There's not a chance that he is clean. Not an iota of a chance. The fact that he is involved in boxing makes it MORE likely he's on TRT and whatever else he can get his hands on than less. Gym culture and all that. Look at his build: doesn't even remotely look like a world class runner. There's a reason for that.
I don't 100% disagree, but wouldn't he have been tested by now? Quite possibly even out of competition testing?
P.S. The guy that beat Rideout is named Jonathan Walton, and he did it at the London Marathon which (I think, correct me if I'm wrong) was their only head-to-head competition to date. He also posts all his runs on Strava, and frankly, his training might be even more incredibly for the age group (50-54). Walton will get up to 130 miles per week in a build up, whereas Rideout tends to be in the 80 mpw range with a peak around 100, in a race build up.
Walton is (or at least used to be) a Maffetone guy:
MAF Training can improve endurance athletes of all levels, from beginners to advanced. Jonathan Walton is one of the fastest runners I’ve come across who has improved significantly over the...
"..his daily 10+ mile runs at a fast pace for a 51 year old, usually averaging well under 7 min per mile."
If true, its amazing.
He posts all his runs and races on Strava. His performances are quite impressive in his age division. I've never seen anyone with the muscular build of a light heavyweight boxer run world class marathon times like that.
But the training?
10 plus miles per day, usually at well under 7 minutes per mile......seems a bit much, no?
I think the fact that he CAN do so much training is what makes him suspicious. Young guys won't get this because they see him doing things that you are doing.
But everyone over 50 who has been running for decades learned the hard way that running too many speed workouts or running easy days too fast sets you back for weeks.
He posts all his runs and races on Strava. His performances are quite impressive in his age division. I've never seen anyone with the muscular build of a light heavyweight boxer run world class marathon times like that.
But the training?
10 plus miles per day, usually at well under 7 minutes per mile......seems a bit much, no?
10 miles per day looks to be his norm. His easy runs look to be more in the 7:00-7:30 range.
Ken Rideout is a runner from Nashville, Tennessee. Join Strava to track your activities, analyze your performance, and follow friends. Strava members can plan routes, participate in motivating challenges, and join clubs. Get...
I love the interview, but too many red flags to not be very suspicious.
-instant success
-ego/the guy is DRIVEN to succeed. I think he'd do anything to be the best in whatever area he is engaged in, business, sport, etc.. if doing some trt helps to be the best then it'd be justified.
-coming from the world of boxing, sorry but that sport is one big ball of bad.
-finally, being able to handle the workout load of a college kid. when you're in your 50's that is just very very very very rare.
There's not a chance that he is clean. Not an iota of a chance. The fact that he is involved in boxing makes it MORE likely he's on TRT and whatever else he can get his hands on than less. Gym culture and all that. Look at his build: doesn't even remotely look like a world class runner. There's a reason for that.
I don't 100% disagree, but wouldn't he have been tested by now? Quite possibly even out of competition testing?
No out of competition testing for sure for a masters guy. I doubt he has ever been tested, but possibly post-race given he is winning some prize money. He doesn't show up in the USADA database at all though.
If you go back to the spring, you'll see examples of consecutive days under 7 min. pace, like a really fast track workout day and the next day 10 miles at sub 7.
If you go back to the spring, you'll see examples of consecutive days under 7 min. pace, like a really fast track workout day and the next day 10 miles at sub 7.
And that...is why i think he's dirty. He will never be tested because dopers know where testing happens and don't enter those races.
If you go back to the spring, you'll see examples of consecutive days under 7 min. pace, like a really fast track workout day and the next day 10 miles at sub 7.
And that...is why i think he's dirty. He will never be tested because dopers know where testing happens and don't enter those races.
A 2:30 Marathon in 5:43 per mile. 7:00 per mile pace for daily runs seems reasonable.
Masters legend Norm Green had a similar training regimen but ran his daily 10 miler at sub 6:00 pace.
Also, Rideout seems to focus on WMMs, so it does not seem like he is hiding from anybody.
-finally, being able to handle the workout load of a college kid. when you're in your 50's that is just very very very very rare.
Someone has to be the 1 in 1000 who can handle it. And that guy will get the articles written about him.
In the end unless he gets caught we will never know. I would like to think of more elite guys keep running (geb or bekele at 50) the current records would plummet. But it is hard for anyone to be that motivated.
Yes, but TH is an anomaly. A beast of an anomaly. At least I can relate to Ken in terms of upbringing, career, athletic career and now. Tommy? Forget it.
I think some of you are just plain jealous of him.
Someone has to be the best in the world in their age category. They make you look slow and your fragile egos can't handle it.
If you go back to the spring, you'll see examples of consecutive days under 7 min. pace, like a really fast track workout day and the next day 10 miles at sub 7.
And that...is why i think he's dirty. He will never be tested because dopers know where testing happens and don't enter those races.
I think he's dirty, but not because of 7 minute miles. I agree with some other posters that you guys are overstating how hard it is to run consistent 7-min pace in your early 50s. Plenty of top guys can and do. I'm judging based on his stocky build (he is a load, almost fat, for a world class runner) and his background among other red flags. I know that's not proof, but it is what it is.
Good short article. I've been following Ken on Strava/IG for several months. He does his daily 10+ mile runs at a fast pace for a 51 year old, usually averaging well under 7 min per mile. Before his last marathon, his final big workout two weeks prior was something like 22 miles at 6:05. Kind of makes me think of top triathlete Kristian Blummenfelt, who is also also stocky but just goes and goes.
He's very strong across his whole body. I don't know if he could run as fast as he does if he was any lighter, but he's got wheels for sure. I think he races marathons in Alphafly (not that it makes any difference one way or another).
"..his daily 10+ mile runs at a fast pace for a 51 year old, usually averaging well under 7 min per mile."
If true, its amazing.
From the NYT article... "He does his morning 10-mile run at about the same pace, roughly 7:30 per mile, or even slower, that I do, even though his best marathon times are about 45 minutes faster than my personal records. I know this because we have run together."
I just checked out his Strava. I'm a few years older than him and nothing I see on there seems too ridiculous other than a few harder back to back days. Seems to run his long runs hard. I run with a bunch of guys in the 40-60 range and there are quite a few who could hang with his training.
I think the fact that he CAN do so much training is what makes him suspicious. Young guys won't get this because they see him doing things that you are doing.
But everyone over 50 who has been running for decades learned the hard way that running too many speed workouts or running easy days too fast sets you back for weeks.
2022 Berlin Marathon - 2:35:48, split 1:12:38 - 1:23:10
then two weeks later
2022 Chicago Marathon - 2:29:53, split 1:14:17 - 1:15:36
How does this guy recover quickly enough to go sub-2:30 only two weeks after a 2:35 in the most painful way possible?
He finished 2nd in his age group at both.
These times are incredible, esp. back to back. Does he get tested at these marathons? Are there certain events where there is likely to be more testing, like Masters championships, and does he show up for these?
In case it matters, we should remember the rules for amateur master's runners are a pretty gray area. The anti-doping policy for the Chicago Marathon, for example, only applies to professional athletes in the elite field, and generally, my understanding is an athlete would have to be a member of a "national governing body" in order to fall under a drug testing regime, unless there was a specific requirement imposed by a particular event's organizers. I think it's entirely possible a 50+ yr old athlete would be prescribed some sort of drug therapy by a physician for a medical condition. (Personally though, I draw the line at anything which includes testicular shrinkage as a known side effect.)
