Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/12/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Dec 15, 2006, at 2:11 PM, Doug Herr wrote: > What Lance Armstrong said about his marathon (keep in mind that > Armstrong > finished in under three hours, an exceptional performance): > > "Without a doubt that was the hardest physical thing I've ever > done," said > the 35-year-old, noticeably limping." > > "I can tell you, 20 years of pro sports, endurance sports, from > triathlons > to cycling, all of the Tours, even the worst days on the Tours, > nothing was > as hard as that and nothing left me feeling the way that I feel now in > terms of just sheer fatigue and soreness." Armstrong should have tried speed skating instead, following Eric Heiden's example in reverse. The muscles developed in biking are almost the same as those necessary in skating. The marathon is not about musculature as much as it is about heart/lung capacity, which Armstrong has plenty of, and impact tolerance on ankles, knees, and hips. Running a marathon means that you take over 46,000 strides on hard pavement. It's a wonder that he could walk at all. Lance Armstrong is not a small guy and he was about a dozen pounds over his biking weight. Finishing a first marathon in under three hours is a magnificent achievement. I ran two Boston marathons in 1948 and 1949 as a reasonably well conditioned collegiate runner and was beaten in both by 67 year old Clarence DeMar. My feet are still sore. Biking, even at my age, is far easier on the joints. Larry Z