I'm reading the new biography on Lance Armstrong, very appropriately titled, "Lance." My boss, Steve, who's an avid biker, recommended it to me. I'm about seven chapters into it, just far enough to begin seeing the transformation of Lance from athlete to machine.
Although I've consistently exercised in one way or another for 25 years, I've never reached the level of intensity that a guy like Lance Armstrong exhibits. I understand he has a greater physical capacity to be a gifted athlete, but there's also a mental aspect to sports that I've never been able to attain. Even people who are not professional athletes are able to reach this intensity; people who run marathons, or bike hundreds of miles a week, or people who enter bi-and triathlons.
I've never been able to wrap my arms around this thing. Even when I competed in bodybuilding. Sure, I worked out hard, over three hours a day, six days a week, but to me it was just a way to pass the time. I did get a "high" from pumping iron, and I enjoyed the guys with whom I worked out. But I never had a passion for the sport like the people who outperformed me did. My issue is simple: I get bored easily.
I remember when I was in in the Army ROTC program in college. When the semester began, I was all "gung-ho" with enthusiasm. I had a drive to succeed. I'd get up at 5am several times a week, and join my platoon in an early morning, six mile run. We'd either run north toward Evanston, or south along the lake. We'd run in formation, shortest to tallest--thank god--and as soon as the sun came up over the water, we'd begin yelling cadence ("chanty things" as one of the guys liked to mock). When I look back at pictures of myself from that time, I was lean. I was probably in the best shape of my life. I wouldn't call myself a machine, but I was dedicated. I looked forward to the runs, until they became too routine. As the semester went on, and the repetitiveness of the activity got to me, I began dreading the activity. Luckily for me, the runs were voluntary. I slowly began missing a session here and there, until I no longer went. I was bored and needed a change in routine.
We also had Physical Fitness Tests every month. We had to do as many push-ups and sit-ups as we could in one minute, and we had to complete a two mile run. The push-ups were a breeze for me. I'd get 100% of the total points each time, and I'd score in the 90's for sit-ups. It was the run that killed me and my score. While I can easily run a sub-eight minute mile (on a treadmill) today, I'd be lucky if I finished the two miles in 24 minutes. Running around a track over and over stinks. I couldn't even wear a Walkman to keep me entertained. Guys would lap me constantly on the run, simply because I was bored.
I often wonder what it would take to advance to a higher level of athleticism. I've never had the drive that a guy like Lance Armstrong has.
But, the real question is this: can he write a blog every day?
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