Anti-doping Solutions

is at a crossroads. We continue to see growth in participation, race size and format, new players entering the space and more elite runners competing at the biggest races. This growth and development are primed to continue post pandemic, as trail races are more conducive to ramp up after the fog of COVID-19 lifts as compared to their road running counterparts. Many will flourish with this growth (including this author) as demand for everything from shoes, races, apparel, packs and nutritional items will be driven by simple market economics of a larger audience. However, as with any growth, there will be the potential for some pain. Larger race entities like Ironman and Spartan will bring more corporate-style events to the landscape, which is off-putting to some. Race lotteries will get more crowded, increasing the frustration of runners who wish to participate in coveted races like Hardrock 100 and Western States. Among these new calamities for the sport to navigate is the increase in performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) in the sport, particularly among the elite crowd. And the latter might just be the most pressing for the health, longevity and prosperity of the sport as a whole.