Breaking News…Lance to Ride Again?

Some are beginning to wonder, does Lance have a chip on his shoulder? It seems rumors are ablaze that Armstrong, the cycling monster, will come out of retirement to return to competitive racing. (What?! Did he and Brett Favre sign a secret "stay-out-of-retirement" pact together? Maybe I should change the blog title to "Lance Armstrong to come out of retirement to sign with Jets", just so I can scoop everyone else.)

VeloNews claims Armstrong will come out of retirement next year to compete in five road races with the Astana team, including the 2009 Tour de France. The rumor, which has been rampant for nearly a month, gained some legs when former Discovery Channel team director Dirk Dernol recently signed with Astana for 2009. Adding fuel to the fire, Johan Bruyneel (Armstrong's former team manager) is also currently Astana's team boss. Not to be overlooked, but even Trek, a favorite of the Lance-camp, is Astana's main bike sponsor. Is the deal finally getting too sweet for Lance to pass up?

But Bruyneel is uncertain whether even Armstrong can return after three years out of professional cycling. “He’s continued training and he’s done marathons, but he’s coming in with a very different style of life to a sportsman,” Bruyneel said. “Three years without competing is a lot.”

The current speculation is that the ex-Tour king might want to return to prove he's drug-free, since Armstrong at least appears willing to submit to drug testing. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency confirmed he is part of its out-of-competition testing pool and would be eligible for elite competition on Feb. 1, 2009. The Amgen Tour of California conveniently begins Feb. 14.

Okay, it's not as if Armstrong hasn't been working out. Other rumors are that Armstrong will continue to pursue mountain bike racing, and may try his hand at cyclocross as well. In August, he finished second in the Leadville Trail 100, a lung-searing 100-mile mountain bike race through the Colorado Rockies (photo at left). He also plans to compete in his third New York City Marathon this November, where he hopes to crush his time of 2:46:43. Co'mon, let's face it...this guy's off-days are typically better than any of the stellar attempts we've made in our dreams.

Still, all the brouhaha begs the obvious questions…will Lance ride again? Could an 8th victory at Tour de France be right around the corner?

As I've admitted before, I am not a Lance-fanatic, though the guy is astoundingly athletic. I suppose I'd miss him [ahem] and his marathon-running prowness. But I will proudly admit one simple fact, one which I'm sure millions around the world are breathlessly anticipating at this very moment...it would be incredible to see him come back for an eighth attempt.

We'll have to wait and see.

=================================

Updated 09/10/2008: It's official...Lance is BACK!
A video announcement can be found on his foundation's web site. With a scheduled announcement set for Sept. 24 in New York, it’s a sure thing the next couple of weeks are going to bring more electric news. And, so, the countdown to the 2009 Tour de France begins...

Ode to a Runner's Friend

Well, we're back from our rock climbing trip. Though we had planned on camping out in the higher altitudes near Colorado Springs, we had to change our itinerary due to some colder weather conditions (it ended up snowing 6-8 inches where we would have been camping!) We decided to head east instead and ended up spending a few days at a wonderful, rocky bluff area along the river in the Mississippi Palisades State Park. We also traveled back into Iowa for our final night, just west of Dubuque to Backbone State Park where we climbed and repelled challenging crack formations. All in all it was an awesome time, with great camping and conversation that kept us busy throughout our trip.

On a sad note, I lost a good friend during this past week's climbing trip...one who had been with me for over six years. Through the PRs, and the occasional DNFs, it had become my buddy, a silent partner of mine for the past 8 marathons, as well as countless road and adventure races. I'm talking about my Timex Ironman Triathlon watch. {Sigh}

My Ironman buddy was always there at my side, providing split times constantly at my beck and call, always urging me to jack up the pace and not be such a wimp, forgiving me when I missed a PR by an inscrutable amount. But somehow this weekend, I don't know how it happened -- whether due to a simple rope abrasion while on one of many steep repels, or during the brief escapade I had on a narrow mountain ledge in order to locate the lost lense cap from a friend's camera -- our partnership dissolved when we became irrevocably separated. One moment I had been checking the timing of a spectacular 120 foot decent I'd just nailed, and the next all I'd found was an empty wrist. Just like that, my friend of so many years was gone.

I'll miss you, my training friend. Of course, I searched and searched in vain, but you were no where to be found. I guess you're still up there, somewhere. Somewhere near the famously tall column of rock there at the Mississippi Palisades State Park where you now reside; likely still courageously ticking away the time and splits, as you so bravely did amidst all the harrowing racing circumstances I had put you through. I'd like to think you are better off, and that thought makes this loss feel a bit easier to handle. Maybe if I picture you gently resting on a soft patch of moss atop that rocky bluff we climbed together along the Mississippi river, somewhere enjoying the beautiful scenic sunset view as the riverboats silently pass by, it will ease my pain. Though I know you are in a better place, I'll still miss you.

It will be hard to replace what that watch meant to me. However, as training obviously necessitates the accuracy of timing, I know I need to let go, even if to compartmentalize the sorrow from this weekend and soldier on.

So I did just that...say hello to my new Ironman training buddy!

Ready To Roll

Here's a view of Pike's Peak high along Rampart Range Road near Woodland Park in Colorado...this is fairly close to where yours truely will be spending the next week. I'm headed out tomorrow morning with a group from our church for a challenging trip of rock climbing (rappels, belays, leading and crack climbing) and mountain camping. We did the same last summer, even setting up our own zipline from the top of one mountain ridge down across a boulder-strewn basin, and climbing the unique rocky spire of Chimney Rock. It's really quite a trip. There's also nothing like waking up next to a 100ft cliff where you can look out and see Pikes Peak in the near distance.

This year will involve much of the exact same adventure, though I'm thinking it may be somewhat cooler than we'll expect. I notice we may have a cold front passing through the area over the next few days, so I've been packing smarter in my hopes to better prepare for cooler temps and mountain rain. We should be adequately prepared though, with an array of tents and backcountry gear at our disposal. Of course, packing two vehicles full of this camping and rope gear, as well as everything else six people bring, is quite the other challenge. All in all, this should be a good trip together.

In anticipation of my training hiatus, I've banked up a few long runs in the past week to help increase my stamina and endurance. Not only that but it will hopefully stave off any desire for a high-altitude trail run, as the remote area we'll be in really isn't very conducive to a solitary runner's safety. But I'll be back next week, ready to pick up the marathon training schedule once more...only 80 days until NYC.

See ya'll soon!

Monday Run-Down

I hope everyone had a great fourth of July holiday weekend! Here's what happening in my neck of the woods...

• I spent the evening climbing with a few friends over at Wall-nut Creek tonight. It's a full-fledged climbing gym situated in an old converted barn near Ames, IA (see pic above)...quite a unique place. We practiced proper techniques and belay safety to be better prepared for our rock climbing trip to Colorado next month.
  
  
• We camped over the long weekend at Lake Red Rock nearby and really enjoyed ourselves. The weather was quite cooperative, for the most part, and our entire family member entourage had a great time watching the local parade and fireworks celebrations. A couple of friends who happened to be in town, and who will be joining Laura and I for the marathon trip to NYC in November, also dropped by the campsite for a nice visit.
  
  
• Hannah, my sage little 5-year-old, begins year-round kindergarten later this week. Although it seems a little unreal that she is actually starting school, I have no doubts she will adapt to her new schedule and enjoy it immensely. I just have to say that I am so very proud of her and of the beautiful young lady God is developing her into.
  
  
• Did I mention I have a cold? Well, I do. Of all things to pick up during camping this past weekend. I went for a quick run today, hoping to somehow burn off the cruddiness I've been feeling, but halfway through my hilly cemetery run I had to concede and scale my session back to a run/walk. I know I'll feel better in a day or two, but I'm kinda anxious about the 16-week NYC training schedule I'm preparing for right now.

Monday Run-Down

As my recent Grandmas Marathon post explained, I'm finally back to a somewhat normal summer schedule. Of course, I'd much rather be camping next to a roaring river than sitting at my desk job, but you gotta pay the bills somehow.

Here's what's been going on in my corner of the world lately:

• My basement is finally dry, though the yet-to-be-cleaned carpet still resides in the garage and gaping holes in my drywall still echo my search for any internal-wall damage. I do have a new roll of carpet padding waiting to be installed, however I've been holding off since hearing of the possibilities of FEMA flood disaster assistance here in our county. We completed their application online and had an adjuster come over the day we arrived back from vacation. Now, we are sort of in a holding pattern waiting to see what financial help they may have to offer before taking on the hardship cost ourselves. Hopefully we'll know this week.
  
  
• This year's Grandma's Marathon, as well as both the Dam-to-Dam 20K and IA Games Adventure races, are now over. The only races I have yet to look forward to this summer are possibly the Midnight Madness 10K in July, then a reprisal of last year's Project H20 Maffitt Lake 5-Mile Trail Run in early August. But coming down off the adventure race has been a bit tough for me, since I really, REALLY enjoy that sort of endurance stuff. So I am considering signing up for something adventurous again before fall. I've been thinking either the Hartman Eco-Tri or GAAR adventure race (both held in August)...or possibly both. Not sure yet.
  
  
• Though it is kinda hard to top the northwoods camping in Minnesota we had last week, we've decided it's also too hard to resist the lure of a 4th of July weekend spent under camping the stars while our clothes still smell of campfire smoke. Yeah, we didn't even allow time to for dust to collect on the camper before we made that decision. But, just like my 3- and 5-year olds, I'm sooooo excited about another chance at roasting some yummy s'mores over the fire. I am just left to wonder...is it possible to get wireless laptop reception out at the campgrounds so I can move that office job of mine outdoors? Oh, that would be SO nice!
  
  
• Slowly getting geared up and trained up for my week-long trip into the Colorado mountains next month. I'll be heading out with some good friends from my church to a remote camping site up in the hills near Colorado Springs where we'll spend the vast majority of our time hiking, rope climbing/rappelling, and studying God's word. I had the opportunity to go last year and was just completely overcome with the rugged beauty of the area and quiet seclusion it offered. Not the mention the 4x4 trails we had to tackle for miles just to find our camp site on top of a cliff. Ummm...no busy life, no alarm clocks, no toilet...oh, maybe that's why my wife opted to stay home?
  
  
• Oh my gosh, in looking at my Runner's World calendar here I am noticing that it's only 4 months until the New York Marathon...that's roughly a 16-week training plan away, so time to get busy!