Dara just one the national title in the 100M Freestyle in 54.4 at the ripe old age of 40. Simply Incredible. :applaud: :woot:
If that's not inspiring I don't know what is.
That actually kind of proves my point....Bonds had people around him saying they saw something.....most all of the people that eventually have come up positive in some way or another have had someone around them say they "saw" something out of the ordinary, or they heard them "say" something......I have not heard one person say they saw her doing anything that could be construed as illegal.
The questions about Bonds & McGuire came about because the guys became mutants as well as put on a show of power never before seen in baseball...at relatively late stages of their careers. By the way, the changes in appearance brought on by the clear & the cream during that time (20-30lbs of muscle and a bulky physique) of balco seems to mirror the physical change as well as improved performance of a number of other athletes (including some swimmers) as well...but remember there was no test for this stuff at that time.
Coincidentally as we fast forward to the last 4+ years the "cocktails" of choice seem to have moved to variations of HGH/EPO/steroids which produce a far more lean physique (cyclists have had it for years) and a very weathered look but the same incredible power output...did you happen to see Stallone in his latest Rocky?
Of course one could just as easily continue your representation of opposing views here with E) I'm old and can't do my lifetime bests, so obviously no one can without doping.
I am currently doing lifetime bests so that isn't my excuse. It is a good one, however.
It is a tough time for Dara. Ten years ago, before BALCO and the increased publicity surrounding doping in the Tour, we would have been more accepting. Another thing that hurts Dara is Dara. She is living an unconventional lifestyle for a 41 year old mother, is drawing attention to that fact, and is proud of it. If she was low-profile, got married right out of college, was still married to the same person, and had a couple of pre-teen or teenage kids, I think we might be quicker to embrace her. This is what society expects of a 41 year old woman.
Interestingly enough, from the folks I have talked to, the ones that are the hardest on Dara are women my age with an extensive swimming background, Dara's peers so to speak. Women, and I can say this since I am one, are the hardest on each other. We don't like it when one of our own doesn't conform to society's ideal.
I am a bit conservative, and being the mother of a son, I would want my son's wife at 41 to be a litte bit more focused on her home and her family. It is, however, Dara's life and she is free to do what she wants with it. I am just trying to analyze why so many people are being hard on her.
Tracy...although all evidence from this forum may lead you to believe the opposite...I don't live my life as a sad, angry, hateful, skeptic...I'm actually quite an optimist. the fact that you had no knowledge of failed drug tests is evidence enough you are far away from this "world".
But the fact is you base your beliefs simply on your "heart"...not from daily communication with athletes and coaches close to this stuff, not from your own personal experience getting to a fairly high level of training/racing (not masters) and seeing first hand what's its like to try and make these break thru's, seeing the physiological changes of athletes around you that have cheated up close and personal...bottom line is I'm hopeful but also a realist in that I think there is far more cheating going on in swimming than people want to accept and if we want a cleaner sport we need to scrutinize anomalies such as what Dara has achieved....notice I said scrutinize.
Did you mean that for Iwannafly? Or me? The post is from Fly.....
Geochuck - Actually I live near some of the best professional female triathletes in the country. Professional female triathletes are the epitomy of leaness and power combined. Many of these women have actually hit their best times well up into their 30s. Triathlons, however, are primarily endurance -oriented.
Also, please note that there is a difference between toned abs and bulging ab muscles on women. I would bet your wife had the former.
Also, I have to scold you a little. You are scolding folks about making assumptions about Dara. You made the assumption that I live in Philadelphia. You couldn't be further off. I live in the land where more women have won Miss America than any other part of the country.
No need to attack just because I am skeptical of Dara.
Based upon what has been written in these threads, it seems the common belief is that endurance based events are more difficult to maintain elite performance levels in than sprint events. Or perhaps the PB times you are talking about are not elite level.
Anyone have an iota of proof that she is not the real thing? Other than just speculation?
Of course not. Were there any proof, she would not be going to Beijing.
Everything I have read indicates that these asthma inhalers will do nothing for those not requiring them. In other words, no increased breathing capacity for those whose breathing capacity is not being hampered by a condition. Why we continue to see these insinuations in articles is not entirely understood.
Interesting article: "Dara Torres, Demystified" by Amanda Schaffer at Slate.
This article has some inaccurate statements in it. Albuteral and formoterol do not "increase lung capacity". They only stop the muscles in the bronchial tubes from seizing up in an asthma attack. A non-asthmatic who took these medications would not experience any benefit.
"Inhaled formoterol works like other β2-agonists, causing bronchodilatation by relaxing the smooth muscle in the airway so as to treat the exacerbation of asthma."
