Normally I drop some training wisdom in this weekly note.

But this week felt different.
More personal.
More… divisive.

I dropped a podcast episode that lit up the inbox.
It wasn’t about marginal gains or carbohydrate timing.

It was about cheating.

Doping Is Wrong. Full Stop.

No one’s defending EPO, HGH, or sneaky blood bags tucked away in the back of a camper van.

That’s not what we’re talking about here.

We’re talking about a greyer line—one that’s dividing the Masters racing scene.

Prescription testosterone.

TRT.
Hormone optimization.
“Healthspan” therapies.

Whatever branding you want to put on it…
It’s still a performance enhancer.

Why It Feels Different

Here’s the dilemma:

A 50-year-old cyclist sees his T levels crash.
He’s tired. Sleep’s garbage. Recovery? Basically nonexistent.

He walks into a clinic and walks out with a gel or an injection.
Not to win races.
Just to feel normal.

But next month, he’s pinning a number on his back.

He’s in the Masters category—racing against guys who are just trying to train hard, eat well, and out-suffer their peers without a pharmaceutical assist.

This isn’t an even playing field.
This isn’t what Masters was supposed to be about.

Masters Racing Has a Purpose

Masters racing exists so we can keep competing without comparing ourselves to 22-year-old pros with the VO2 of a greyhound and testosterone levels to match.

We race for community.
To stay sharp.
To measure ourselves against other people facing the same battles: poor sleep, high stress, middle-age joints that don’t bounce back.

So when someone shows up enhanced—even if it’s doctor prescribed—it violates an unspoken code.

It’s Still Cheating

Let’s call it what it is.

If you’re racing while taking testosterone—even through “legal” medical channels—you’re cheating.

You’re no longer competing on shared terms.

You’ve traded the beauty of a fair fight for a shortcut masked as self-care.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel better.
There is something wrong with using that to win.

It’s Not About Demonizing

This isn’t about blame.
It’s about honesty.

There are real, nuanced reasons people seek TRT.
But there’s also a real difference between health and sport.

If you need it for your well-being, that’s a valid choice.

Just don’t race.

But don’t show up in the Masters peloton and pretend it’s apples-to-apples.



Chat next week,
​Anthony