Type: Tempo Run
Distance: 5.0 miles
Time: 42:10
Average Pace: 8:26 min/mile
Average Heart Rate: 167 bpm
It was a good run. There isn’t much to say out it other than that. 
I am watching the documentary Bicycle Dreams that documents most of the 2005 Race Across America (RAAM). This was the year that ultracycling lost one of its greatest ambassadors – Dr. Bob Breedlove — when he was hit by a truck during the race.
There is a ton of controversy surrounding Dr. Breedlove’s accident and death. Outside Magazine did a great write-up on the tragedy and you can read it here. All I know is there were many, many lives that were significantly impacted when Dr. Breedlove was killed. Not only do his family and friends have to deal with his absence daily, but the young man who also hit Dr. Breedlove also has to deal with the death. It really is a sad, sad situation. Here is the trailer for Bicycle Dreams.
And no, I am not even playing with the idea of Ultracycling. It really intrigues me, but I am going to steer clear for now.
Who is Jeff Novitzky and Why and I Talking about Him?
Jeff Novitzky is an investigator for the FDA and is currently investigating the possibility that Lance Armstrong used illegal performance enhancing drugs during his time on the U.S. Postal Service Team. Since Federal monies were used to fund the team, the FDA is pursuing the investigation. Mr. Novitzky is the same investigator who pursued Barry Bonds and Marion Jones. We all know how both of those ended.
I read the article about Mr. Novitzky in Outside Magazine last fall and I have to tell you, I wouldn’t want him on my case. Regardless if I was guilty or not, the thought of this guy makes me uncomfortable. He has amazing investigatory skills and is like a pitbull when he gets his teeth into you — I think he is genetically dispositioned to never let go of his prey. Speaking of rock stars, he is one in the field of police work if I have ever seen one. You can read that article here.
Before I get started, I am not an Armstrong hater nor defender. I decided a long time ago that I would wait to ever make a decision on his cleanliness until I saw hard evidence one way or the other. So for years I have come down in the “Clean” camp until I see clear evidence to the contrary. I don’t believe Armstrong when he says he is clean — I believe his test results instead. Floyd Landis helped me quit believing what someone says about their innocence or guilt when it comes to doping.
There is a new Sports Illustrated article in this week’s edition that details some of the more revealing facts around Armstrong that have resulted from the Novitzky investigation. Most of the information I am sharing from this point on comes from that article.
I have to tell you it doesn’t look too good for Armstrong. There are a handful of former teammates who have no apparent axe to grind who are claiming that Armstrong not only doped but was a facilitator for their doping as well. One claim by Stephen Swart, a former teammate, is that Armstrong pushed his team to use EPO to help improve performance. Of course Floyd Landis makes accusations too, but I only assign his claims about a credibility level of 50%.
But I think the most harmful evidence comes from the numbers. Again, I assign less value to the he said/she said side of a case. Sports Illustrated is reporting that Armstrong tested at elevated levels on the testosterone-epitestosterone (T/E) ratios. A normal person has a T/E ratio of 1:1. The current acceptable ratio in cycling is 4:1 and it was 6:1 at the time Armstrong was tested. Starting in 1993, Armstrong tested high three times, which included results of 9.0:1, 7.6:1, and 6.5:1.
There are other allegations, but I think they are a little less credible than the two that I have just discussed. But even with this information, what does this mean? How do we process that information?
Was Armstrong a stud? Absolutely. He had testicular cancer and came back and won the Tour de France. Lots. I have read most of the books on him and regardless of the theme of the book, nobody will accuse him of lacking a will to succeed. But that will to succeed does not mean he cheated and doped so he could win by any means necessary.
Is Armstrong good for the sport of cycling? You betcha. He brought the sport of cycling in from the fringes. We have him to thank for many of the innovations that have happened in our sport because of all the money that people are spending on the sport because of him.
Is he a good humanitarian? Look at what the LiveStrong Foundation has done and how much money they have raised for cancer research. Their web presence is all about helping people live healthy lives through improvements in their fitness levels. His personal life leaves something to be desired, but which one of us has lived the perfect life?
Did he dope? Man I hope not, but the evidence is beginning to point in that direction. I loved Floyd Landis and he admitted to years of doping, going back to when he was a teammate of Armstrong’s at the U.S. Postal Service Team. To be fair, there are also other teammates who defend him and say he did not. Levi Leipheimer is one. You have to assign them the same credibility as you do the detractors. But scientific evidence is difficult to argue with. I am going to reserve judgement until the results of the investigation are made public.
If he did dope, how will that change my opinion of him? Oh man, this is a tough question to answer, so let’s focus just on cycling and not the humanitarian side of his persona. Personally, I think the entire peloton is dirty, but it is still against the rules. I think Contador should get suspended. I also think that you should remove Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds from the record books. If Armstrong is found guilty he should be stripped of his Tour de France titles as well. All of them? I don’t know the answer to that one.
What Armstrong did was amazing — almost super human. If he did it with the help of substances, practices, and strategies that are against the rules, he should pay the price. I think stripping him of his titles is the absolutely worst you could do to the guy. That may be where we are headed with this.
I have been participating in running and triathlons for 10 years and love the feeling that training provides. You may not agree with me, but you know you just can't look away...
Great post. There’s certainly a lot of interest in the whole Armstrong thing – I posted about it yesterday, and a quick look at Slowtwitch will find tons of opinions.
I don’t know if the guy cheated. Basically I’m agnostic over it. Perhaps I’m a little cynical; it just won’t surprise me if he did.
All that said – there are a couple of things that I find really interesting: (1) the amount of cheating that goes on (in general) and why people do it, and (2) why people get so up in arms over Lance. I think it’d be an interesting case study.
Joel, I just read it and you sum it up pretty well. Dare I say, better than me.
People, here is the link to Joel’s post… http://joelpstrickland.blogspot.com/
I got the issue in the mail yesterday and the first thought I had looking at the article real quick..was like you..not looking good for Lance.
I want to believe he was clean..don’t we all. If he was not..I think his best option now is to tell the truth..RIGHT NOW, TODAY. I would not let Novitzky dig further. People would not loose all respect and admiration if he tells the truth. If he did not lie and he was clean all along, that has to suck big time for hime. But if he did lie..how can he live with this.. To be continued I guess.
Always the best idea to come clean Caroline. Always. Not just for Lance, but for everyone.
Love this one on Lance. I’m like you, my jury is still out, but it’s not looking good for him. And I love Outside mag…the best journalism around!
I agree Amanda. Great guy, but he is definitely in Novitsky’s crosshairs right now. I think one way or another, the truth will come out after this one.
The fact that Lance came back the way he did is amazing itself; if he did dope, I don’t think I’d respect him any less. It would just make me very sad.
Well put. I agree that coming back and winning was amazing.
I have also heard a few rumblings of Chrissie Wellington possibly doping. In both of these cases I really hope they are not true! Endurance sports such as cycling and triathlon are based on the impossible becoming possible and of “superhuman” abilities of some in the sport. I love to be able to talk about some of these examples and will keep faith that there are true athletes out there. I don’t know them as a person but some how thinking that there is a person out there that can accomplish these amazing feats keeps me striving for more in my own training. Call me crazy…
Both Chrissie and Lance have been tested again and again. I don’t believe the he said she said ramblings because they go both ways. I prefer to believe the test results. Chrissie’s have been clean and it looks like Lance has had some abnormal findings. This is going to be tough to watch.
gah. i am soooo over the doping thing. i just assume that they’re doping when it comes into question. i guess i agree with you that i think humanity in general is dirty. makes it extra unfair to those who try and do right.
as far as armstrong in general i was never a fan of his so this whole doping thing doesn’t really hit my radar. but i think it’d be awesome and soooo inspiring if he wasn’t!
It is unfair Karyn, especially to those who are clean. If I had to come down on one side, I would say that most of the peloton is doping. I think the people who do not get caught stay one step ahead of the testers. I am pretty cynical when it comes to this topic.
in the end i think i’m a cynic. and i hate being one!
I really am trying not to have an opinion until hard evidence one way or the other is presented.
The thing is I actually think LA is doing the “smart” thing by not addressing any of this. At least if I was one of his paid advisors this is what I would think is the smart thing. Even if he is guilty and they find him guilty he can use a number of excuses, “The French Hate me”, “My teammates we jealous of my success”, “The results were tampered with” …. the list goes on and on.
Because of all the good he has done with raising money through cancer a large majority of his supporters will take his side even if the evidence is overwhelmingly against LA. People easily buy into conspiracy theories (like the 12 jurors on the OJ case).
I think his strategy is “We’ve been here before people and I came out smelling like a peach”. But this is a U.S. lab that tested the samples. I am just going to wait until the trial because I bet that is where this is going. Hopefully we can get the truth out in the open, one way or the other.
hmmm…Credibility is such a slippery thing–look at baseball for instance, José Conseco was written off as a liar and a cheat. Heck he even acknowledges that’s he’s a cheat. As for liar, time will tell but so far just about everyone he’s pointed the finger at has come up dirty. Does this example apply to to Landis, maybe, maybe not–time will tell. The cynic in me says probably yes. But the answer to that question is more than likely tied to another question, namely what does Landis or any one else for that matter have to gain or lose.
Right on the money Pedro. When he was defending himself through Positively False, he had a ton to lose. He retired from cycling this week and I don’t think he has anything to gain. I am excited to look at this situation through the lens of about 10 years. I doubt we will ever know the whole truth, but I think at least some of it will come out with Novitzky.
I have really tried to like LA. I am not into cycling, but someone who is successful in pushing the limits and is considered a “high-octane” person is someone that I am immediately attracted to. Yes, LA is innocent until proven guilty, and I appreciate you giving him the benefit of the doubt, but I think Novitzky is on a hot trail. I think it is interesting that the “good” LA has done somehow makes it ok for the alleged doping. The formula as I see it is: doping=winning=capacity for humanitarian efforts. So does that mean it was ok for the doping if in the end it meant that LiveStrong was created? Could he have done more good if he had done it the right way? I am curious to see what the public opinion will be and if he loses some of his political capital after this is all said and done. One thing I know for sure is that every choice has its consequence. Bad choices=lost time and efforts. I hope you keep us up to date as the story unfolds.
Welcome Sarah!
Knowing you like I do, I have to admit your post is right in line with your personality. I think any who has followed Armstrong for a long period of time has “doping exhaustion” and is seeing this just like Lance does — not another round that will be proven baseless. I think as the investigation continues, there is a 50/50 chance that Lance will be vindicated.
Personally, I want to see this whole situation put to bed once and for all.
Have you ever considered writing an e-book or guest authoring on other websites? I have a blog centered on the same topics you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I know my audience would value your work. If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an e mail.