Testosterone and fairness

Allen Stark said:

Everyone knows the commercials about “low T” and how men can retain their “vigor” but this also referring to basically a powerful PED

This whole business of "therapeutic" testosterone helped my to understand that the only meaningful measure of success is oneself. (See also Erik's comment.)

We see guys in their 50, 60, and beyond who come back after a prostatectomy winning high-level races, setting NRs and WRs and going times they haven't in years. Obviously that's chemically enhanced. I have had several close friends and family members go through prostate cancer and surgery. Let me tell you, it wrecks the body. Even with good nutrition and physical therapy, it effectively adds 10 years to ones physical age. Ain't no way you are sporting at an elite level after that. Now people will say that use of testosterone in these individuals is "therapeutic", which is certainly a reasonable argument, but it doesn't change the fact that they have access to a tool for recovery and muscle growth that their "healthy" competitors don't. OTOH, I don't think it's right to ban them from competition. That's like banning someone because they had cancer. 

Then there are the people who take T supplements because they have "low T". Ok, one could argue that such folks are only being treated "therapeutically", but one could also argue they simply have a natural physical disadvantage, like being short, having small feet, or low lung capacity. Furthermore, heavy aerobic training tends to lower testosterone levels, so one could do an intense training block of say, distance cycling, then get a testosterone measurement and, surprise surprise, it is low, thereby justifying supplements of "therapeutic" use. 

So set a lofty goal, train your best, and if you achieve it, don't let external measures tarnish your feeling of "success".

Allen Stark said:

Everyone knows the commercials about “low T” and how men can retain their “vigor” but this also referring to basically a powerful PED

This whole business of "therapeutic" testosterone helped my to understand that the only meaningful measure of success is oneself. (See also Erik's comment.)

We see guys in their 50, 60, and beyond who come back after a prostatectomy winning high-level races, setting NRs and WRs and going times they haven't in years. Obviously that's chemically enhanced. I have had several close friends and family members go through prostate cancer and surgery. Let me tell you, it wrecks the body. Even with good nutrition and physical therapy, it effectively adds 10 years to ones physical age. Ain't no way you are sporting at an elite level after that. Now people will say that use of testosterone in these individuals is "therapeutic", which is certainly a reasonable argument, but it doesn't change the fact that they have access to a tool for recovery and muscle growth that their "healthy" competitors don't. OTOH, I don't think it's right to ban them from competition. That's like banning someone because they had cancer. 

Then there are the people who take T supplements because they have "low T". Ok, one could argue that such folks are only being treated "therapeutically", but one could also argue they simply have a natural physical disadvantage, like being short, having small feet, or low lung capacity. Furthermore, heavy aerobic training tends to lower testosterone levels, so one could do an intense training block of say, distance cycling, then get a testosterone measurement and, surprise surprise, it is low, thereby justifying supplements of "therapeutic" use. 

So set a lofty goal, train your best, and if you achieve it, don't let external measures tarnish your feeling of "success".