Is Cannabis a ‘Performance Enhancing Drug?’

In the fast-growing world of ultramarathon running, jocks and cannabis enthusiasts have something in common. According to Avery Collins, a professional ultra-marathoner, “If you can find the right level, [cannabis] takes the stress out of running.” He adds, “And it’s a post-race, post-run remedy.”

During his first year as a full-time professional runner, he won five ultramarathons. He was the top American to place at the Fat Dog 120–placing third–in British Columbia.

Collins runs about 150 miles and consumes cannabis four to five times a week. Instead of smoking the plant, he prefers to eat edibles, inhale it with water vapor, or rub cannabis-infused balms onto his skin.

Collins states that he doesn’t use cannabis during competitions, but has never been tested for it. He states that cannabis balm dulls his leg muscles, and minor doses of THC keep his mind engaged during long runs. After a competition, Collins eats edibles to lower his heart rate and soothe his muscles.

“You’re running for 17 to 20 hours straight, and when you stop, sometimes your legs and your brain don’t just stop,” Collins said. “Sometimes [cannabis] is the only way I can fall asleep after racing.”

Cannabis has nausea and pain reducing benefits that attract marathoners who go through grueling runs that can last anywhere from 30 to 200 miles on vigorous terrains. Runners often suffer from stomach cramps, queasiness, intense muscle and joint pain, and boredom from running up to 24 hours straight.

“The person who is going to win an ultra is someone who can manage their pain, not puke and stay calm,” veteran runner Jenn Shelton told the Wall Street Journal. “Pot does all three of those things.”

Surprisingly, cannabis is a much-discussed topic on endurance blogs and forums where the morality of using THC for performance reasons is often debated.

Founder of the Lifetree Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City, Dr. Lynn Webster, says “There’s good science that suggests cannabinoids block the physical input of pain.” Many cancer patients use cannabis to treat nausea after chemotherapy. In the case of distance runners, queasiness can lose a race, stopping them from consuming much needed nutrients.

In 2013, the World Anti-Doping Agency increased the allowable level of THC to an amount that would prompt positive effects in athletes ingesting cannabis in competition. The decision means athletes may use cannabis during training and as a stress reliever before a race. Though, during competition, it is banned for supposed “performance enhancement” and because it disrupts the “spirit of the sport”, according to a WADA spokesman.