It’s been a real stop-start season. Last week I was busy with other things, such as Peace Run coming to Oxford. This week, it’s another cold/flu. Unfortunately, I’ll probably miss first round of RTTC series 1, which is a shame. The early season hillies are the main target of year for .
Medication and anti-doping
Recently, there’s been a lot of press about the role of (both legal and illegal) medication and its use for performance enhancing properties. As an athlete, I’m fortunate to be quite healthy, and I rarely take any medication or supplements. I would not feel comfortable taking medication where there is a potential performance enhancing effect – even if legal. The main thing is to follow the rules, but I also believe there is such a thing as the spirit of the laws and not doing anything you wouldn’t be happy for other competitors to know about.
Care and anti-doping
As an amateur athlete you are asked to have drug tests quite rarely. But, given recent cases in domestic cycling there may be more tests this year. Even as an amateur, I’m aware that you have to be very careful about taking medications / supplements and then racing. For example, it’s not impossible I may recover for Sunday, but I’m already checking out ingredients of flu remedies – mainly out of interest, but also as a precautionary measure. I remember last year hurriedly checking Loratadine (an anti-allergy tablet) – which was not on any WADA list 2016.
Lemsip Max contains:
- Paracetamol
- Phenylephrine hydrochloride
Using WADA list of substances for 2016
- Paracetamol doesn’t come up in search.
- Phenylephrine comes up in the category stimulant, but it is not considered prohibited category.
* Bupropion, caffeine, nicotine, phenylephrine, phenylpropanolamine, pipradol and synephrine: These substances are included in the 2016 Monitoring Program, and are not considered Prohibited Substances.
Well I never knew that about Lempsip Max before.
But, I’m almost certain I won’t be racing if I need to take it anyway.
Shaving of legs
I have some sympathy for Peter Sagan turning up to first race and not having time (inclination) to shave legs. I did my first two races of the year without shaving legs properly. Except I hid the fact by wearing leg warmers so nobody knew. Part of my logic for not shaving legs is that early season hilly time trials are never decided by the odd second…. (Result) However at 2-3 degrees, I probably would have worn leg warmers even with shaved legs.
Geraint Thomas
I may be ill, but at least there is some good racing on Eurosport. Last week there was double joy of Paris Nice and Tirreno Adriatico. Great job by Geraint Thomas to win the overall by 4 seconds only. I bet he’s glad he shaved his legs. (or more likely, very glad he put on a 54 chain ring to chase down the last descent and save the overall after an exciting Contador attack on the last climb.)
Really sorry to hear that you are under the weather. I was hoping to see you and shake your hand at the RTTC Series 1 TT this Sunday. I really enjoy reading your blog. I am having a niggle in my left leg at the moment, ITB Muscle. Hope its ok for Sunday….