Random Thoughts On Lance Armstrong

What can I say about Lance Armstrong. He is the reason I started riding road bikes so long ago and for that I will always have good thoughts about him. I am not one to put people on a pedestal and consider them more than just a person. We are all people. He never had a squeaky clean image any way. There were always rumors that he doped or was an ass at this or that restaurant. He was a mean demanding team leader. He didn't believe in God but only believed in himself. I didn't care about all of that. I wasn't looking for a hero to idealize and emulate. I wanted to watch a guy go up a mountain on a bicycle really really fast and Lance did that.

It was watching Lance and the US Postal team totally dominate the Tour de France that I fell in love with that century old bike race. The Tour is a spectacle and I love ever aspect of it. From the tactics of bike racing to the fact that the last place rider is called the “Red Lantern.” I will always watch the Tour and again I have Lance to thank for that.

By the time Lance finished winning the seven tours and came back for two more I was enthralled with the sport. I still liked and respected him, but he wasn't even in my top ten favorite riders. People like Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton, Jens Voigt, Fabian Cancellara and George Hincapie filled those spots.

Now that he has admitted he doped during all seven wins I feel pretty much the same about him.

The last several years of my sport has been one doping scandal after another. The one that hurt most was Floyd Landis. After that I was pretty much numb to it all. When it came to Lance my opinion was that it just didn't make sense that he was clean. I mean a clean guy beating the spandex off all the dopers? So I was sad but not surprised when I heard he would confess to Oprah.

Lance didn't create the culture of doping. The right thing for him to do would have been to stand up and fight it, but how many of us would do that? How many of us would sacrifice our career to do the right thing. If the only thing between you and victory in the biggest cycling race ever and millions of dollars was a few banned substances that practically ever other pro was taking wouldn't you? I know I would. If I had raced since I was sixteen years old and my dream was to be a pro bike racer and someone said you have to do this I have no doubt I would. So I can't be mad at Lance.

Finding My Inner Tigger

What character from Winnie the Pooh do you think you are?

Those that know me might be surprised that I identify most with Tigger. Winnie the Pooh - a little befuddled and living in his own world – is certainly apt, but Tigger is my man. Google for an image of Tigger and you won't see one unhappy picture. Just bouncy joy.

I'm not - and don't want to be - that happy all the time, but I like Tigger because he is honestly excited about life. You don't see that in our society or at least my generation. When I was young I could be loud and boisterous at times, but that type of behavior was always discouraged. Either by the look of horror on my friends' faces or by an employee kindly asking me to leave the store. Over the years I was taught at least subconsciously that cool people didn't get excited and that you should be reserved and never ever draw attention to yourself.

I just don’t see any good reason to follow this unwritten rule. Why not be excited by life? What harm could possibly come from showing your interest in something. So in 2013 I'm going to try to tap into my inner Tigger just a little bit more. Be more bouncy. Have some fun. Enjoy life. If I like something you're going to know it and when I see someone I want to give a bear hug to I'm going to do it. So watch out. Here I come!

Happy New Year!

My blog did not end the year strong. I was working way to much after I got laid off to even think about writing. That's a odd statement. Let me explain. I started a contract job the day after my last day at Polkinghorn Group Architects. Naturally the firm that needed me for contract was behind or they wouldn't have brought me on. So it was heavy hours for about six weeks. Then we were into the holidays and I could never get back to writing.

Here we are on day one of 2013 though. I'm going to go for it again and try to write a blog a week. Most likely I wont' make it. After all I have two kids, a wife, and a fledgling business to run. But I enjoy my blogs so I am going to try.

Looking back on 2012 it was not a great success as far as my new year's resolutions are concerned. I failed to get off the ground on most of them. I am not going to beat myself up though. Life is hard and sometimes just surviving is success enough. After the last three years we've had financially, raising a boy from 0 to 2, and all the other trouble life can throw at you the fact that we're still here swinging is pretty good. Surviving is not enough though so I will stand up, dust myself off, and try again.

Hello 2013. I'm really excited to see what you bring.

Happy New Year Everybody!