most of us, we do it for fun. If some average AG'er needs a medication to help their chances of conceiving, I say go for it and come on and race with us.

I found this interesting.

http://www.runnersworld.com/masters-training/performance-boost-or-bust

"George Mathews, former chairman of USATF's Masters Track & Field Committee, has suggested a medications-PED waiver; athletes who sign it could participate without competing for medals or championships."

Maybe part of it I do not understand.  If you use PED to win or atleast try to win you are cheating.  No one I think here would disagree with that.  If you use a PED to gain advantage and come in last then that is just stupid and been better off using the money somewhere else (since I do not think they are that cheap). 

For those who say rules are black and white remember to boycott all MPI events and services because they did not DQ a racer who obvious cheated.  

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-854041

Thanks guys. Interesting. I would sign a waiver no sweat. I sort of thought it was implied being a RECREATIONAL athlete.

In fact, a recreational athlete should be it's own division. No prizes, no Kona spots. Nothing. If you want to compete for those things, then you have to register in an appropriate pool.

One thing that I like about triathalon is that it is geared towards me against the clock, not me against the field. And it is competition. I'm trying to do the best I can on that day. But it is just me against the clock. Me against me. That's how I see it. And yes, then I see how I did compared to the field and then my AG.... but I do not get anything for coming in 670th over 671st. "The race" itself is not the meat and potatoes, it's just the icing. It's what keeps me off the couch the 9 months prior training. I'm in it for the training and the benefits I get from that, not the 670th.

One interesting note is non-wet suit legal races. Every year my race is right at the exact cutoff... wet suit legal. But when the temp crosses the magic line... those that choose to wear a wet suit are not eligible for prizes... but wearing a wet suit is without a shadow of a doubt an advantage... at least for the crowd that will choose to wear a wet suit above legal temp it is. Some may not even finish the swim without one. Yet their place of 836, is right above 837 that had major bike mechanical problems.... yet no asterisk by their name. And it does not seem to bother anyone.

First off, I truly thank you for your candor.  It's refreshing.  Seriously.

2 things:

The bolded above...that is UNACCEPTABLE!  If I ever see you do that I will call the cops.  Right away.  :P

Actually with female hormone replacement:  I just had to do some research into this and it actually is banned and those women that are doing it (with the typical drugs) are indeed dopers.  You're right that society is not 'willing' to say that, but pretty much every 50+ woman that is going through traditional drug aided hormone replacement therapy cannot participate in sanctioned Triathlons because they are doping.

We actually had an issue with one of the local very competitive women in the area.  She was indeed banned for 2 years.  Goes back to the quality of life vs competition paradigm. I say go with quality of life every time.

You're welcome... and

I live dangerously my friend.

So I was absent from this thread all weekend enjoying the sun and 80 degree temps in my neck of the woods. No that I am back I want to follow up a bit. Someone above mentioend how low T is a normal part of the aging process. that is true and if that is why mine was Low I might not care enough to do anything about it. However mine is low for an unknown medical reason. As a 29 year old man, I have the Testosterone level, as my doctor put it, of someone 50 years old than me. I am still not decided on doing any Tri's or not that year but I am taking the medicine for now and will see what the effects are with Monthly blood draws and other lab tests at the 3 month mark. maybe it helps, maybe it wont do anything. I don't even know what the results might be.

Regardless to me it is a big gray area and in all honesty if it was not for the fact that we were trying to start a family I would not even know it was low because this is who I am and how I have always felt. Since we had a reason to get it checked out - well now I have to deal with it and all of its aspects. Also have you looked at the paperwork for a TUE - is it really worth all the extra effort by my doctor?

We just got the Plan B thread to die, but now it is about to be rekindled....

This statement just reminded me of the fact...

wait for it...

I hate to break it to some folks....

Not all teens on oral contraception are taking it solely for cycle regularity.

it would be not just for tris but for any road running race too really.  Its all sports.

Then again I probably know only know1 person who gets tested but they race to win like win big city marathons. (well smaller big cities).  Now her big thing is 100k world championships.