Clean Sport Collective – Details, episodes & analysis

With crazy lives and busy schedules, it's been a minute since we published an episode, but we are excited to release this roundtable on recent current events in the realm of clean sport. Hosts Kara Goucher, Shanna Burnette, and Chris McClung all join to provide life updates and discuss:

- Bizarre cheating scandals in chess and fishing
- Doping positive for Simona Halep (former tennis #1) 
- Gold medal upgrade for former guest Lashinda Demus
- Recent Kenyan doping busts (including 2021 Boston champ and 3 pacemakers for Kipchoge's sub 2) 
- News of a previous doping suspension for NYRR's new Chairwoman - Nnenna Lynch

Listen in for our reactions to it all and for a few specific changes we would like to see on how doping positives are reported. We hope to be back to you periodically with similar roundtables in the ever-evolving world of doping and clean sport.

Note: Here is a link to an update on the Nnenna Lynch and NYRR story, including her statement which was released after this episode was recorded:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/12/sports/running-nnenna-lynch-nyrr.html

Jenna Fesemyer was born with a birth defect that would cause doctors to amputate her left leg soon after she entered this world as one of a set of triplets. They told her parents that she would be slow to sit, crawl, and walk even after being fitted with a prosthetic leg before her second birthday.

Spurred on to compete with her siblings, she was the first do to everything which might have been perfect foreshadowing for her current career in sport. She now often stands in first place on top of podiums as a competitive wheelchair racer. She is a national champion, a Pan Am Games champion, a World Marathon Major podium finisher, and now a Paralympian in 3 different events - the 1500m, 5000m, and marathon.

In this episode with Jenna, she shares her journey along the way from her first wheelchair race as a sophomore in high school to living her dream in the Tokyo Paralympics last summer. Jenna also gives us insight into the clean sport culture in the Paralympic world, including out-of-competition testing protocols, the whereabouts filing system, and recent controversy involving new, carbon-fiber wheelchairs that could permanently change the sport. 

Jenna is an absolute inspiration. She will be racing the Boston Marathon on April 18th, and we can't wait to cheer her on!

In 2016, Noah Droddy finished dead last in the US 10K Track Trials as an unsponsored athlete who was relatively new to the pro ranks.

In 2021, Noah Droddy is now the 9th fastest US marathoner of all-time, and to the surprise of many, is again unsponsored.

On the US top 10 list, he's listed with big names like Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Meb Keflezighi, and yet Noah works full-time at SOS Hydration to make ends meet amidst a professional running world that doesn't always make sense. Sponsored or not, he seems happy, and he's ready to continue chasing his dreams on the road at the NYC Marathon on November 7th. 

Sponsored or not, Noah is also unabashedly himself and not afraid to tell it like it is. In this episode, he shares all about his journey from underdog runner in high school in Indiana and at Depauw University to one of the very fastest American marathoners of all-time. He speaks truth about the ups and downs in his story and then isn't afraid to name names on the topics of doping and clean sport. (Yes, he went there.)

We are big fans of Noah and know you will be too. He tells us that he has a big announcement coming on November 4th, and we hope that means a new sponsor sees what we see too!

In this episode Kara Goucher and Chris McClung interview Adam Goucher. Adam (aka Mr. Kara Goucher) is a 4-time NCAA champion in cross country and track and field plus an Olympian in the 5K, and he has the highest US male finish in the World Cross Country Championships (6th) since 1986.    Adam brings a unique and crystal-clear perspective on clean sport as an athlete that competed in the time period before a drug test for EPO was introduced. Adam tells a story about kicking a suspected dirty athlete off the track at the University of Colorado and talks about his role in supporting Kara in her move to leave Nike. It is particularly powerful to hear Adam and Kara interact during this interview as they reflect on difficult times shared together in the sport.    Adam also recently told the story of the heartbreaking treatment of Kara by Nike during her pregnancy and after the birth of their son Colt. Though this blog came out after the interview with Adam was recorded, it shows further perspective on Adam's role in supporting Kara as well as trying to fight for what is right for all athletes and especially female athletes in sport. Here is a link to the blog:   https://retreat.karagoucher.com/its-time-for-me-to-use-my-voice/   Adam now runs the business Run the Edge with his friend Tim Catalano. Learn more about Run the Edge and the Run the Year challenge at www.runtheedge.com.   In addition, here is the link to the ProPublica story on doping allegations at the Nike Oregon Project:   https://www.propublica.org/article/former-team-members-accuse-coach-alberto-salazar-of-breaking-drug-rules

In this episode, we interview Annie Thorisdottir of Iceland (@anniethorisdottir) about what drives her to be the best CrossFit athlete in the world. Annie has finished on the podium 5 times in the last decade at the CrossFit Games with 2 first-place, 2 second-place, and 1 third place finish.

This year she finished a disappointing 12th after a change in format to the Games. We talk to her about how she will bounce back from that, plus dig into her training regiment and her diet before discussing her perspective on drug testing and clean sport culture within CrossFit.

Annie has a strong perspective on doping in sport, asking the question: "How could you stand on a podium knowing that you cheated?" She also calls for additional drug testing in order to maintain the integrity of the sport she loves.

Annie's energy and passion is infectious, and if you weren't a fan of her before, then you will be now!

In this episode, Kara Goucher and Chris McClung interview Mirinda Carfrae (@mirindacarfrae) who is one of the best triathletes in the world. Mirinda (who goes by Rinny for short) has finished on the podium at the Ironman World Championships in Kona seven times with three victories, three second-place finishes, and one third-place finish. She also holds the run-course record in Kona with a time of 2 hours and 50 minutes for the marathon to cap off the 140.6 mile race.

With Rinny, we talk about her beginnings in sport as a basketball player, her transition to triathlon, and how she became one of the best in the world at her craft. We also cover what her training looks like, how she is so good at running off the bike, what it has been like coming back to competing after having her first child, and of course, her perspective on clean sport in her sport. 

Rinny's perspective on clean sport is clear and straight forward, and she would like to see even more rigor to fight doping in the sport of triathlon.

In this episode, we switch the discussion to a new sport and interview Jonathan Coyles, the VP of Drug, Health & Safety Programs at Major League Baseball (MLB).

In the early 2000s, the BALCO Scandal implicated a host of MLB athletes which led to a congressional investigation into performance-enhancing drug (PED) use in baseball by Senator George Mitchell. 

Senator Mitchell's investigation produced a 409-page report informally known as the Mitchell Report. The Mitchell Report detailed illegal use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs by players in Major League Baseball. It also put forward a list of recommendations regarding the handling of past drug use and future prevention practices.

From this report, MLB created Jonathan Coyles role, and he now oversees the league's PED prevention program in coordination with an outside party and the players union. In this interview, we talk about the actions MLB has taken to prevent PED use including its drug-testing and investigative practices and its support for the Partnership for Clean Competition (PCC). 

You will be surprised and encouraged to hear about the actions Major League Baseball has taken to promote clean sport.

With episode #5 of the Clean Sport Collective podcast, Kara Goucher and Chris McClung interview ultra marathoner Ian Sharman (@sharmanian). Ian has won over 50 events including the Leadville 100-Miler 4 times. He's also finished top 10 at the Western States 100 nine times and owns the fastest time to ever complete the Grand Slam of Ultras, a series of 4, 100-milers in just 10 weeks. Ian is going for his tenth top 10 at Western States this weekend (starting June 29).

With Ian, we talk about his background, how he got into trail ultras, tips for those who might be considering going long (including Kara), and of course, his perspective on clean sport in the ultra world. Our discussion includes his thoughts on how to build a culture of clean sport as well as what he thinks about marijuana as a performance enhancer. Ian's perspective on this topic is refreshingly black and white.

In this 4th episode of the Clean Sport Collective podcast, we interview Jenny Simpson (@trackjenny) to get her perspective on anti-doping efforts in sport. Jenny is one of the greatest US 1-mile and 1500m runners of all time. She owns 3 World Championship medals (1 gold and 2 silvers) and an Olympic medal (bronze in 2016). She's also a 3-time NCAA champion, 11-time US champion, and 3-time Olympian.

In this interview, we learn more about Jenny's background in sport and how she became one of the best in the world in her event. We get insight on what it's like to line up against suspicious athletes as well as what it's like to be randomly drug tested, including how things went in a surprise test on the morning of our interview. 

Jenny is an athlete that we can all believe in, and we think you will enjoy this discussion with her.

With episode #3, Chris McClung and Shanna Burnette interview one of the founding members and current board members of the Clean Sport Collective - Kevin Rutherford, CEO of Nuun Hydration. 

We start with a background on Kevin and how he came to be CEO of Nuun after stints at Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, Kashi, MillerCoors, and S.C. Johnson. Then, we cover his progress as CEO in 6 years with Nuun including their corporate commitment to selling clean/natural products as well as promoting clean sport. Kevin talks about his role in the foundation of the Clean Sport Collective, the importance of the brand pledge, and how corporate sponsors can play a more active role in the fight for clean sport.

Kevin also challenges other brands/sponsors to take the clean sport pledge at cleansport.org.