Its that easy, and even more sad…

Read the letter below by BALCO’s Victor Conte written as part of British sprinter Dwain Chambers’ “deal” for  permission to race at the Olympics after a lifetime ban from the games.

CONTE’S LETTER

Dear Dwain,

Per your request, this letter is to confirm I am willing to assist you in providing UK Sport and others with information that will help them to improve the effectiveness of their anti-doping programs.

The specific details regarding how you were able to circumvent the British and IAAF anti-doping tests for an extended period of time are provided below.

Your performance enhancing drug program included the following seven prohibited substances: THG, testosterone/epitestosterone cream, EPO (Procrit), HGH (Serostim), insulin (Humalog), modafinil (Provigil) and liothryonine, which is a synthetic form of the T3 thyroid hormone (Cytomel).

THG is a previously undetectable designer steroid nicknamed “the clear.” It was primarily used in the off season and was taken two days per week, typically on Mondays and Wednesdays. Generally, these were the two most intense weight-training days of the week. The purpose was to accelerate healing and tissue repair. Thirty units (IU) of the liquid was place under the tongue during the morning time-frame. THG was used in cycles of “three weeks on and one week off.”

Testosterone/epitestosterone cream was also primarily used during the off season. It was rubbed into the skin on the front of the forearm two days per week, typically Tuesdays and Thursdays. The dosage was ½ gram which contained 50mg of testosterone and 2.5mg of epitestosterone (20 to 1 ratio). The purpose was to offset the suppression of endogenous testosterone caused by the use of the THG and to accelerate recovery. The testosterone/epitestosterone cream was also used in cycles of three weeks on and one week off.

EPO was used three days per week during the “corrective phase”, which is the first two weeks of a cycle. Typically, it was on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It was only used once per week during the “maintenance phase” thereafter, typically this was every Wednesday. The dosage was 4,000 IU per injection. The purpose was to increase the red blood cell count and enhance oxygen uptake and utilization. This substance provides a big advantage to sprinters because it enables them to do more track repetitions and obtain a much deeper training load during the off season. EPO becomes undetectable about 72 hours after subcutaneous injection (stomach) and only 24 hours after intravenous injection.

HGH was used three nights per week, typically on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Each injection would contain 4.5 units of growth hormone. Once again, this substance was used primarily during the off season to help with recovery from very strenuous weight training sessions.

Insulin was used after strenuous weight training sessions during the off season. Three units of Humalog (fast-acting insulin) were injected immediately after the workout sessions together with a powdered drink that contained 30 grams of dextrose, 30 grams of whey protein isolates and 3 grams of creatine. The purpose was to quickly replenish glycogen, resynthesize ATP and promote protein synthesis and muscle growth. Insulin acts as a “shuttle system” in the transport of glucose and branch chain amino acids. There is no test available for insulin at this time.

Modafinil was used as a “wakefulness promoting” agent before competitions. The purpose was to decrease fatigue and enhance mental alertness and reaction time. A 200mg tablet was consumed one hour before competition.

Liothryonine was used help accelerate the basic metabolic rate before competitions. The purpose was to reduce sluggishness and increase quickness. Two 25mg tablets were taken one hour before competition. There is no test available for liothryonine at this time.

In general terms, explosive strength athletes, such as sprinters, use anabolic steroids, growth hormone, insulin and EPO during the off season. They use these drugs in conjunction with an intense weight training program, which helps to develop a strength base that will serve them throughout the competitive season. Speed work is done just prior to the start of the competitive season.

It is important to understand it is not really necessary for athletes to have access to designer anabolic steroids such as THG. They can simply use fast-acting testosterone (oral as well as creams and gels) and still easily avoid the testers. For example, oral testosterone will clear the system in less than a week and testosterone creams and gels will clear even faster.

Many drug-tested athletes use what I call the “duck and dodge” technique. Several journalists in the UK have recently referred to it as the “duck and dive” technique. This is basically how it works.

First, the athlete repeatedly calls their own cell phone until the message capacity is full. This way the athlete can claim to the testers that they didn’t get a message when they finally decide to make themselves available. Secondly, they provide incorrect information on their whereabouts form. They say they are going to one place and then go to another. Thereafter, they start using testosterone, growth hormone and other drugs for a short cycle of two to three weeks.

After the athlete discontinues using the drugs for a few days and they know that they will test clean, they become available and resume training at their regular facility.

Most athletes are tested approximately two times each year on a random out-of -competition basis. If a tester shows up and the athlete is not where they are supposed to be, then the athlete will receive a “missed test”. This is the equivalent to receiving “strike one” when up to bat in a baseball game. The current anti-doping rules allow an athlete to have two missed tests in any given eighteen-month period without a penalty or consequence. So, the disadvantage for an athlete having a missed test is that they have one strike against them. The advantage of that missed test is the athlete has now received the benefit of a cycle of steroids. Long story short, an athlete can continue to duck and dive until they have two missed tests, which basically means that they can continue to use drugs until that time.

In summary, it’s my opinion that more than fifty percent of the drug tests performed each year should be during the off season or the fourth quarter. This is when the track athletes are duckin’ and divin’ and using anabolic steroids and other drugs. Let me provide some rather startling information for your consideration. If you check the testing statistics on the USADA website, you will find that the number of out-of-competition drug tests performed during each quarter of 2007 are as follows: in the first quarter there were 1208, second quarter 1295, third quarter 1141 and in the fourth quarter there were only 642.

In late 2003 I advised USADA about the importance of random testing during the fourth quarter of the year. They did initially seem to follow my advice because they increased the number of fourth-quarter tests in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

However, they failed to continue this practice in 2007. Why would USADA decide to perform only 15% of their annual out-of-competition tests during the fourth quarter? Let’s not forget that this is the off season before the upcoming summer Olympic Games. This is equivalent to a fisherman knowing that the fish are ready to bite and then consciously deciding that it is time to reel in his line and hook, lean his fishing pole up against a tree and take a nap.

On several occasions, I have provided detailed information to both USADA and WADA in an attempt to help them establish more effective testing policies and procedures.

I certainly have more information that I would like the opportunity to provide to you and UK Sport, but I will leave that for another time.

Hopefully, this information will be helpful and I am available to assist you further upon request.

Yours sincerely,

Victor Conte

If its this easy to cheat, makes you wonder about all those “missed” out of competition tests we hear about in cycling, triathlon, track, swimming,…

WADA to join forces with Interpol

Reuters

Interpol and the World Anti-Doping Agency are close to signing an agreement as part of a strategy to stop drug trafficking in sport.

WADA president John Fahey (pictured) said he had met with officials from the world’s largest international police organisation in France earlier this year and that the two bodies wanted to start trading information about drug trafficking.

“We’re very close to signing a memorandum of understanding for information sharing with Interpol which, of course, is a body which collects data and shares information with police enforcement agencies around the world,” Fahey said in Sydney.

“We believe we’ve got some commonalities and common purpose and sharing information in the area of drugs, and in our case performance enhancing drugs.

“Sometimes there is a belief that some of those performance-enhancing drugs might emanate from the same place as illegal drugs.”

WADA director-general David Howman said the Interpol agreement was all part of WADA’s wider strategy to involve governments and enforcement agencies in the fight against drugs in sport.

Howman said Marion Jones’s prison sentence for lying about steroid use proved how effective cooperation between government and anti-doping agencies can be in the fight against drugs in sport, but said much more needs to be done.

WADA is staging a two-day symposium in Sydney this week to investigate new ways of sharing information with governments and plans to present their findings at their next meeting in Montreal later this month.

“There are other ways of detecting the cheats and Marion Jones is a good example,” Howman said.

“We can see now that for little money those who are already carrying out their jobs under national legislation and so forth can gather evidence, share it with sport and make sure that those who are cheating are sanctioned.

“That’s the outcome we’re trying to achieve.”

Fahey, a former Australian politician, also issued a blunt warning to prospective drug cheats at this year’s Beijing Olympics, promising an unprecedented crackdown by drug testers.

He said more than 4,500 tests would be carried out in Beijing, including a new and improved test for the once-undetectable human growth hormone (HGH).

“I was impressed with the state of readiness (in Beijing), I certainly detected a level of expertise that can deal with whatever they have to deal with over the course of the games,” he said.

“There will be more tests this time than ever before and I think I can be very confident as WADA has evolved and got better in its expertise in the past eight years or so there will be a much more effective outcome in dealing with anyone who seeks to cheat.

“In the battle with the scientists, there’s little doubt that the scientists who are actually working for the white knights are getting better all the time and countering the scientists who are working with the other side.

“There were certain years with certain drugs that allowed athletes to believe that if they cut it out in the days leading up to the games they could get away with it.

“They should not be sure of that anymore. We are better now at detecting over longer periods.

DCC&K… 6 weeks until Around Bowen

There are now six weeks until the Around Bowen surfski and sea kayak race.  The training program for the next four weeks is now posted in your section.

Contact Alan or Bob if you’ve got any questions or forgotten your password!

Alan

Hydration systems in surfski

When you are considering a long distance surfski event, it is a very good idea to build yourself a “hands free” hydration system. This will allow you to keep both hands on you paddle while having a drink; so you can keep paddling or minimize the risk of loosing your balance while having a drink.

I like the Camelbak line of hydration systems as the starting point for building a surfski specific system. I start with their 3L reservoir and hold this in place in the foot well using the stock bungees.

It is important to set the reservoir in place with the drinking tube exiting at the lowest point possible so you can drain as much liquid from the reservoir as possible. I know it should be obvious, but…

Seeing as how I store the hydration system reservoir in front of the pedals, I add a tube extender kit to lengthen the hose so it reaches me easily. You can feed the tube under the foot board if there is room, or over the foot board and under the foot strap.

From here I attach the tube to a Camelbak tube director that is a thin neoprene sleeve with a narrow wire sewn into it that allows you to position the tube around your neck and arrange the bite valve where you can reach it without using your hands.

I use self adhesive velcro to hold the hydration system tubes in place on the ski, so I won’t get tangled in the tube when I get in and out of the ski.  In events where wearing a PFD is mandatory, you can thread the tube director onto the PFD to hold it in place better.

In longer or very important self-contained races where I’ll anticipate using more than 3L of fluid (which for me is anything longer than 2 hours in moderate temperatures), I will carry a second 1-3L reservoir next to the first in the foot well.  Between the tube director and regular feed tube I install the male portion of a Camelbak filtration system quick release valve.

The complementary part of the valve has a shut off lever built into it (big yellow thing in the pic) so you can seal and open the reservoir it is attached to very easily.  The smaller yellow  thing on the pic is the quick release.  With one hand you can pop off the empty hydration reservoir and snap on the replacement in 1-2 paddle strokes.  This way you can swap reservoirs quickly and easily with no risk of spills.

In longer races where you can have support boats handing you feeds, the quick release valves are great; pop off and exchange the empty reservoir for a nice cold one to keep you going!

Its also nice to disconnect from the reservoir attached to your ski so you can walk away without dragging lengths of tubing behind you, or tripping you up.

NOTES: the valves and connectors are easy to install by soaking the tubing in hot water until it softens, then adding isopropyl alcohol to the connector before slipping the tube in place.  If you use a towel or light gloves it will minimize the risk of working up blisters if the connectors are tight.

As an added “just in case”, you can wrap each connection with electrician’s tape to ensure no leaks

cut me!

Working with elite athletes is similar to a gem cutter sitting down with an uncut stone…

Training, skill, experience, standards, a few preliminary measurements and long term vision are probably just some of the factors used by a master gem cutter in their trade.

Just like we use peak VO2, peak power, economy of motion, distance per stroke, psychological measures, LTAD…

Sometimes the biggest and most incredible rough stone can be riddled with unseen flaws that only show up after initial preparation or later on in the final stages, whereas a smaller, less assuming stone can become the most beautiful and amazing creation.

One notable difference between gem cutting and coaching is that the stone doesn’t decide what it wants to be. Diamonds remain diamonds, emeralds remain emeralds and chunks of glass remain chunks of glass.

One sad similarity is that a stone of great potential can be destroyed by an unskilled cutter; just as it is easier to ruin at gifted athlete than make them an Olympian or World Champion.

Alan

surfski drills are up

Three sections on surfski drills are now up!

moving in…

I just moved the posts from the blogger site over to the WordPress one. Still categorizing them, but they’re all here as far as I can tell, even the draft I forgot about…

Ha! Looks like I have to reset the Youtube links… latah tho’

Slowly adding athlete and group pages.  Deep Cove Boot Camp- your page is up.

So- underconstruction is pretty accurate

Alan

test site!

Welcome to the new beta test site for Engineered Athletes. This will be the home for the athletes and coaches who work use our services, as well as those looking for quality information and resources.

LTAD and periodization

This past week I was at a Sport Canada workshop on Long Term Athlete Development.

One of the important periods being targeted in athlete development is that surrounding the primary growth phase as identified through peak height velocity (PHV). Well design training in this important period in a young athlete’s life can open up windows of training opportunities that optimize training adaptations in; the steady growth before PHV, during the rapid acceleration in growth, the rapid deceleration in growth and the post growth phases.

Given some of the interesting discussions in the triathlon coaching world on training periodization. Old school training plans, new age plans, reverse periodization, etc. One central concept to all is the impact of the competitive schedule on the program design.

With PHV considerations in mind, training program designs is driven by the developmental needs of the athlete first and the demands of competition second.

This is a radical shift for the majority of club coaches, as in large groups it is the norm that the athletes must fit the plan. It is just easier that way 9-10 year olds together, 11-12’s, 13-14’s, etc. However, some progressive clubs have decided that easier is not always the best route and have chosen to embrace LTAD around PHV. In in so doing are are already showing huge gains in athlete development However, the shift in thinking around PHV requires

Ironically, what these top clubs are doing is very similar to what elite coaches do with their high performance athletes; the training programs are made to fit the athlete.

So what form should periodization take?

• Reverse
• Forward
• Old school
• New School

Sure, whatever you call it.

Regardless, most importantly periodization must be reactionary to the needs of the athlete’s development; chronological, technical, physiological, tactical, psychological and sociological.

Alan Carlsson

ski vs ski

When winter arrives in Vancouver, a number of surfski and oc paddlers choose to head inland and up the mountains for some serious aerobic cross-training.

A local favorite in Vancouver are the Tuesday Night XC ski races at Cypress. These are the winter answer to the Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Tuesday Night paddle races. All for fun, some speed folk, many competitive recreational skiers and you can always expect a guest appearance by a few genetic freaks

If you’ve never seen a xc ski race, here’s a primer;

And here is more on skate technique;

Now remember, I look nothing like that! Slower, mo’ tired, mo’ drool, eyes rolled back in my head, fall now and then,…

Well Tuesday December 18 was the first race of the 2007-08 season, and ironically the first and last race of 2007. Racing resumes Jan 8 for sure, with rumours of a New Year’s hangover special on Jan 2.

For me this was my first xc ski race in over a year, as I did the first race in the 06-07 season, then sat out the rest of the season to favour my Moloka’i solo preparation. It was also my first skate skiing race in over 2 years, a painful awakening to be sure! Luckily I have dropped some weight so the hills weren’t as steep or as long as they were last year.

Being a training data aficionado, here is my HR curve, with altitude thrown in for effect!

Full results are here.

All that being said, xc ski racing is a whole world of pain I don’t have the pleasure of visiting in surfski racing. While xc ski races are technically long distance events, physiologically they are closer to middle distance events. This means more anaerobic work (read muscular discomfort) than your typical long distance event, but also feature huge technical (my saving grace in xc ski and paddling) and tactical (change techniques, adapt to environment, competition, race course, etc.) components.

Bottom line is xc ski racing will prepare you for open ocean surfski racing in a way no other cross-training activity will. You’ll also learn that while you think you’ve worked hard on your surfski, its a walk in the park compared to a xc ski race…

Then again, facing 3 m ocean swells in 20 kn winds will make a nicely groomed xc ski trail seem like a walk in the park…

There you have it! if only I could remember where my surfski and paddle are…

Alan

Alan Carlsson
Engineered Athlete Services