Friday, August 24, 2012

I’m Like An Old Porsche

I only have a minute because I am racing out the door to go to Costco before the weekend rush hits. I need for there to be enough samples left for me, and I don’t want to have to fight for them (especially not for these mini penises that Ethel is handing out).

I had a great, short (6 mile) trail run with Joie this morning at Hall Ranch outside of Lyons, CO. We both agreed a trail run is the best way to start the day. Well, officially the best way to start the day is: coffee –>dump->trail.

This is a very rocky, tricky and steep trail. From the moment you step foot on the trail, you are climbing, so any warm ups need to be done in the parking lot. I personally like to do push ups, jumping jacks and burpees. Yeah right. More like I slap on my fuel belt and hit the trail without so much as a stride or a stretch. I like to see if I can go from 50 to 150 heart beats per minute in 7 seconds. I am like a Porsche that way. A very old and non-certified Porsche.

IMAG0642

I told you it was steep and rocky. You should believe me next time.

When you get up a ways, it is so gorgeous.  You then kind of forget and forgive the bitch of a mountain you had to climb to get there.

IMAG0645

Joie pretending she’s not tired.

IMAG0646

Today was my fourth consecutive day of running this week. I have never been someone who runs several days in a row because I am too afraid of getting injured. Turns out, however, that with heart rate training my exertion is finally where it should be, and it leaves me energized and without aches and pains. That is why I lay down and nap in the middle of the run. Even at home I sleep with my fuel belt on because that is the sign of a true runner.

IMAG0647

Don’t even try to zoom in and look up my skirt. That’s so tacky.

Yesterday I did intervals on the treadmill 5 x 800s at 95% max heart rate, so wasn’t sure how I would feel today.  Alas, I felt pretty stinking great.

Okay, I’m off for the mini penises. But first…yes, I’m going there.

I am curious to hear what you all thought about Lance Armstrong’s decision to stop fighting the doping charges. He will likely be stripped of his seven Tour de France wins and will be banned from cycling. For all of these years, I have so wanted to believe in his innocence. From what I’ve read (which is not a lot), Lance has taken hundreds of drug tests, and never failed one. But, his accusers say that is because he is so adept at working the system and getting drugs out of his system efficiently. Apparently, there are many witnesses who can confirm his guilt.

I find it curious that he would give up now. This is someone who overcame cancer to train his ass off to win the hugest bike race in the world, 7 times. Not someone who quits.  But, maybe he is just tired of fighting. Or, maybe he is guilty.

Thoughts? Guilty as charged or the victim of a modern day witch hunt?

SUAR

50 comments:

  1. Michelle in MichiganAugust 24, 2012 at 1:21 PM

    Witch hunt!!! Maybe he just got tired of throwing his money away and having the focus on that mess rather than the cancer fight???

    ReplyDelete
  2. That trail looks really nice, even though it is steep. IDK what to think about LA. One of my smart friends thinks that we should start a kickstarter campaign to get completely independent public investigation done. Just to make sure it is not a witch hunt or whatever.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think its a witch hunt, and like Michelle said he is just tierd of pissing his money away fighting it and wants to spend it elsewhere. From what I read though the UCI has to actually take his medals away - and they are siding with Lance right now so it might be a pissing match between the UCI and the USADA. Puns intended.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gorgeous run! Hilly runs are great workouts, too. I'm glad training in specific heart rate zones is working well for you.

    I don't really know what to believe about the Lance Armstrong thing. I'm sure that there are a lot of elite athletes out there who are using performance enhancing substances but they just make sure they're using ones that can't be detected. If he was actually guilty, by giving up now, he allows himself to still look like a victim without all of the testimony, etc. coming forward, which could be truly damning. I think it's possible that it's a political move.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I wonder if elite athletes even see it as right/wrong any more... they are so trained to "do what it takes" that if drugs are "what it takes" to win, then they'll do it. Kinda like illegal immigration.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That trail looks gorgeous! I am not sure what to make of this Lance Armstrong saga. On the one hand you have hundreds of clean drug tests, and a man whom had garnered a lot of respect; not only in his professional life, but his personal as well. But when you have his former team-mated (such as Tyler Hamilton) claiming her was doping, you have to wonder about the elite cycling world. At this level doping is rife, and yet Armstrong was able to consistently win clean when surrounded by people whose performance had been illegally enhanced. It would be nice to think he was clean, but I am becoming less and less certain.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't even know if I disagree with athletes who use these enhancers.

    Wait wait wait, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I APPROVE, but think about it... these guys are willing to do human testing for drugs that could help me remain active and fit well into my 80's and 90's. Wouldn't it be nice to know the side effects? Maybe when I'm 80 I can take the human growth hormone and feel 50 again...

    I almost wish they had a separate competition for "testers" and "cleans", and started building statistics.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Witch hunt. I await the action of UCI.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm really surprised he gave up that easily. Not a man who quits that's for sure. It think that someone is trying to make an example of him. Doping is rampant in cycling. There is no doubt that Armstrong is an incredibly talented athlete but I agree with Elle. It would be nice to think that he was clean but I'm not so sure anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fantastic trail! I'm getting ready to start HM training so I love your feedback on how it's working for you.

    All the so called witnesses against Lance are already in trouble for doping themselves. Most are testifying in exchange for a reduction of their own troubles. Considering the sheer number of random tests that Lance has endured I find it hard to believe he could be guilty. I also find it interesting that almost all of the 2nd and 3rd place finishers of the TDF have been banned or suspended themselves. It shows just how rampant doping is at that level of the sport

    ReplyDelete
  12. What happened to the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty? The doping agencies haven't produced any solid evidence, just a little innuendo, and the guy has passed a couple of hundred tests. If they have something on him they should come out with it, but from what I just heard from the TV their own rules say that because he stopped fighting he is guilty. So they can prove their case, by their own rules, just by wearing Lance down - and who wouldn't be worn down after ten years, when every time he thinks he's won they come after him again? I'd rather ride Le Tour than go through that. I hope it's true that only the UCI can take away his titles, and that that they refuse to do so, and the anti-doping dopes are left with egg on their faces. Or, if there is evidence that he cheated (perhaps along with the rest of the peloton, so maybe it gave him no advantage anyway?) tell us properly and we can work out what to think of Lance - who will still be an amazing athlete in most people's minds, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I haven't read much about the Lance Armstrong stuff, but really, if he passed the tests then let it go. The energy it would take to fight would exhaust me. And it isn't like cancer, where you get positive support - you have so many haters that would love to see you fail. Sometimes you just have to let things go and let people think what they want to. Do you think that if they find him innocent those people who want to see him fail will give up? Lance Armstrong is amazing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers, Kathee!!

      Delete
    2. You put into words better than i could. He beat cancer, no one can take that away from him. And he is choosing to focus on what really matters to him, his family and his continued efforts to support cancer research. He is still an amazing person in my book.

      Delete
    3. Exactly. Well put Kathee. I can't imagine how much energy it takes to fight these allegations that have been following him for YEARS. So many people hear "doping" and that's it. He's guilty.

      Unless they can provide more evidence he is innocent to me. And this is a sad day.

      Delete
  14. WOW! WOW! WOW! I really need to make a visit to Colorado. Those trails are gorgeous. But holy hell! I could never start a run on a steep incline like that.

    I really want to believe he is innocent. I feel like he is, but what the heck do I know? I would be tired of defending myself and throwing money away too. But who knows?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Eventually you have to draw the line somewhere and stop looking. There is a statute of limitations provision for many actual, real crimes. All these secretive tests that they say proves he's a doper are old, they could be contaminated accidentally or on purpose, there could be a problem with the process, any number of things.

    As I see it we can choose to believe:
    1) He was doping with a variety of substances. Then we also have to believe he was clever enough to have escaped a positive result through sophisticated chemical trickery again and again. I don't say lucky, because that's for a few tests. He's had hundreds and hundreds. They've probably done every test in the book, over and over. I wouldn't be surprised if they invented tests and used his fluids as a trial. Someone this clever wouldn't be talking to anyone about it, or leaving around any evidence if they could possibly avoid it. I'm having trouble believing that anyone could consistently cover their usage of banned substances for years, in the face of random and increasingly sophisticated testing.

    2) He's clean. All the tests were legit, and they have nothing. Or they had results and were trying to get more data on him. I tend to believe that if they had anything from way back in the day, they'd have come out with it then. Even an allegation halts the race career. The "testimony" of doping is meaningless. When a cop will testify under oath about things that plainly did not happen in a video of the incident, I'm not going to believe a convicted doper who is trying to get a deal.

    Which is easier to believe?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Check out Lancearmstrong.com for his complete response. It definitely made me think more.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am still on his side. I think it takes tremendous courage to just say "I'm done" with all of this garbage. A person can only take so much crap. He has more important things to focus on, I'm sure.

    It is a HUGE loss to the endurance community.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Witch hunt. How could ONLY one person be good enough to get around all those drug tests?
    But, regardless, as a girl who lost her father to cancer, I don't give a damn what sport he excels in; what matters is the system of support he helped create for families affected by cancer, and all the good his foundation does.
    Why don't the anti-doping people go after baseball with such harsh punishments? Oh, yeah, that's right, because then there wouldn't be enough players left to field a team.
    Those views are gorgeous. I just ran 4 miles on a very flat air base, and all I had fancy to look at were some empty casings from blanks that someone forgot to pick up.

    ReplyDelete
  19. almost all teh elite cyclist pass the doping tests because the doping is VERY specilaized and ahead of the testing. There are also payoffs made and "arrangements" made with testing or overseeing orgnizations and my only question is who did he piss off. USPostal has been paying off the UCI forever and cycling is as dirty as it gets. It is accepted and normal. I suspect UCI also has "arrangments" to KEEP testing behind the technology of doping. the reason so many cyclists pass the doping tests is either corruption, fraud or doping technology WAY beyond the means of testing.

    ReplyDelete
  20. On one hand, I can totally see an innocent person just getting to the point of 'enough is enough.' I'd be so exhausted from what he's been through.

    On the other hand, I tend to think that where there's smoke, there's fire.

    I wish he was clean and that this crap hadn't happened. Just a sad reflection on the world of sports in general.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great NPR story today about this. Check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  22. what about all the tests he passed over all the years? The leader of the Tour is subject to MORE testing than anyone else....and stage winners also get extra scrutiny, and he won LOTS of stages.

    Where's the evidence? Seems like it's only the word of admitted cheats and others who DEFINITELY have an axe to grind.....NOTHING is going to diminish my admiration of Lance and for those that think he "needs to just go away"......what about all the GOOD he's done for cancer patients and their families?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Yay for trails! I'm doing a 25k in the morning that I'm pooping my pants about.

    The Lance thing makes me so sad. I really want to believe in his innocence but I just can't get past the fact that he quit. I understand why, but it's just too easy

    ReplyDelete
  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I was just recently reading an article where they were discussing doping (had nothing to do with Lance specifically, the article was about the olympics...yes, I was delayed in reading the magazine). Anyway the article was saying how new drugs, etc come out all the time and it is incredibly hard for the testing agencies to stay on top of it, which is why they keep samples for so long. Some substance that there was not a test for 3 years ago or whatever may very well have a test now. The only person right now who knows if Lance was doping or not is Lance. Even if he was doping he probably would not admit to such, most dopers don't, except maybe in federal court or something because they are feeling more pressure. Only Lance knows. Aside from Lance, it is just disappointing that this is what we have come to and it is disappointing for everyone (adults and children alike) who look up to these atheletes as motivation for their own sport and lives.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm interested to see how it all plays out since is seems like the UCI may become involved as well. I don't believe he is a doper but I am disappointed that he chose not to appeal.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Read the opinion piece by Sally Jenkins in today's Washington Post - very informative.

    I don't comment often, but I love your blog. Your posts always crack me up - I love your sense of humor. The line about sleeping in your fuel belt made me snort while drinking tea! Not pretty! Ha!

    ReplyDelete
  28. It's a witch hunt, they wouldn't be going after him had he not won the Tour *so often* ... but I'm sure he doped. They all do. It is all about the money/obsession/prestige. When you start talking about pro athletes, it is a different world (ie, Baseball, Olympics, all of it). For these people, it is their career, their career on the line, sponsorships are their income, all of it is a HUGE deal, compared to those of us with day jobs who do sport as a hobby.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Walking away from the witch hunt is not an admission of guilt. Perhaps if the fight was fair, I'd be suspicious of him wanting to quit. However, it is a complete joke of a system. And, even if he fought them and won (unlikely), haters would still be haters and say he doped, so what's the point? He's done amazing things with his life, including helping many suffering from cancer. We should just leave him alone and let him live his life. He will always be a hero to me.

    ReplyDelete
  30. IMHO, witch hunt. He's NEVER tested positive, but it's impossible to prove a negative. They don't have proof, they have people saying stuff - and people benefiting from saying stuff. (Keith made good points) Lance's statement explains it well. He's also thinking of what continuing to fight will do to the Foundation's work and support, and also what it does to his family. This nonsense has been going on for years. His oldest of 5 kids is 13 now, and he's an ex-wife and current partner to think of - how much longer should he watch their lives be affected if he can't win even tho he's innocent? How much more time and money should he put into fighting charges from a body that may not even have jurisdiction? I think it took guts and some self-sacrifice on his part to stop fighting, as the desire to end it once and for all with his name cleared must be very strong.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Someone mentioned Sally Jenkins' piece in the WP, here's a link. Very good (and scary) questions raised about USADA.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/othersports/lance-armstrong-doping-campaign-exposes-usadas-hypocrisy/2012/08/24/858a13ca-ee22-11e1-afd6-f55f84bc0c41_story.html

    ReplyDelete
  32. Whether or not he did it, they can't prove it so I think they should leave him alone. He submitted to all the tests he asked.

    However, I think it is a little fishy that he is giving up. Maybe I am wrong, but doesn't he have enough money and people to fight this for him to maintain his credibility?

    ReplyDelete
  33. I think with all these witnesses he didn't have a chance and he knew it, but I don't think he's guilty. Even if he is, he didn't fail a drug test and they shouldn't after all these years especially, find him guilty based on witness testimony. Especially from those that have failed tests themselves or cut deals. All those years, all those tests, all negative! A two year investigation ended without them pressing charges so why this body chooses to go after him is beyond me. The best part, who will they give the Tour wins to? There was an article yesterday that showed all the races and the next in line in a lot of cases is a person who tested positive for drugs! I think it's terrible what they have done to him, without evidence, and I don't blame him at all for quitting.

    ReplyDelete
  34. In both hiking and running, the thought of starting off fast and straight up a giant bitch of a hill makes me want to die. Sadly, living in a valley in Montana means every trail run is going to start off straight up instantly. Good thing the views are worth it.

    I truly don't know what to think of Lance Armstrong. The entire thing makes me very sad.

    ReplyDelete
  35. He donated money several times to the organization that was drug-testing him. Talk about a major conflict of interest. Otherwise, I've never really liked the guy that much other than what he's done for cancer awareness.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Someone who is innocent fights for what they believe in regardless of the cost or sacrafice. the fact that he just gave in proves his guilt more than anything else. he is a cheat and a fraud and a horrible role model to kids about getting ahead the wrong way. he should acknowledge what he did, own up to it, apologize and then fade int obscurity. but udging by the size of his enormous ego, he wont and will continue to make excuses and blae everyone else.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I think he's probably guilty of doping. However, it's pretty pervasive in the professional cycling community, lots of doping happening. So, I kind of think it's silly to just go after him because he won so much. Sure, some of the cyclists might be clean, but it's like baseball and steroids. They all do it. Not necessarily fair to hold him up the fire if you're not going to do it to everyone else.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. saying "they all do it" is highly ignorant and irresponsible. my father played professional baseball in the Major Leagues for 18 years without ever doping. he had a very successful career that never included illegal substances. Because of this great sport i was able to have a very privelaged life, one that I am always grateful for. and my father did it the right way. so be very careful with the "they all do it" mentality. because not all of them do.

      Delete
  38. Witch hunt. To be honest, I've always wanted to believe in his innocence although I'm not 100% sure that I do. However, he has never failed a test and I think it's absurd to go after someone this much that has never failed a single test. Besides, I really don't like the fact that the USADA seems to think they are some sort of legal enforcement agency instead of a doping agency. Grr. Getting all riled up again.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Great job on the trail run, looks beautiful there! I need to run there very soon. As for Lance, I hope is isn't guilty, but I don't know. Either way, he has brought alot of awareness to people about cancer and he never gave up despite it. It is sad that performance enhancing drugs are so prevalent in professional sports. The win at all cost mentality is not good and drives the athletes to do stupid things to stay at the top. I'm sure he will continue to compete and excel, hopefully in a more enjoyable and stress free way now that he is no longer a pro athlete.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Lance played the smart card by not going to arbitration. Now the UCI will fight with the USADA. USADA has lost a lot of credibility in and out of the sport by chasing Lance and not spending resources on current cases. And have you seen Livestrong's donations this week!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I think it's a big witch hunt. Every single cyclist that has been punished for drugs has been caught with a positive drug test. Tour winners that have been caught: Floyd Landis, Alberto Contador, Jan Ulrich all tested postive and either fessed up (Ulrich) or made a lame excuse (Contador) or just totally made a fool of themselves (Landis). The point is the objective measure for using ped's is a positive drug test. Lance has been tested over 500 times. Not once positive. Lance is guilty of being an egotistical a-one asshole to his teammates but he has NEVER tested positive. My question is why do they continue to do drug testing if you can be found guilty by the word of some ex-teammates who have an ax to grind? Every single "witness" hates Lance's guts.How many baseball players have been found guilty because their teammates said they were dirty? Zero
    The only baseball players receiving suspensions tested positive.
    I think Lance did the right thing and said I've had enough. Do what ever you want.Until he tests positive I'm still in Lance's corner.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I believe in Lance. I don't believe he's a quiter. He beat cancer by fighting. Maybe he feels enough is enough. I don't think those people would ever leave him alone. He has done a lot of good for other people maybe it's time for him to do something good for himself. It's probably really hard to give up something you love and are good at but enough is enough. Those people now will have to find someone else to harp on.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I also believe Lance, I really think that it is a witch hunt as he called it. I think he was just tired of constantly having to defend himself over and over again, even though he has taken every test out there and been clean.
    People hate successful people, bottom line and he is a freak of nature that we all want to be but aren't willing to put in the work to get there. It's like a the saying on a shirt I have seen at a million of my son's wrestling tournaments "You keep telling people how lucky I am and I will keep working my butt off." Same thing applies with Lance.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I ran 2-3x/week for almost two years, new progressed past 4 miles, never got under a 12-min mile,never enjoyed a single step of it, never looked forward to going for a run, and the motivation never came. I think, sometimes, people are either runners or they aren't. I feel pretty confident that I'm not. I can bike for eons, swim 3000m and quite like it, play team sports, paddle board, you name it. But running makes me groan and hate life. Every.time.

    ReplyDelete