New old timer wrote:
Question for the peanut gallery. Newish to the thread. I’m a competitive 55 yr old runner. I have been for 35 years. I recently ran an 18:30 5k.
I was diagnosed with low T earlier this year. before I started it my legs were tired most days , no matter the mileage (from 30-50 mpw), I do one fast workout (tempo run or track intervals alternating weeks) and my long run (10+ Miles)
since taking T, my leg fatigue is gone with the same training. Not feeling faster and race times are similar to before. The recent 18:30 was 18:10 2 years ago.
BUT… I can’t help feel like I’m cheating. I am using a drug that makes training easier. Like if I got a PR it would have an asterisk. Anyone else taking Testosterone? Do you feel like you have a unfair advantage?
I think from a competitive standpoint the problem is the side effects.
There are clearly potentially negative side effects. There are also potentially significantly competitive benefits.
If competitive masters start competing when taking testosterone, some are going to get serious benefits. For the rest of us, it would then come down to "do we also take testosterone and risk side effects, or do we slip down the competitive ladder?"
Start going down that road and you arrive at "let everyone take anything and it will all be equal." Unfortunately you then destroy the whole idea of sport as a healthy endeavor and turn it into some gladiatorial event for those who are crazy enough to take the most risk with their health.
As a competitive runner age 65, I'm aware that I could end up in the 'low-T' dilemma, and I'd hate the choice between feeling crappy and being legit to compete.
My personal feeling is that if you are taking something like testosterone to have a somewhat normal life, then compete, but declare yourself ineligible for awards (18:30 5ks in 55+ isn't going to impact nationals, but it could in local road races). If it's a bigger race, like USATF Nationals make it clear that you aren't in the competition so you don't interfere with anyone else's race. I'm English and have run in USAFT Masters (placed four times) and have realized I should make it clear beforehand that I don't count for positions against the US runners so that I don't impact the way they run their race.
Bottom line: other than that you are gaining a competitive advantage that can only be matched by others if they chance taking a medication that can have risky side-effects.