meh
I don't know if Lance can be counted as a world class athlete if he needed drugs to get there. To me, a world class athlete is someone who is great because of their natural talents & willingness to work their ass off. And once you're truly the best at something, having a big ego is understandable. It's just that cheating is not really something to be so proud & smug about.
One thing is for certain, Lance had a LOT of natural talent and worked very hard. He also cheated on top of that. I'm convinced that all of the top cyclists in Lance's era were doing it. It doesn't make it excusable by any means, but in my mind the playing field was fairly level.
I could get past the cheating a lot easier if Lance didn't pile lie on top of lie on top of lie, take legal action against people that tried to expose his lies, intimidate people and just act like a grade A thug/asshole.
HM: 1:44:18 (05/06/13) | FM: 3:54:51 (3/16/13)
Upcoming Races
Marine Corps Marathon (10/27) - Goal: ?
More cowbell!
Fair question. Armstrong was a stage winner in the Tour in 1993, before his cancer diagnosis in 1996. Was he using his natural talent at that point, or doping even then? I don't know if that era of his life has been addressed. But any Tour stage winner who is clean at the time of the win would have to be classified as a world-class athlete.
2013 Goals-as of Memorial Day
Running: 1600 miles total, 292.4 down-1307.6 to go.
Cycling: 2000 miles total, 596 down-1404 to go. Riding with my wife on her 1st century
Swimming: 80K total, 17.5 down-62.5 to go.
HAVING FUN!!!
Labrat
There is some evidence that he was doping way back as a teenage triathlete.
By 1993 he was certainly on the juice.
5K 23:21* (Vdot 41.53) 10/13/12
10K 51:48 (Vdot 38.39) 7/15/12
HM 1:48:20 (Vdot 41.07) 11/10//12
FM 4:28:33 (Vdot 33.01) 11/12/11
*Gun time, all others are chip time
Really? This is the most naive point of view out there. And what's really bad is that a LOT of people share it. Do you honestly believe that if 99% of athletes participated in blood doping that they could be on the level of a Lance Armstrong?
Or if the standard minor league baseball player took HGH that he could rise to the same accomplishments of Barry Bonds etc?
Out of your mind. These guys were the biggest athletic freaks of nature BEFORE the drugs. When you are at the very summit of your physical ability, there's nothing to help you improve other than the drugs. Mix that with an incredibly large ego and you get cheaters. They want even MORE accolades, achievement, power etc...
They didn't all of a sudden stick a needle in their ass and become the greatest sports champions we've ever seen.
sugnim
Really? This is the most naive point of view out there. And what's really bad is that a LOT of people share it. Do you honestly believe that if 99% of athletes participated in blood doping that they could be on the level of a Lance Armstrong? Or if the standard minor league baseball player took HGH that he could rise to the same accomplishments of Barry Bonds etc? Out of your mind. These guys were the biggest athletic freaks of nature BEFORE the drugs. When you are at the very summit of your physical ability, there's nothing to help you improve other than the drugs. Mix that with an incredibly large ego and you get cheaters. They want even MORE accolades, achievement, power etc... They didn't all of a sudden stick a needle in their ass and become the greatest sports champions we've ever seen.
Wow. No need to be so argumentative. I never said any of that, but OK.
I agree with some of what you said. I'm not condoning cheating obviously. It's just a pet peeve that people could be so naive about this. Nothing personal of course. Maybe I should have added a smiley.
never runs the tangents
I figured it was something like that - about the big head and all.
I think the worst thing about this is that obviously it works. I suppose if it didn't we wouldn't be having this conversation though.
Sometimes I forget I'm still awakeI fuck up and say these things out loud
You could give me unfettered access to any drugs on the planet and I'd never approach Pete Magill's time (just to use an athlete in my sport who is my age). My 5K PR is 18:38 and drugs might get me down to 17:30 or something but I'm never, ever going to see 15 minutes. The drugs help but no amount of drugs will get you a VO2max of 70+.
Short term goal: 2:59:59 (November, 2013)
Mid term goal: Any race over 80% of top AG standard
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Smaller By The Day
If we take up a collection, and send you to Mexico, can we find out? :-)
2012 Races
Blueberry Stomp 5K (9/12) - 31:02
Feel The Learn 5K (10/12) - 26:58
Indianapolis Monumental HM (11/12) - 2:03:56
Run For The Heart 5K (12/12) - 25:48.48
2013 Races
Valpo Valentine's Day 5K (2/13) - 24:45.08
Chi Town HM (3/24/13) - 01:54:07.2
Dart For The Arts 10K (4/13/13) - 48:59
Delta Steel Run 5K (6/1/13) - 24:11
Indianapolis Monumental Marathon (11/02/13) -
You know I had a LiveStrong bracelet until sone one from RWOL made mention of how little both he and the organization do. I should say though that the concept works because when you see the Yellow Bracelet you think of LiveStrong and cancer.
As far as juicing, I say let them all juice. I like performance whether it be music or athletic or acting. I really don't care how they get there as long as they are not killing puppies or children to get there. Do I want them to be hero's or role models for my kids? No but nor do I want the non messed up super stars. I want them to admire teachers, doctors, lawyers, parents and realistic people not 1:million people if you get what I am saying.
.
toss my salad, brah
I am glad all the people he threatened, slandered, and bullied into submission in order to cover up his lies have been vindicated.
+1
That, to me, was his most odious offense.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
@runjerseygirl
All I'm saying is...
Do you even run?
© 2013 RunningAHEAD, LLC. All rights reserved. | Privacy