Lance Armstrong runs NYC marathon

[Jigga]

Maybe this has gone completely under the radar, maybe not, but I didn't know about his until today...7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong ran the NYC Marathon today, completing the grueling 26.2 mile trek in 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 36 seconds, good enough for 869th place among 37,954 runners. Just under his 3 hour goal. However impressive it initially seemed to me, my awe was tempered by learning he isn't the first Tour de France champ to run and he had two former NYC Marathon champs pacing (and sometimes clearing the way for) him, but it's still a pretty cool story.

He Came, He Cramped, He Conquered

[DEAD!]

It goes to show how great of shape he's in (assuming he's not artifically enhanced) That's not an easy feat. I love to ride my bike for long intervals, but I can't run long distances. Now, if he can swim 2.4 miles, he'll be set for the Ironman Triathlon

[slapshot]

Dude's an athlete, plain and simple.

And, he boned Sheryl Crow.

[rainmaker17]

He's also a grade A d&*khead. The Austin press blows him up so big he thinks he's Superman. I've never met the man myself, but I know many people who have and the reviews are all the same: Surly, self-righteous, pompous ass. Not to mention he bolted on his wife and three young children when he became the flavor of the month on Oprah to go date a rock star. I almost wish they caught him cheating during the Tour De "Lance". He is a hell of an athelete though. Too bad he's such a douchebag.

rant off

[Cyclopsis Joe]

He's also a grade A d&*khead. The Austin press blows him up so big he thinks he's Superman. I've never met the man myself, but I know many people who have and the reviews are all the same: Surly, self-righteous, pompous ass. Not to mention he bolted on his wife and three young children when he became the flavor of the month on Oprah to go date a rock star. I almost wish they caught him cheating during the Tour De "Lance". He is a hell of an athelete though. Too bad he's such a douchebag.

rant off

Wow, cool it.

Personally, I'm waiting on the french press to start screaming that he cheated.

[NJTank]

How can anyone hate Lance Armstrong?

[rainmaker17]

No Cyclopsis Joe I won't 'cool it' because you asked me to. I've lived in this town for twenty years and I'm tired of the fact this guy gets a free pass because he's in good shape. I'm sure when I pick up tomorrow's paper the headline will read LANCE=MARATHON MAN in war era three inch type. The local media here love to pump up whatever minor celebrity that either lives here, lived here, hung out here........I'm just saying, character should count for more than it does.

Don't get me started on Michael Dell. Lance is the Easter bunny compared to that idiot.

And Tank...either you believe me or you don't. Setting records or being physically fit doesn't make you an American hero...or even a nice guy.

[ROCHitman]

Wow! I never thought I'd be better than Lance at any athletic event/sport, but he missed my marathon PR by 9 minutes.

I'm better than Lance Armstrong!

I'm better than Lance Armstrong!

[DEAD!]

No Cyclopsis Joe I won't 'cool it' because you asked me to. I've lived in this town for twenty years and I'm tired of the fact this guy gets a free pass because he's in good shape. I'm sure when I pick up tomorrow's paper the headline will read LANCE=MARATHON MAN in war era three inch type. The local media here love to pump up whatever minor celebrity that either lives here, lived here, hung out here........I'm just saying, character should count for more than it does.

Don't get me started on Michael Dell. Lance is the Easter bunny compared to that idiot.

And Tank...either you believe me or you don't. Setting records or being physically fit doesn't make you an American hero...or even a nice guy.

I do understand what you're saying and how you feel. The man in front of the camera and the man off it can be two different people. I do wonder, however, if things were different had it been Barry Bonds that ran the marathon. There are also reports that he was a bad teammate and all, but, the rest of us can't hold too much judgement on his, or any other person's personal life. You have stated that you know people that know Lance and he comes off as a jerk, fair enough. But, you must understand, none of us know him, let alone have met him and quite frankly, don't really care about his personal life.

[Cyclopsis Joe]

No Cyclopsis Joe I won't 'cool it' because you asked me to. I've lived in this town for twenty years and I'm tired of the fact this guy gets a free pass because he's in good shape. I'm sure when I pick up tomorrow's paper the headline will read LANCE=MARATHON MAN in war era three inch type. The local media here love to pump up whatever minor celebrity that either lives here, lived here, hung out here........I'm just saying, character should count for more than it does.

Don't get me started on Michael Dell. Lance is the Easter bunny compared to that idiot.

And Tank...either you believe me or you don't. Setting records or being physically fit doesn't make you an American hero...or even a nice guy.

Ok, will you cool it because it sounds like you're about to blow a blood vessel? You hate local celebrities who aren't as awesome as the general public thinks? Woo-hoo for you, buddy. Scott Rolen went to my rival High School, but I don't blast him everytime someone talks about him. (and around here, do they ever)

[Guest]

No Cyclopsis Joe I won't 'cool it' because you asked me to. I've lived in this town for twenty years and I'm tired of the fact this guy gets a free pass because he's in good shape. I'm sure when I pick up tomorrow's paper the headline will read LANCE=MARATHON MAN in war era three inch type. The local media here love to pump up whatever minor celebrity that either lives here, lived here, hung out here........I'm just saying, character should count for more than it does.

Don't get me started on Michael Dell. Lance is the Easter bunny compared to that idiot.

And Tank...either you believe me or you don't. Setting records or being physically fit doesn't make you an American hero...or even a nice guy.

Ok, will you cool it because it sounds like you're about to blow a blood vessel? You hate local celebrities who aren't as awesome as the general public thinks? Woo-hoo for you, buddy. Scott Rolen went to my rival High School, but I don't blast him everytime someone talks about him. (and around here, do they ever)

I think it's more a matter of how he bolted on his family than just the fact that he's a local celebrity.

[CC97]

And Tank...either you believe me or you don't. Setting records or being physically fit doesn't make you an American hero

You conveniently skipped over how he battled back from being diagnosed with several cancers.

I was thinking of quitting when I was diagnosed with brain, lung and testicular cancer all at the same time. But with the love and support of my friends and family, I got back on the bike and won the Tour de France five times in a row.

[whitedawg22]

I bet he had a ball.

[Lee.]

I bet he had a ball.

This is almost as good as my now-legendary "one ball on (john) Kruk" joke from a few years back.

[OnWis97]

He's also a grade A d&*khead. The Austin press blows him up so big he thinks he's Superman. I've never met the man myself, but I know many people who have and the reviews are all the same: Surly, self-righteous, pompous ass. Not to mention he bolted on his wife and three young children when he became the flavor of the month on Oprah to go date a rock star. I almost wish they caught him cheating during the Tour De "Lance". He is a hell of an athelete though. Too bad he's such a douchebag.

rant off

As a Twins fan, I learned a valuable lesson in sports hero worship from Kirby Puckett, who really nailed the good-natured, humble athlete persona on camera. He turned out to be pretty disturbed and did some dispicable things. I learned to just respect them as athletes and have no opinion of them as people.

Therefore, I don't know whether Armstrong is a jerk or not, but I have to respect his abilities.

[ColeJ]

going to have to agree with rainmaker... i've heard nothing but bad things about him.

and i fail to see how beating a disease makes you a good person. i'm thankful that he's alive, and i'd never wish any disease on anyone. but just because someone was fortunate enough to overcome a horrible disease doesn't mean you have to think they're a nice person.

i wouldn't have brought it up in a completely unrelated thread, like rainmaker did... but since he brought it up, and it's the topic of the conversation, those are my thoughts.

i don't agree with how the topic arose, but i do agree with what he had to say.

[buildingmaint]

I have read both of his books and from a cancer survivor side he is an inspiration to any one who has cancer, or anyone who knows someone who has cancer.In his first book he rips all father figures he had while growing up. He really had an axe to grind with them . My impression I got from his two books is that you either love him or you hate him . He did not sound like a guy you would want to hang around with or even like. He is a great athlete ,an inspiration for people with cancer,but not a nice guy.

[Jigga]

Why is anyone judging athletes personally anyway. I started this thread because I thought it was a cool story. I'll never run a damn marathon and it's cool that he did and WHY he did it.

These athletes may be ass holes, dicks, horrible husbands and fathers, whatever, but not a damn one of us in position to judge anyone as a person. No matter what you heard, and from whom you heard it.

[NJTank]

And Tank...either you believe me or you don't. Setting records or being physically fit doesn't make you an American hero

You conveniently skipped over how he battled back from being diagnosed with several cancers.

I was thinking of quitting when I was diagnosed with brain, lung and testicular cancer all at the same time. But with the love and support of my friends and family, I got back on the bike and won the Tour de France five times in a row.

Exactly think of all the cancer survivors that were given hope by his wins and the way he recovered, ordinarily athletes are overrated as heroes in the scheme of real life, but thats different here.