LANCE RIDES AGAIN!

It’s true Lance Armstrong is coming out of retirement! He announced to Vanity Fair that he wants a shot to win an eighth Tour de France in 2009. If that doesn’t get the cycling world and fans excited they can just crawl back into their summers of Major League Baseball. Can Lance single handedly return the Tour de France to the prominence of years past when Armstrong won?

Age for many elite athletes is now simply a number to be pushed to the side. Lance Armstrong, Dara Torres, Barry Bonds and Constantina Romescu-Dita have shown the world that you are truly as young as you choose. Ironically Lance, Dara and Barry have all faced accusations of performance enhancing drug use and the rumors of Lance’s supposed drug use are right on the forefront yet again. Amazingly none of these athletes have ever failed a drug test for steroids and yet are constantly forced to defend themselves. Lance and Dara have faced numerous drug tests and passed time and again. Lance even refers to himself as the most “drug tested athlete” in the world. I won’t go down the road of Major League Baseball’s drug testing policy, but Bond’s never failed a steroid drug test, although he did fail one for amphetamines. (Benzedrine, Ephedrine, Dexedrine, Benzedrine, Adderall and Ritalin all fall under the category for amphetamine). Perhaps it is time to give these athletes their due and recognize that they are not only genetically blessed, but possess an obsessive desire to be the greatest at their sport. All of them are known for being first in and last out of their respective training grounds.

Lance Armstrong has a VO2 max of 83.8, which means nothing to the average person until you know that your range is between 40-50. This means Armstrong’s body processes oxygen at a much more efficient rate than many, although not all elite athletes. Armstrong’s greatest physical attribute is the fact that his body has an absurdly high lactate threshold, meaning it takes a longer period of time for lactic acid to accumulate in his blood system. Perhaps you can recall waking up in the middle of the night after a rough and strenuous game of ultimate frisbee, with your calf knotted in a ball causing you to cry out, as your spouse wonders why you can’t just let the dream go. You can thank lactic acid for your midnight wake up call.

It is important to realize that elite athletes not only have the genetics and desire, but also employ tremendous support teams to help them attain the highest levels of success. Age can simply be a number when you have an entourage that includes a masseuse, strength coach, nutritionist, sprint coach, personal stretchers and doctors. For the average weekend warrior it is easy to assume performance enhancing drugs are the reason for success when we can’t truly comprehend what it means to possess genetics, compulsive dedication and an “entourage”. Until a failed drug test (not a rumor, or jilted former employees so called testimony) proves me wrong, I am a supporter of Lance Armstrong and thrilled that he is returning to cycling.

Finally, please congratulate Lance as he joined another elite group of athletes when he announced the end of his retirement. He immediately joined Michael Jordan, Brett Favre, Nancy Lieberman and Roger Clemens in the elite club of those that can’t stay retired.

For now I am eagerly awaiting next summer!