If you’ve put 4 years or more into training for an event, with blood sweat, tears, and lots of pain, I think it takes a lot for that person to deny himself the opportunity.

I’ve seen it with regular runners, who’ve trained for a race, and then only about 4 months or so, who go on and then get the flu or a cold try and to dose themselves with all kinds of medication, just so that they can still participate. Dangerous but they do it.