East German athlete Heidi Krieger in 1986. The long-term effect of doping led to a sex change; Heidi is now known as Andreas.

SECRETS OF THE DEAD

Doping for Gold

Aired Wednesday, May 7, at 8:00 p.m. on CPTV

In the 1970s, female East German athletes came out of nowhere to dominate international sport. But behind their success lay a secret, state-sponsored doping program that distributed untested steroids and male hormones to athletes as young as 12. Many of these girls had no knowledge that they were being doped, and now, as grown women (and men), their broken bodies and damaged psyches bear witness to the cruelty of a government that pursued international glory and gold at the expense of its most acclaimed citizens. “Doping for Gold” digs deep into the secretive Cold War world of East German athletes, examining what drugs were used, how they were distributed and what damage they did to many of the athletes who were forced to take them. The result creates a timely perspective on today’s many doping scandals and reveals the truth behind the biggest and most horrifying state-sponsored doping program the world has ever known. visit the website...

Betsey Powers-Sinclair at Heartbreak Hill at the Boston Marathon.

NOVA

Marathon Challenge

Aired Wednesday, May 7, at 9:00 p.m. on CPTV

What does it take for the average person to run one of the world's toughest races? NOVA finds out in a program that's both a human story and an intriguing scientific exploration of the way our bodies respond to intense exercise demands. Filmed in cooperation with the Boston Athletic Association, NOVA was granted unprecedented access to the Boston Marathon course and takes viewers on a unique adventure inside the human body. Every year thousands of athletes from across the globe flock to Boston to run the city's marathon, known worldwide as the ultimate test of stamina and endurance. In the summer of 2006, NOVA began following 13 novices as they took the first step toward completing the 26.2-mile race in April 2007. The group of participants includes people of diverse backgrounds — a young woman running in memory of her mother, who died in a tragic car accident; a working single mom; even a former NFL linebacker. Not one of them is currently a runner. Over the nine-month training period, exercise and nutrition scientists and doctors at Tufts University use sophisticated technology to monitor the physical transformations that the participants undergo. Intimate interviews reveal the highs and lows along the way. The experience demands a transformation of mind and body; NOVA cameras are there, following every step. visit the wbsite...