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I am NOT disappointed in Lance Armstrong

Saturday, January 19, 2013

There....Now I bet I got your attention....... emoticon The reason that I am not disappointed in Lance Armstrong and his doping confession....I could not care less about what the elite athletes do in these amazing races. emoticon I am a die hard fan of the back of the pack racers...The elderly grandmother who walks the marathon....Also, the amputee who rolls the whole 26 miles to the finish...Or the father/mother who, along with their child in a wheel chair complete triathlons and marathons...Or even the forty something year old former obese runner who completes a marathon in 6 hours or more... emoticon I never tire of hearing their stories and watching them cross the finish line way after the elites have gotten their medals and left for their comp'ed hotel room. The athletes who do it for the challenge and the joy of the event not the money, fame, or endorsements. emoticon emoticon
So, you see that is why I am NOT disappointed in Lance Armstrong. emoticon
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  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CINDHOLM 1/21/2013 5:03PM

    Great Blog!!

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GAYLSMITH 1/21/2013 1:43PM

    Tis is so true for so many of us who found our atlete late in life. It's one reason why I enjoy cross country, you cheer until the last person comes in. All of us have an athlete hidden in us.

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SHEENADEE 1/21/2013 12:16PM

    Well said! Thanks for the perspective. It is definitely the non-pro folks that I cheer on and they bring me to tears with their accomplishments.

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CHICKPEA23 1/20/2013 11:54AM

    I agree with Brooklyn, and though I see your point, when people cheat like that it makes it seem like the elite athletes have lost their true love of the sport because they're willing to stoop to any low to win. It's just a shame. Being an athlete used to be a noble thing combining discipline, talent, and love of the sport and challenge (I'm thinking of the old school Olympics in Greece). Maybe it's idealistic, but it would be nice if pro athletes shared that joy with those of us who are amateurs.

I wouldn't say that I'm disappointed in Lance so much as that I have no respect for how he lied, cheated, and hurt so many other people in the process of what he did. But, at least Livestrong has done great work and continues to do so.

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BILL60 1/20/2013 5:36AM

    Good blog.

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DRPOOH63 1/19/2013 7:40PM

    Great blog - that is where the best stories are - the back of the pack!

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SNOWJESTER 1/19/2013 6:58PM

    I love those stories too. I did a marathon and finished at the same time as a man with one leg. More inspiring than the millionaire athletes with sponsors and trainers.

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CELIAMINER 1/19/2013 4:45PM

    You got my attention, too. Thanks for not using your blog as a lurid tabloid. Yes, LA is full of failure right now, but I'm choosing to remember the good he has done with Livestrong. And I also root for the back of the pack, because that's where I usually am.
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KANDOLAKER 1/19/2013 4:05PM

    Great blog (and you did really get my attention). You are right - and he certainly does not deserve all the attention he has received (now or in the past). Yes, the true hereos are the ones you descibe - thost that do it for the challenge and for the joy of the even!!

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WALKINGMAMMA 1/19/2013 3:27PM

    Yep, I agree completely! emoticon

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BROOKLYN_BORN 1/19/2013 3:23PM

    I'm a fan of the back of the pack participants too.

As for Lance, there's just one aspect of this whole sorry tale that shouldn't be forgotten. He destroyed a lot of people who tried to tell the truth, from other cyclists (Greg LaMond) to that female masseuse who he pretty much called a scormed woman or worse, to the newspaper reporter that he sued for half a million etc, etc. We wanted to believe Lance and he squashed anyone who stood in his way. I understand that if Lance was against you, you couldn't even get work. He has a lot of restitution to do in that department.

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PJBONARRIGO 1/19/2013 2:46PM

    Hmmm, I never thought of it that way. You have the right idea; I love to hear those stories and see the joy in the ones who run for fun or just to do it. The elites are mostly a fantasy....

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