Doesn't give you an advantage? Think again. Remember Dr Smulovitz, the Eugene endocrinologist who supplied many of Eugene's runners steroids in the 70s and 80s? In the 90s I know of many athletes who where being treated by him for asthma. A sudden breakout of inhalers for a small cabal of atheletes, and you're suggesting it doesn't give an advantage? I don't think so.
malmo -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bob Duncan Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 9:42 PM To: WW Track & Field Email list Subject: Re: t-and-f: Fw: NYT - "Felix, 18, Is Still Making the Adjustment >From High School Star to Professional" > Interesting the number of athletes who need inhalers. Do you suppose > it is out of proportion to the general population, and if so, why :-) Maybe we inhale too much dirty air. But seriously, I don't think the medication would give you any advantage. I've been asthmatic most of my life and had a terrible recurrence in my early 20's when my running was really going super. Since then (almost 30 years), I've suffered through one medication after another and the side effects. This is no fun at all. For example, most inhalers or other meds will make your heart race and also can make you overheat. Corticosteroid drugs weaken muscles and cause weight gain. And you have to time the medication for best effect. After your race, you are jittery from the side effects. Beer helps :-) though. Despite the effectiveness of the medication, you are never 100% again and this is a *progressive* disease, which means that you get worse over time. I personally had to abandon road racing and limit any serious competitive efforts to 800m. The list of asthmatic athletes is endless. Jim Ryun, of course. Had Jackie Joyner-Kersee not been asthmatic, her 800m times would have been faster, given her natural talents and her records would be even further out of reach. Joan Samuelson became asthmatic later in her career, as did Mary Slaney. Paula Radcliffe is asthmatic, something which I just discovered and makes her records even more incredible. And now it appears that none other than El Guerrouj is having breathing problems as his last two races have been far below his usual standards. bob
