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As many of you will know track and field is my main sport of choice for participation. At is purest it is perhaps the most honest of all sports in terms of testing the human races physicality - it tests who is the fastest, most enduring, who can jump the highest or longest and throw the furthest. Yet the sport that I loved for so long, is much less important to me now (and for many others of us by the sounds of it). It's in fact very dishonest. This is of course because of drugs. Marion Jones once an inspiration is now in disgrace imprisoned for hiding the truth. Dwain Chambers took the drugs and the money and ran very fast (and still can as he showed this season in gaining a silver in the World Indoors in Spain). He got caught, but at least he admitted his crimes.
I find it hard to stomach the hypocrisy that abounds among the athletes who swear that they don't take drugs, but do and are fuelling their somewhat improbable performances with a high-octane pharmaceutical cocktail. We sort of know what's humanly possible for most athletes in most events and have more than an idea of whos clean and whos not. When I was competing at elite level, drugs were used. People were able to jump significantly further than me, for example, who werent that physically superior - and some were women! There will always be drugs in track and field and other sports (and we face the spectre soon, if not already, of gene doping). Track and field and sport in general has to clean itself up. It is doing its best to do so, but its like using a dirty rag to clean a glass window no matter how hard you try to clean it, youll still leave smears behind. Track and field will never (if it every was) be shiny and new again.
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World Masters Track and Field Champs - Italy, September 07
(From John's 'other' blog www.johnshepherdfitness.co.uk)
I'm out in Italy at the moment at the World masters track championships. I got here despite some problems!!! No passport two days before, for example, anyway enough said it's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. About 8000 master athletes (over 35) are in Riccione. The weather's hot and so is the competition. Arriving a week a go I was soon in action in the M45 100m heats on Thursday. I qualified for the semi in 12.04 sec. in second place. The next day I had to do the long jump qualifying at 8.30AM! Off a short approach I cleared 5.85m (which was well over the qualifying standard of 5.40m). A couple of hours rest and it was time for the 100m semi. Despite a good start I came in fifth in a disappointing time 11.96 secs. At 4.30PM it was long jump time. I used a full run-up for the first time since the indoor season. I opened with a long foul, then 5.98m. The pressure was on as this would not have been enough to make the cut. Luckily I hit the board in the third round and went out to 6.30m. Then the wind changed and my Achilles gave up the fight and I ran through on my last three attempts. I ended up fourth (the worst place to finish).
Men 45 long jump results:
1 Weiner Wenk Germany 6.77m
2 Aije Kuiper Holland 6.63m
3 Thomas Straub Germany 6.43m
4 Me! 6.30m
A week later I returned to track action in the 4x100m. And would you believe it we came in fourth seven, 1000's behind the French. The race was won by the USA.
I've been training seriously for nearly 30 years and my body and mind has become accustomed to the cyclical nature of training - not to mention the highs and lows of athletic competition. Sure, it's not easy to get out in the cold and grey of the impending winter months and workout, but then when you perform to your best with the sun on your back, the satisfaction you get makes up for it all. My personal highlight this year, running 23.66 for the 200m. That was a time I'd be happy with in my early twenties.
Finally, I wish all the master athletes good luck in their future training and competitions. Also to those who enquired I have written a general book on master speed training and it's available through the Peak Performance website
 | Author: | johnshepherd (johnshepherd's profile, johnshepherd's blog) |
 | Posted On: | Fri, 2008-04-25 10:34 |
 | Tags: | sprinting, field events, plyometric and drugs |
 | Comments: | 5 comments, go to comments |
Comments
Olympic kit and GB Olympic hopes - Joe Pavey and Nathan Douglas
John Shepherd
Spoke to Nike recently and was invited to a couple of events. At one I met GB Olympic medal hopefuls, Joe Pavey (10 000m), Nathan Douglas (triple jump) and Nicola Saunders (400m). All have realistic chances of medalling in Beijing.
Look out for interviews with both on PP premium soon
I also found out more about the technology that will be used by the athletes in China.
One of the most interesting developments given my interest in track and field is the Nike Zoom Victory spike. Apparently, it's the lightest spike every made weighing in at less than 100g. Among many innovations it uses water-soluble thread which derives from the world of surgery to hold it together. When the stitches are dissolved during the production process, just over a gram is saved in weight. Doesn't sound much but over the 25 laps in a 10K it could make a lot of difference. As Joe Pavey told me, "Were going to be privileged to wear them our rivals might be jealous. When you look at the product it makes you feel excited and motivated because it could actually give you the edge." The kit you wear is important and particularly your choice of footwear can make a huge difference.
Look out for articles on kit next month on the Premium site. We'll be looking at the innovations that two of the biggest players in the sports brand game, Nike and Adidas have developed.
www.johnshepherdfitness.co.uk
Conditions in China for the Olympics - Olympic athlete comment
John ShepherdWith the Olympics just a few weeks a go, athletes are deep in focus and preparation. I recently interviewed British track and field athletes Nathan Douglas (triple jump), Joe Pavey (10 000m) and Nicola Sanders (400m). All are truly world class and could medal in Bejing. Sanders won silver in the 400 in last years Worlds, Pavey was fourth and Douglas - after recovering from injury last season - has won European silver medals indoors and out.
All commented on the conditions out in China, believing that the pollution will not effect them. Pavey explained that she might wear a mask for her training, to prevent the accumulation of toxins in her lungs, although she will not for the race. As she said, "I think with the adverse conditions with the heat and humidity and smog, you can plan strategies and try to deal with those conditions and your rivals. May be you can deal with the adversities better and turn them to your advantage."Likewise Sanders believes that the Team GB pre-games training camp in Macau (as used for last years Worlds) is the ideal acclimatization venue, as she said, "I think Macau is meant to be worse than Beijing, so hopefully it (Bejing) is going to be something of a relief."
All three athletes were positive about their potential chances. As Douglas said, "To be honest I know that if I am competing to my best and justifying my abilities then there is no one in the world that I dont think that I can't beat."
Read more from all three on PP Premium
European masters track and field champs - Slovenia
John Shepherd
I'm competing in the European masters championships in Slovenia at the moment. It has been a demanding few days as I have competed in both the 100m and the long jump. In the first event I made it through to the final, running a season's best of 11.95 seconds in the heats, but finished 6th in the final. Still making my first European final at the first attempt was pleasing. The next day I was up early competing in the long jump. My British team mate, Maz Kondo opened with 6m 30cm and I felt in shape to jump further. Unfortunately, I did but the jumps were fouls. Still a 6m 25cm in the second round was good enough for the silver medal.
There are around 3000 master athletes competing in the event and the action continues until Sunday. Full results can be found at: http://www.evacs2008.si/
Technology
John Shepherd
I was lucky to be able to trial the new Nike Zoom victory spikes that the distance runners will be wearing in Beijing. As you may or may not know I'm a sprinter. So why would I wear a distance spike - well try telling that to the spikes - they only way 98g - and are actually lighter than my sprint spikes! They use flywire technology - that's a bit like the cables on a suspension bridge - together they hold the structure together. The spikes have microscopic threads that run across the uppers and there is no heel counter on the spikes for example. When I first saw them I thought that the shoes would be flimsy and offer little rigidity, I was wrong and I actually prefer them to my sprint spikes. And did they make me run faster, well I ran a season's best in the Euro masters champs 100m in Slovenia and came 5th in the final. Who knows what me and the spikes would have ran in the 200m as I pulled a quad 8 strides in, perhaps the spikes were making me run too fast ....
Drugs is the main problem
Drugs is the main problem we're confronting with lately. A drug rehab should the first step in combating it and after that doctors are the ones to blame too because they keep bringing out all sorts of pills to 'help' these people.