Post: #1

Just in case there were any lingering doubts about the dangers of extreme cardio:

Quote:Hall, 33, who was one of the last remaining hopes for an American front-runner in this summer’s Olympic marathon, is succumbing to chronically low testosterone levels and fatigue so extreme, he says, that he can barely log 12 easy miles a week.

Quote:Testosterone is vital for optimum athletic performance, but the hormone’s levels can drop over time with extreme training, similar to how some female runners or gymnasts experience decreased estrogen levels. Hall, who at 5-foot-10 kept his weight consistently at a spry 130 to 140 pounds, said he first learned of his low testosterone levels when he turned professional after college, and initially managed to hit top times nonetheless.

Quote:Hall has generally forged ahead, aggressively, keeping his weekly mileage steadily above 100 miles and constantly pushing the boundaries of sustainability.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/17/sports...iring.html

Post: #2

Interesting article. Thanks for the share. I wonder if there is something more here though... I'd think since he's competing in the Olympics he would be on a TRT dose of testosterone at least, probably even more stuff like eq even if he is a marathon runner. You know what they call the guys that are natural in the Olympics? The losers.

Post: #3

Seems like a straight shooter:

Quote:Supplemental testosterone is a banned substance, but Hall would be eligible for a medical waiver if he wanted to try to boost his levels. He said he has decided against that because of potential side effects (including dependency and infertility) and ethical concerns (some athletes use testosterone illicitly as a performance-enhancing drug). Natural remedies like the altering of his diet and lifting weights have not restored his strength, he said.

If he wanted to cheat getting a medical exemption for TRT would be a great way to cover up shenanigans (e.g. taking than prescribed doses, etc.).

Post: #4

Well I guess its a choice each athlete would have to make. It sounds like he won't be competing in the Olympics because he wants to remain perfectly ethical. There's nothing wrong with that. But I think he's a fool for not taking TRT in his situation even if he doesn't want to compete. Looks like a nice guy though.

Post: #5

I'll just leave this...

Post: #6

Coming from a guy who competed at relatively high levels of distance running, I can't help but agree. The training you need to put in to even be on the radar in the 5k and longer events is ridiculous. Body, mind, and soul. As a grade 10, to reach the top level in Ontario in these events, I was running over 100km per week, at 115lbs and well over 5 and a half feet. I was basically not interested in girls, I thought they were attractive but I could care less. I remember I didn't choke the chicken for an entire year (when friends of mine were going 3x a day...). Since switching to more strength based activities at the end of highschool it is night and day. Growing up I was always the biggest and strongest for my age until I started taking running seriously. Now that I am getting back to that over the past few years I feel a lot better.
There are plenty of positives I took away from the sport however. For example, chicken or the egg, but look at the top distance runners in high school and they are all very intelligent. It keeps you away from drinking and partying and instills a work ethic and mental strength (lonely 10milers in the dead of winter) that seldom occurs in other people at that age.
Also, keep in mind this will never be experienced by 99.9% of the population. This kind of training is more than just fitness. This is training so that you can compete with Kenyan and Ethiopians who grow up running as a way to leave poverty. I know of some African runners who ran 10k one way to and from school every day. In moderation, the benefits of slow twitch training far outweigh the negatives. I'd say until you hit around 50k+/week you are in the clear. Quality over quantity.
For example, Bernard Legat, an American 1500m runner is now in his 40s and still competing on the world stage. The difference is that when his competitors were training 100mile weeks he was logging 70-80k of quality.