Everybody is doing it

So, I will join them and post some blood tests too. However, I have 11 years worth.

All blood tests are natural with no altitude training or altitude tents. The only added helpers are vitamin C (4000mg/day) and a really expensive multi-vitamin. Just some notes, my best racing years were 1999-2003. My best ever year was 2000 and at one point in that year my hematocrit reached 41. If you look at the charts, the blood values are higher in the good racing years than in the more recent years.

Also, a few major drops. One drop was after Nationals in July 2002. Something about racing in 100 degree weather is not good. Creatinine level after that race was 1.3 and clearly evident of muscle breakdown. Another drop was in February 2004.

What I have noticed from following the blood tests over the years is that a lot of training causes a drop. And, when I go on vacations that do not involve bike riding, the values go back up.