Forums >General Running>Would you cheat?
English Villain
If you were an elite athlete and you knew that everyone else was doing it.
Are we there, yet?
No but if I did I certainly wouldn't admit it unless the evidence was overwhelming and someone rubbed my nose in it.
Sorry, was that a paraphrase of every elite athlete who has ever been caught?
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
No but if I did I certainly wouldn't admit it unless the evidence was overwhelming and someone rubbed my nose in it. Sorry, was that a paraphrase of every elite athlete who has ever been caught?
Lol.
It's bad though that I now look at any great elite cyclist or runner and wonder...
I know it was/is rife in cycling, it's even now in age group triathlon. I mean really?
The shame of being caught would be too much for me to bear--and they're all caught eventually-and I don't have the capability to hold it in, so no I would never cheat
I would not. If I did it would hollow out any sense of accomplishment from success, which even in a profession means a lot to me.
Dream Maker
I like to think not but that is easy to say when it is not my livelihood and life.
This!!
As a recreational runner, it's easy to say that the race is "you vs yourself" but when you're pro, your sponsorship and thus your paycheck depends on your performance. I think that makes it easy to rationalize their "need" to do it. Especially if you believe that everyone else is doing it too. These pressures definitely aren't an absolution for those who cheat but it's important to see where that pressure comes from! It makes me glad to be in it for fun!
What I can't begin understand is people who cheat in age-group triathlons. Are you feeding your family with that medal? Is your pride paying the mortgage on your house? ^-^ Why? Just why?
This!! As a recreational runner, it's easy to say that the race is "you vs yourself" but when you're pro, your sponsorship and thus your paycheck depends on your performance. I think that makes it easy to rationalize their "need" to do it. Especially if you believe that everyone else is doing it too. These pressures definitely aren't an absolution for those who cheat but it's important to see where that pressure comes from! It makes me glad to be in it for fun! What I can't begin understand is people who cheat in age-group triathlons. Are you feeding your family with that medal? Is your pride paying the mortgage on your house? ^-^ Why? Just why?
I agree why? What's at stake? My guess would be ego, obsession, addiction etc. It feels GOOD winning stuff.
I'm with you. I run for fun, to stay in shape. I can't really rationalize cheating...if you're not good enough, fast enough....then you're just not good enough. I think it comes from getting last place trophies or something. Anybody hear from WG?
So if your livelihood depends on it, it is justifiable to do something unethical? I think that is what is wrong with the mindset of people that do it. It is NEVER ok to cheat. If you aren't good enough to be competitive clean you have no business being professional. In this country there is plenty of opportunities to make an honest living. I hope running doesn't fall into the same thing cycling went through. That would be sad.
No more marathons
I don't think anyone said it is justifiable, only that it is understandable.
And even if I understand why someone might resort to cheating, I still do not condone the action.
We can even take this question beyond the field of sport - whether professional or amateur.
Would you cheat somehow in your current profession if it enabled you to get a promotion, or make more money?
I think in many small ways, most of us are faced with that possibility every day - and we choose the ethical path.
Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey
Lordy, I hope there are tapes.
He's a leaker!
Yeah I don't think anyone is saying that cheating is justifiable. I know I said "These pressures definitely aren't an absolution for those who cheat but it's important to see where that pressure comes from." Meaning it's never okay but I can see where the pressure to do it comes from.
I agree though, it would be sad to see running fall into the same slump that cycling did. Although the latest doping scandals with the Russians and Kenyans certainly isn't helping the reputation of long distance running.
I really do hope I'm wrong, but I think you'll find it has.
The depth of it has just yet to be uncovered.
Labrat
Yeah I don't think anyone is saying that cheating is justifiable. I know I said "These pressures definitely aren't an absolution for those who cheat but it's important to see where that pressure comes from." Meaning it's never okay but I can see where the pressure to do it comes from. I agree though, it would be sad to see running fall into the same slump that cycling did. Although the latest doping scandals with the Russians and Kenyans certainly isn't helping the reputation of long distance running.
Track and field, especially the spirits have been at least as dirty as cycling for a long time.
It was one of the reasons why WADA was created by the IOC, to counter the bad press of the sprinters and doping in such a high profile event.
When do you think the last untainted 100m Olympic Champion was ?
5K 20:23 (Vdot 48.7) 9/9/17
10K 44:06 (Vdot 46.3) 3/11/17
HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17
FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18
not bad for mile 25
So, since you've decided the sport is dirty, everyone cheats, and there hasn't been a clean win since some arbitrary date in the past?