The running community is such a bizarre entity sometimes. On one hand, receptive to newcomers and so encouraging and empowering. On the other hand, so critical and obstinate when it comes to issues like performance enhancement drugs.

Sure, Rupp and Farah are not the fastest runners in the world (in terms of speed records), and long-distance running is not the most lucrative or popular sport. But, that doesn't in some artificial way lessen their competitive drive as upper-echelon athletes.

I'm not saying that cheating is good for the sport. It's just, the skepticism and (sometimes) outright ire in response to ANYTHING doping related... and then the stigma that is attached to a group or individual.. the whole tone of what's a super complicated issue.. t's just so disenchanting and opposite to the community and spirt of the sport that helped me fall in love with the sport.

I find the question, "What's the point?" of this type of pushing on the boundaries of athletic potential.. kind of odd.

What's the point of constantly pushing yourself to be best you can, the fastest you can, when you are a top-level athlete, where marginal gains are the crucial difference, who's livelihood and athletic stature depends on this progress? Er... I guess that whole fundamental feeling that gets a lot of us hooked on the sport, that concept of how constantly and progressively bettering oneself gets lost in the weeds of the conversation?