Performance enhancing substances among amateurs

[Tumbleweed]

I did it.

 

I opened a new profile as one of the replies suggested on the thread, I think it is time to talk about this openly!

 

It is your decision if you will respect this or not, I don't care, I am paying it forward here!

 

I used to be a top notch cyclist, stopped riding for years and then returned.

 

Back in the day we used and tried a lot of things, whether they worked scientifically or not is not the point here, it felt like it worked. in the 90's we used things like ephedrine. It made you very aggressive and gave you energy like you cannot believe! Before a sprint finish that was the beez kneez....  

 

Then there was the cocaine era, which I did not have the balls to do, I was too scared that I would become an addict, otherwise I would have used it without a doubt because it worked. It was very clear in the bunch...

 

Then we found Geri complex, it is basically the same as Pharmaton SA but it has a stimulant in it and it is illegal, this helped for mind over matter when it came to pain. The doctor told me decide the speed you wanna ride and just stick to it, no matter what! It worked. When I returned to cycling I used it but found it less effective for some reason as back when I was a teenager.

 

Duromine. This is a weight loss pill that works with the brain, two of them makes for quite the ride.

Thinz. Same as above, but it sometimes did not work. 

 

So lets talk hardcore chemicals...

 

Testosterone is awesome, it makes you strong, when training very hard especially before the season starts you can push yourself very hard on intervals because you recover almost instantly! No weight gain with this stuff. It works after about a week. Injection only. Pills are crap! It does not work as well as the injections. Cost is about R 900 for two months supply, you use less because you don't want to grow muscles. It makes the men smaller while in use, but recovery starts after the cycle finished. It makes you very aggressive and your libido is very high. 

 

Then you get Clenbuterol (Spelling!) this is what Contador got caught for a few years back, basically among other stuff has ephedrine in it. Cost is about R 600 for a month supply, pills. It makes you melt! Awesome for weight loss and energy. (You have to eat clean! Not good for your heart! ) It works for endurance, three hours plus, but long term usage is suggested. you build it up like using creatine for instance, but your body also gets used to it. 

 

Anavar, awesome for women, it gives endless energy and makes you loose weight ladies! Awesome stuff but NOT for men, you will grow boobs! About R 700 for a month supply

 

Dianobol (spelling) , makes you hard like a rock and tough like a rekkie, I don't have too much experience with this because Test prop (testosterone) is what I preferred. +- R 650 for a three month supply. I am not up to date with this price...

 

Winstrol, this is awesome for cutting and ripping your muscles and also helps a great deal for endurance and a slightly longer term recovery. +- R 750, also not up to date with this price.

 

HGH - Human Growth Hormone, this is very expensive and needs to be used for at least three months before it really works, you just don't get tired as you used to. R 1800 for about six months supply locally and import is about R 2400 and also six months supply.

 

Then the one I like best, EPO, this stuff is hectically expensive!

 

This is done safely by means of a blood test to see how high (or low) the red blood cell count is in your body, if taken correct it is harmless, if not you could die! If you do not do the blood test you would be very stupid to say the least.

 

This stuff transports oxygen to your muscles and increases the efficiency of the muscles and the way you use them. You just have energy and you recover almost instantly, sort of never get to a point where you feel you cant go on. A warning here is that you have to make sure you don't rely on it, you still have to eat and drink according to your bodies' needs, otherwise you will hit the wall! because your body is working so efficiently you feel you don't need to eat or drink, but you are wrong... (Price on this is dependent on your body weight and there is only one pharmaceutical company that does this (Roche), you pay R 1100 for about two weeks supply, This is the most expensive but the most effective in my opinion. I got this from my doctor and he did all the tests. 

 

 

Blood doping: I have not had any knowledge of anyone I rode with in South Africa that did this. I would also not consider it because I'm too scared of the idea. There is so much that can go wrong. 

 

Weight gain on all the above items are marginal if at all. (I have always maintained my weight and lost some in most cases) If you use it correctly of course.

 

I can personally attest to all of the above items as I have used it until last year. Why did I stop using it? I wanted to just start a fresh and stop competing so hard, it is bad to cover your tracks wherever you go. And, people ask questions, when you can attack and never stop it must at some point raise eyebrows, and it did! (Thank god for Strava that proved the miles!)

 

There are some other stuff that also works, we have basically tried everything and i can give a summary on maybe 80% of stuff out there.  

 

I used to ride competitively, you can get away with in if you stop cycling in the Elite bunch, honestly, the VETS are rotten with drugs! ROTTEN. And I can prove it!

 

I can tell you one thing, most of you reading this are using stuff but you don't have the guts to come forward, Me neither... Hence the new profile... 

 

Do people know I used the stuff? Yes, my very closest counterparts knew, not my enemies because I will just make them better and drive their obsession and make them want to beat me greater and this will lead to me losing the chess match. 

 

Am I proud? I am kind of proud of the results, because I competed against people that also used stuff and it made it a level playing ground. It made me fast, it made me feel indestructible! 

Do I feel guilty? Not at all. Because no one was harmed and no financial losses was incurred by anyone.

 

Why did I use it? I trained for at least two hours a day and got to a point where I could not get any better, I trained harder and harder but only stayed where I was. I got sore muscles at one stage and it just never went away for WEEKS, I promise, weeks went by. The more training I did I just fell off further and further. This was a form of over training and fatigue, but the drugs helped me to cope physically. When I started using the stuff I got back in the bunch and realized that i was the only ape not using it, when "they" started noticing the change in my performance they welcomed me... Cyclists are buggers, you are riding with someone that does not share a word of what he is using... FACT Sometimes you would battle with your weight so bad that you would go for a six hour plus ride then you would take a sleeping pill when you finish to avoid yourself from eating. This obviously did not help. 

 

Did it cause any damage to my health until now? According to my doctor not at all. (obviously he does not condone it!!). All my vitals are great, I have above average health, I have always suffered from depression and this was before I used anything, so maybe I would have been healed from it by now, I do not know. 

 

Will I do it again? No I wont. Why not? I have put it behind me and moved forward. i wanted to start riding my bike again and see if i enjoy it like back when I was a kid again, and i love getting on the bike and enjoy quiet time.

 

This is the things that came to mind the quickest, I'm sure there is a few experts that would have some insights on this and also correct some of what I said. Please do?

 

 

Any questions are welcome...

 

Please note that my intention is not to help anyone in any bad way, I am merely sharing my honest experience. 

 

All of the above substances are extremely dangerous and the usage of it can result in your DEATH and being banned from competition. the above information was shared as my own personal experience and must not be compared to anyone or anything. I will never blow the whistle on anyone, please do not ask me as I will sway and not utter a word.  

 

I think it was necessary to share this. 

 

Tried to think of a long-winded response to this. All I could manage is "chapeau"...

[Dope2survive]

Cool story Hansel.

 

So you just confirmed what I thought regarding our esteemed PRO's and Age Groupers.

 

Have a read of these. 

 

http://crankpunk.com/2014/11/10/matt-cooke-interview-you-would-never-know-their-names-if-they-had-never-taken-drugs/

 

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/youre-wrong-cathal-kelly-it-is-about-being-clean/article21512034/?service=mobile

 

So here is the counter to you. 

 

I raced at a international level from the age of 16 and had the dream of going to the Olympics. Did the training, worked my arse off and got tired. Trained harder. Coach (Hungarian) pushed me harder, I eventually (coincidentally all my team mates) got so fatigued and my performance dropped. Coach presented us with the opportunity to get some assistance while at our overseas training camp. I made the decision not to, and effectively ended my chances of actually making the the Olympic dream. Subsequently one of my team mates was caught, and others (internationals) have been caught.

 

Do I regret my decision. NEVER!!! 

Did I need to dope to get the Olympic dream. Definitely. In my chosen discipline I would have needed to dope.

Did people of similar ability to me get their dream due to doping? Yes.

 

As a doper.

 

You CHOOSE to lie, steal and act in a fraudulent manner. You hide behind, "it is okay everybody was doing it". 

 

Well, everybody was not doing it. You just don't know who they are, you never heard their names and they never got to be sponsored pro's. Those are the guys that weren't doping. they were the people that choose not to dope. To do it clean, the hard way. 

 

Well done, you choose to now be clean. Well your previous indiscretions will benefit you for a long time, you will always be able to train harder as the beneficial effects of PED use working long after is well documented. Should you be allowed to compete now. NO. Neither should Lance, Levi, Alberto, Clarke, George etc

 

Go ahead enjoy your riding and training, please don't do it around me.

 

Your decision puzzles me though. Why not go ahead and work together with the authorities and make a real difference? That I can respect. 

 

Thanks anyway for your veiled truth, it is nice to know it really does happen. I do appreciate that part of your confession. 

The longer this discussion continues, the tougher the questions will become. Yes, it is and was unfair. 

The reason I made the decision back then was because I never had any success, i got on a bike and enjoyed it and mos of all i was kind of good in it... So i enjoyed the ride while it lasted. It haunts me that I did it when I read posts like yours. 

With respect, we will probably cross paths and be in the same room and you will never know its me, nor will you ever be able to tell me from the next person. Coming clean and talking about this is very hard, it is tough, people are ruthless, they rip you apart! They feel nothing for you which will become more evident as this threat continues. 

 

I must be honest, at one time I wanted to blow the whistle, but CSA among other was not really interested. You see, there was not a lot of money in the sport back then. Later when I wanted to talk about it , the people that were using illegal stuff was regarded as "no threat" to anyone... But in my opinion this is where it started. I flipped and said if they need my inputs they can contact me, it has been about four years, so now I have become hard towards the so called "authorities". Same as the rest of the country feels about the local municipality even though some of them do some good...

[CharlV]

Tried to think of a long-winded response to this. All I could manage is "chapeau"...

Amen to that ! Hats of to you D2Survive ! I am amazed how little flaming you have received ! Must say only reason I have not used the stuff is becuase I am to scared of what might happen...! Tx

[Patchelicious]

Amen to that ! Hats of to you D2Survive ! I am amazed how little flaming you have received ! Must say only reason I have not used the stuff is becuase I am to scared of what might happen...! Tx

I think that is because unlike the usual story, he is not blaming everybody else.

 

He is also being very open and frank with the questions, more open than what has been seen before.

[Long Wheel Base]

Amen to that ! Hats of to you D2Survive ! I am amazed how little flaming you have received ! Must say only reason I have not used the stuff is becuase I am to scared of what might happen...! Tx

Shame hes only a newbie with 9 posts, don't want to burn him too much    . but jokes aside maybe its because he(despite us not knowing who he is) actually came out and admitted and stopped. We will crucify whoever gets caught and blames everyone else but himself.

[Andrew Steer]

The longer this discussion continues, the tougher the questions will become. Yes, it is and was unfair. 

The reason I made the decision back then was because I never had any success, i got on a bike and enjoyed it and mos of all i was kind of good in it... So i enjoyed the ride while it lasted. It haunts me that I did it when I read posts like yours. 

With respect, we will probably cross paths and be in the same room and you will never know its me, nor will you ever be able to tell me from the next person. Coming clean and talking about this is very hard, it is tough, people are ruthless, they rip you apart! They feel nothing for you which will become more evident as this threat continues. 

 

I must be honest, at one time I wanted to blow the whistle, but CSA among other was not really interested. You see, there was not a lot of money in the sport back then. Later when I wanted to talk about it , the people that were using illegal stuff was regarded as "no threat" to anyone... But in my opinion this is where it started. I flipped and said if they need my inputs they can contact me, it has been about four years, so now I have become hard towards the so called "authorities". Same as the rest of the country feels about the local municipality even though some of them do some good...

Respect for coming on and giving your side on things... it's interesting to get an inside view, and despite the harsh criticism (some of it deserved), none of us are perfect either.

 

A couple questions if I might:

I think we all know the doping carrot was a lot more tempting back in the 90's, you simply had to do it, to compete.

Do you think it's any cleaner these days? On all levels. Or just a lot more sophisticated and scientific? Let's be honest, the rewards are far greater than ever, and the test's have been proven many times to be pretty ineffective. 

 

The actual effects of doping on performance: obviously you still have to do the training, but the bottom line is it makes it easier to train due to better recovery and just having more energy.

So what I'm keen to hear, is how much of an improvement did it give you personally? Everyone's different, but you hear numbers of 2%/5%/10%/15%? Maybe even just put it into an Argus time?

 

Lastly, my big worry about sweeping the past under the rug - as you suggest CSA wants to do - is that all those big cycling names remain in the sport despite the poor choices some of them made in their careers. Do you think most of them regret their decisions? Will advise youngsters they are training to chose the correct path etc?

My experience is people will often, in order to justify their poor choices, recommend the same path they went down...

[Edgar]

We probably will/have crossed paths. We might even be mates - probably not though. I probably will not ever know who you are, I may suspect though. I'm very suspicious like that. You are welcome to come up to me and tell me directly. You have made your decisions, I mine and we both don't regret it. 

 

Coming clean is hard, by your own admission though you have not really come clean. just given us some insight. (greatly appreciated) People are ruthless, you were one of those ruthless people, ripping people apart on your bike. I hope you drift quietly into obscurity.

 

As for wanting/trying to blow the whistle. Here we agree 100%.

SAIDS and CSA(any sports governing body) want to be seen to be doing the right thing without really doing too much. They risk too much if they get too many positives - funding, representation, status and a reason to exist. A few sacrificial lambs here and there keep the wolves at bay. They don't really want the general public to know the full truth, seeing as most administrators get involved because of other vested interests it is hard for them to claim ignorance. If you don't know, you know. I also have your hard feeling to the authorities, they are part of the problem in most cases.

 

As for the 'no threat' that is naive and convenient for the authorities as well. it cant been shown how ineffective and flawed the process was in the past. Undermines what they do, so you have my empathy there, I had the same experience. The 'no threat' become coaches, role models, team owners, shop owners and continue to influence the sport, so I believe they do offer a great treat to the future of competitive sport.

 

Hopefully you can have a positive influence going forward but don't expect me to celebrate your successes.

 

May your confession just raise the level of suspicion enough that there are fewer crazy FAN-BOYS. 

 

Skeptical me is skeptical. 

 

 

[2 X 2]

It's just strange that there is so little response to D2Survive's story.

 

Looking at previous reaction to cyclist caught with cheating, it is strange that very few people react to this post

[Dope2survive]

Respect for coming on and giving your side on things... it's interesting to get an inside view, and despite the harsh criticism (some of it deserved), none of us are perfect either.

 

A couple questions if I might:

I think we all know the doping carrot was a lot more tempting back in the 90's, you simply had to do it, to compete.

Do you think it's any cleaner these days? On all levels. Or just a lot more sophisticated and scientific? Let's be honest, the rewards are far greater than ever, and the test's have been proven many times to be pretty ineffective. 

 

The actual effects of doping on performance: obviously you still have to do the training, but the bottom line is it makes it easier to train due to better recovery and just having more energy.

So what I'm keen to hear, is how much of an improvement did it give you personally? Everyone's different, but you hear numbers of 2%/5%/10%/15%? Maybe even just put it into an Argus time?

 

Lastly, my big worry about sweeping the past under the rug - as you suggest CSA wants to do - is that all those big cycling names remain in the sport despite the poor choices some of them made in their careers. Do you think most of them regret their decisions? Will advise youngsters they are training to chose the correct path etc?

My experience is people will often, in order to justify their poor choices, recommend the same path they went down...

I cant say if the people dope more than not. I must say that in SA if you are not an elite cycling for a big team, you wont be tested. I know of many guys that cycle in Vets that use stuff. Like I said, i can prove it... 

 

In terms of putting a percentage to it... Damn, that is tough, definitely nothing less than 15%. But very difficult to answer.  It could be more, the variables are just too great. It is really about how you use it and very much about how you train! Training right is key!

[Patchelicious]

I cant say if the people dope more than not. I must say that in SA if you are not an elite cycling for a big team, you wont be tested. I know of many guys that cycle in Vets that use stuff. Like I said, i can prove it... 

 

In terms of putting a percentage to it... Damn, that is tough, definitely nothing less than 15%. But very difficult to answer.  It could be more, the variables are just too great. It is really about how you use it and very much about how you train! Training right is key!

Then please do...

[Acerunner]

I did it.

 

I opened a new profile as one of the replies suggested on the thread, I think it is time to talk about this openly!

 

It is your decision if you will respect this or not, I don't care, I am paying it forward here!

 

I used to be a top notch cyclist, stopped riding for years and then returned.

 

Back in the day we used and tried a lot of things, whether they worked scientifically or not is not the point here, it felt like it worked. in the 90's we used things like ephedrine. It made you very aggressive and gave you energy like you cannot believe! Before a sprint finish that was the beez kneez....  

 

Then there was the cocaine era, which I did not have the balls to do, I was too scared that I would become an addict, otherwise I would have used it without a doubt because it worked. It was very clear in the bunch...

 

Then we found Geri complex, it is basically the same as Pharmaton SA but it has a stimulant in it and it is illegal, this helped for mind over matter when it came to pain. The doctor told me decide the speed you wanna ride and just stick to it, no matter what! It worked. When I returned to cycling I used it but found it less effective for some reason as back when I was a teenager.

 

Duromine. This is a weight loss pill that works with the brain, two of them makes for quite the ride.

Thinz. Same as above, but it sometimes did not work. 

 

So lets talk hardcore chemicals...

 

Testosterone is awesome, it makes you strong, when training very hard especially before the season starts you can push yourself very hard on intervals because you recover almost instantly! No weight gain with this stuff. It works after about a week. Injection only. Pills are crap! It does not work as well as the injections. Cost is about R 900 for two months supply, you use less because you don't want to grow muscles. It makes the men smaller while in use, but recovery starts after the cycle finished. It makes you very aggressive and your libido is very high. 

 

Then you get Clenbuterol (Spelling!) this is what Contador got caught for a few years back, basically among other stuff has ephedrine in it. Cost is about R 600 for a month supply, pills. It makes you melt! Awesome for weight loss and energy. (You have to eat clean! Not good for your heart! ) It works for endurance, three hours plus, but long term usage is suggested. you build it up like using creatine for instance, but your body also gets used to it. 

 

Anavar, awesome for women, it gives endless energy and makes you loose weight ladies! Awesome stuff but NOT for men, you will grow boobs! About R 700 for a month supply

 

Dianobol (spelling) , makes you hard like a rock and tough like a rekkie, I don't have too much experience with this because Test prop (testosterone) is what I preferred. +- R 650 for a three month supply. I am not up to date with this price...

 

Winstrol, this is awesome for cutting and ripping your muscles and also helps a great deal for endurance and a slightly longer term recovery. +- R 750, also not up to date with this price.

 

HGH - Human Growth Hormone, this is very expensive and needs to be used for at least three months before it really works, you just don't get tired as you used to. R 1800 for about six months supply locally and import is about R 2400 and also six months supply.

 

Then the one I like best, EPO, this stuff is hectically expensive!

 

This is done safely by means of a blood test to see how high (or low) the red blood cell count is in your body, if taken correct it is harmless, if not you could die! If you do not do the blood test you would be very stupid to say the least.

 

This stuff transports oxygen to your muscles and increases the efficiency of the muscles and the way you use them. You just have energy and you recover almost instantly, sort of never get to a point where you feel you cant go on. A warning here is that you have to make sure you don't rely on it, you still have to eat and drink according to your bodies' needs, otherwise you will hit the wall! because your body is working so efficiently you feel you don't need to eat or drink, but you are wrong... (Price on this is dependent on your body weight and there is only one pharmaceutical company that does this (Roche), you pay R 1100 for about two weeks supply, This is the most expensive but the most effective in my opinion. I got this from my doctor and he did all the tests. 

 

 

Blood doping: I have not had any knowledge of anyone I rode with in South Africa that did this. I would also not consider it because I'm too scared of the idea. There is so much that can go wrong. 

 

Weight gain on all the above items are marginal if at all. (I have always maintained my weight and lost some in most cases) If you use it correctly of course.

 

I can personally attest to all of the above items as I have used it until last year. Why did I stop using it? I wanted to just start a fresh and stop competing so hard, it is bad to cover your tracks wherever you go. And, people ask questions, when you can attack and never stop it must at some point raise eyebrows, and it did! (Thank god for Strava that proved the miles!)

 

There are some other stuff that also works, we have basically tried everything and i can give a summary on maybe 80% of stuff out there.  

 

I used to ride competitively, you can get away with in if you stop cycling in the Elite bunch, honestly, the VETS are rotten with drugs! ROTTEN. And I can prove it!

 

I can tell you one thing, most of you reading this are using stuff but you don't have the guts to come forward, Me neither... Hence the new profile... 

 

Do people know I used the stuff? Yes, my very closest counterparts knew, not my enemies because I will just make them better and drive their obsession and make them want to beat me greater and this will lead to me losing the chess match. 

 

Am I proud? I am kind of proud of the results, because I competed against people that also used stuff and it made it a level playing ground. It made me fast, it made me feel indestructible! 

Do I feel guilty? Not at all. Because no one was harmed and no financial losses was incurred by anyone.

 

Why did I use it? I trained for at least two hours a day and got to a point where I could not get any better, I trained harder and harder but only stayed where I was. I got sore muscles at one stage and it just never went away for WEEKS, I promise, weeks went by. The more training I did I just fell off further and further. This was a form of over training and fatigue, but the drugs helped me to cope physically. When I started using the stuff I got back in the bunch and realized that i was the only ape not using it, when "they" started noticing the change in my performance they welcomed me... Cyclists are buggers, you are riding with someone that does not share a word of what he is using... FACT Sometimes you would battle with your weight so bad that you would go for a six hour plus ride then you would take a sleeping pill when you finish to avoid yourself from eating. This obviously did not help. 

 

Did it cause any damage to my health until now? According to my doctor not at all. (obviously he does not condone it!!). All my vitals are great, I have above average health, I have always suffered from depression and this was before I used anything, so maybe I would have been healed from it by now, I do not know. 

 

Will I do it again? No I wont. Why not? I have put it behind me and moved forward. i wanted to start riding my bike again and see if i enjoy it like back when I was a kid again, and i love getting on the bike and enjoy quiet time.

 

This is the things that came to mind the quickest, I'm sure there is a few experts that would have some insights on this and also correct some of what I said. Please do?

 

 

Any questions are welcome...

 

Please note that my intention is not to help anyone in any bad way, I am merely sharing my honest experience. 

 

All of the above substances are extremely dangerous and the usage of it can result in your DEATH and being banned from competition. the above information was shared as my own personal experience and must not be compared to anyone or anything. I will never blow the whistle on anyone, please do not ask me as I will sway and not utter a word.  

 

I think it was necessary to share this. 

Geez man, what a great interesting read! Thank you for sharing! Was nice to hear the story upfront and personal, the way it should be! 

[Andrew Steer]

Then please do...

I think it's more the case of him saying that he is the proof...

 

Edit: Erm, or not

[Dope2survive]

Then please do...

I will do it. Lets see if it pops out in the media! If you don't hear anything it will be that the authorities is not taking action.

[Andrew Steer]

I will do it. Lets see if it pops out in the media! If you don't hear anything it will be that the authorities is not taking action.

So we've ascertained you are Afrikaans   

Just kidding... give them stick 

[GAP]

Sorry...haven't got much time to respond to the posts, need to go and pick up my monthly supply of vitamins.

[Dope2survive]

So we've ascertained you are Afrikaans   

Just kidding... give them stick 

Ek is rou afrikaans. Jyt reg geraai meraai. I have you guessing