Me either. Or so I thought anyway.
I was watching a Mountain Outhouse News episode on YouTube the other day and was surprised to hear Jamil Coury say that OCR athlete Ryan Woods had tested positive for a banned substance. I was doing some post-run stretching and did a double take when I heard it. I've raced against Ryan Woods a handful of times, and even though I've never beaten him (or come close to beating him), I've been within a few minutes of him at the finish.
I replayed the clip on Mountain Outhouse, then decided that I needed to find out more about it. It was a weird feeling. For as much as you hear about this kind of stuff, I've never really heard of someone that I've competed against testing positive. I felt a little robbed at first, but then again he's not really a guy that I expected to beat any of the times I've raced him. He's clearly faster than I am. Still, it was a weird feeling. What did he test positive for? When? I wonder if he was on something when I raced him?
In the clip I watched, Jamil Coury was pretty harsh. Normally, I'd say that's warranted. However, when I started googling Ryan's positive test the waters got muddier. He tested positive for DHEA after the 2017 Obstacle Racing World Championships. He thought he was taking DHA. This seems pretty obvious and part of me was thinking...'bullshit dude'. Then again, I've actually met this guy before. I've talked to him. He even had my back when I protested a result at Tuck Fest a couple years ago.
He and I were clearly out front but another guy crossed the finish line in second. Ryan could have just said "whatever, I won who cares" but he came over and explained to the RD that he had passed this guy towards the end of the race despite not getting passed. I talked to him a bit after, he remembered me from a La Sportiva Mountain Cup race earlier in the year. All in all, I thought he seemed like a pretty good guy. Like I said, muddy waters.
One of the things I came across when researching this was his response to the failed test. The OCR World Championship website had Ryan's statement/response. In my opinion, and that's all it is, I believe him. I think he made an honest mistake and it sucks. Regardless of what you think of his positive test. He handled the aftermath the right way.
“I am in a state of shock and disgust. I would like to say I had no intention of taking a banned substance nor would I knowingly compete in an event with WADA testing while using banned substances. With that said, I understand that I alone am responsible for what I put into my body. I took a supplement purchased at a grocery store called DHEA, which is a banned substance on the WADA list. In my mind, I thought I was purchasing DHA, which is omega 3’s. I had ample opportunity to correct this mistake by simply looking at a label or going to the WADA website, but I never did. Instead, I packed it away in my vitamins and took it all weekend at the OCR World Championships. I am ashamed and embarrassed at my current situation of my own doing. I would like to apologize to my friends Ryan Atkins and Hunter McIntyre. I have let you guys down. I have robbed you of an incredible moment. I hope one day you guys can forgive me, even though I know I will never forgive myself. I would also like to apologize to Adrian Bijanada for putting him and his event I love in this situation. I praise him though, for his work for a drug-free sport and despite my current circumstances, I hope efforts for a drug-free sport only grow. I apologize to anyone and everyone affected directly or indirectly by my actions”.Again, believe his explanation or not. He took responsibility for his actions. It doesn't change the fact that he took a banned substance, but his honesty was refreshing. He didn't try to worm his way out of it. While I agree with Jamil Coury that if you are a podium finisher in a sport that tests, you have to be more careful about what you put in your body, I still feel for Ryan Woods. He's a good guy and he screwed up. I hope that he learns from this and is able to have success after serving his ban. It is good to see that testing is working. And that should serve as a learning experience for all of us and as a warning to those who would knowingly (or unknowingly) use banned substances or PED.
Regrets about going DIII?
I don't read LetsRun.com every day anymore, but it's still a good place to go for the latest running news and if you don't mind sifting through a little light trolling, it can be a good place to find some interesting running discussion. I came across this thread about the choice to go to a DIII school over a DI school. I thought it was a pretty interesting topic given the fact that it was a decision that I faced coming out of high school.
A lot of what I read matched with my experience. Most of the posters that said they had run at a DIII school said that they had no regrets about their college experience. The general feeling was that DIII schools allowed runners to develop at a more sustainable pace. Interestingly enough, many of the posters that said they ran at DI schools echoed that thought. Saying that they believed that if they had gone to a DIII school they felt like they would have had a better experience from a running standpoint. A lot of them cited burnout, stress, and increasing pressure as negative factors on their experience.
Obviously, a lot of this depends on what you are looking to get out of your college experience and where you are looking. I was fortunate to be in New England where there are a number of DI, DII, and DIII options. Of course, a lot of DIII schools in the area are really well known for their academics and much of this debate centers around what you are going to school for. You shouldn't choose a school based solely on the running program, but there's certainly nothing wrong with it being a big factor in your choice. I know it was for me. Granted, I may not have been choosing between the most academically prestigious schools, Keene State was the perfect fit for me.
I felt like I fit in well with the team, they had programs of study that I was looking for, and I loved the area. I had opportunities to go to some lower tier DI schools but Keene State was perfect for me. Being in New England, we had the chance to race against all different levels of competition and I had good coaching and good mentors. I also feel like I had a very solid academic experience. I learned a lot about accountability and being a self-starter. I think those are two of the biggest reasons why I am where I am right now from a career standpoint. IMO anyway.
What I'm Reading, Listening to and Liking...
Instagram Is Loving Nature to Death - I know I am guilty of this but with our public lands under siege right now, maybe it's not the worst thing. Now, I'm certainly not advocating for the vandalism or illegal use of National Parks or public lands. I do think being inspired to visit these places through social media is a good thing. We just need to be responsible when doing so. One thing I plan on adopting from this article is the notion of searching out a new spot instead of going somewhere to get a copycat photo. Obviously, there are going to be things you see on Instagram or Facebook that you want to check out and I think you should do that. Just do a little googling and see what else is around too. You might find a better spot.
Amanda and I did a day trip to the Smokies last year and while we really enjoyed Clingman's Dome, it was a little weak to see a bunch of people in flip-flops marching their way up the paved path to the observation deck. I'm glad so many people were getting out and experiencing the park, but flip-flops kind of rob you of the wildness of it all.
It's all good though. We're planning another trip up there in 2018 and this time we are going to try and find somewhere that's either more remote or takes a little more effort to reach. We still might check out popular spots like Cades Cove, but we'll be doing it by bike when they close the road to cars.
Morning Shakeout Podcast - Since I sort of modeled these Trestle Run posts after Mario Fraioli's Morning Shakeout newsletter I figured it's only fair to mention that his Morning Shakeout Podcast is one of my new favorites. It's only two episodes old but I've really enjoyed what he's done so far. It's an interview format, but it's really more of a conversation, which I personally find more enjoyable. Thus far he's had Scott Fauble from NAZ Elite and USATF Marathon Champ Tim Ritchie.
I knew a little about Tim Ritchie since he's from New England, but I didn't know much at all about Scott Fauble. I thought Mario did a good job of introducing the guys without going through their whole biography. I found it interesting hearing that despite being really successful these guys still have some of the same issues as a runner like me. I enjoyed hearing about the ways they connect with other runners and fans. I'm all in on Scott's Burrito Mafia and if I'm ever in New Haven I'll be keeping an eye out for Tim.
People in this sport are always talking about how to make the connection between the elite runners and the regular runner. Mario has found a great way to do that. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on what these guys are doing because they came across as relatable human people and not weird robots.
What's Poppin on IG...
We had our once-a-year snowstorm down here a few weeks ago and while we didn't see much in Chattanooga that weekend, Fast Break Athletics posted this photo from one of my favorite spots to run, the Walnut Street Bridge.
It's getting cold down here in Georgia, not quite the negative temps they are getting back home but relatively cold. If you're trying to warm up try this hot cocoa recipe from our friends at DRINKmaple.
If Hoth had an ocean this is what I imagine it would look like. This is an amazing shot from another one of my favorite places, the "Nubble Light" on Cape Neddick in Maine.
I told you we had snowstorm down here. Check out this photo from my favorite coffee/bike shop Whitetail Bicycles.
