It's all about Lance...
I was conversing with a customer the other day at the store who had "crossed over", a term I endear to runners who have taken up cycling or triathlons. We spoke about bikes, gear, the cost involved, the training time involved, and then he mentioned something I found very interesting.
He said, "I enjoy the running community more. In the cycling community, everyone thinks they're Lance Armstrong..."
Interesting. Everyone thinks they're Lance. I asked him to expound on the subject and he further mentioned the mentality everyone would have on even a simple ride, where the riders would try to drop one another, constantly testing the pack, edging for a breakaway ride into glory.
I mentioned this to my wife, an accomplished Marathoner and Duathlete, and she emerged with quite a pearl: she found that in cycling there is a machine between you and your success. She believes the cyclist gets inspiration and motivation from the dollar signs between their legs. Hey, out of shape, no problem, I've got a $6000 Cervelo. Haven't done the 100+ training rides, no biggie, I just dropped $1500 on a pair of Zipp wheels. It is like their fitness level can be purchased with equipment, and that equipment can be pushed harder and harder and the feedback is real, very real in the concrete nature of heart rate, cadence, miles per hour. Whereas, in running your "equipment" is yourself, your body.. take it or leave it. Out of shape, your body will let you know. There is no coasting, no relaxing, every step may hurt, may reverberate reality up your joints and through your bones until you realize you cannot purchase your fitness (but a nice pair of shoes doesn't hurt).
However, this brought me to a greater realization and I had to transport myself back to the early 1980's in America. The Lance Armstrong of our time was Bill Rodgers. I can imagine everyone wanting to be Bill Rodgers. Hudreds of marathoners, nation-wide, lacing up their sneaks in an attempt to drop their fellow runners, train harder, log the 140-mile weeks. Training hard was an attitude and it permeated the running scene. Just like everyone wants to ride as hard as Lance, everyone wanted to run as much and as hard as Bill Rodgers.
America is lacking heroes, it's plain and simple. Right now our hero is Lance Armstrong. His success breathes inspiration into millions. He gives us a reason to push ourselves.
Running needs a Lance Armstrong.
He said, "I enjoy the running community more. In the cycling community, everyone thinks they're Lance Armstrong..."
Interesting. Everyone thinks they're Lance. I asked him to expound on the subject and he further mentioned the mentality everyone would have on even a simple ride, where the riders would try to drop one another, constantly testing the pack, edging for a breakaway ride into glory.
I mentioned this to my wife, an accomplished Marathoner and Duathlete, and she emerged with quite a pearl: she found that in cycling there is a machine between you and your success. She believes the cyclist gets inspiration and motivation from the dollar signs between their legs. Hey, out of shape, no problem, I've got a $6000 Cervelo. Haven't done the 100+ training rides, no biggie, I just dropped $1500 on a pair of Zipp wheels. It is like their fitness level can be purchased with equipment, and that equipment can be pushed harder and harder and the feedback is real, very real in the concrete nature of heart rate, cadence, miles per hour. Whereas, in running your "equipment" is yourself, your body.. take it or leave it. Out of shape, your body will let you know. There is no coasting, no relaxing, every step may hurt, may reverberate reality up your joints and through your bones until you realize you cannot purchase your fitness (but a nice pair of shoes doesn't hurt).
However, this brought me to a greater realization and I had to transport myself back to the early 1980's in America. The Lance Armstrong of our time was Bill Rodgers. I can imagine everyone wanting to be Bill Rodgers. Hudreds of marathoners, nation-wide, lacing up their sneaks in an attempt to drop their fellow runners, train harder, log the 140-mile weeks. Training hard was an attitude and it permeated the running scene. Just like everyone wants to ride as hard as Lance, everyone wanted to run as much and as hard as Bill Rodgers.
America is lacking heroes, it's plain and simple. Right now our hero is Lance Armstrong. His success breathes inspiration into millions. He gives us a reason to push ourselves.
Running needs a Lance Armstrong.
posted by Gabriel Rodriguez at 11:29 AM
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