I debated about this one.... I wondered if he should be higher up on my list... but then I started debating what my list was about. Was it inspirational men? Or good looking men? Some fit in both categories, some certainly only in one. Lance is definatly in the inspirational category, though he isn't too bad on the eyes. The 'list' is just some of my favourite men, inspirational or otherwise.
I got into cycling in 1996, the year Lance rode in the Olympic Games, and dropped out of the Tour De France as he wasn't feeling well. In October he was diagnosed with cancer. It was diagnosed as testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs, brain and abdomen and the doctors gave him less than 40% chance of survival.
He survived, then went on to win the Tour De France a record breaking 7 times from 1999 to 2006. After 3 years away he returned to finish third in 2009 and 23rd in 2010, announcing his retirement from pro-cycling shortly after. He will complete one more international race in January 2011, then only do local events with the RadioShack team.
I loved watching him ride, race, and watching the teamwork with the US Postal team, Discovery team, and the other teams they rode with. There is a fierce rivalry within a peleton, but there is a lot of respect out there. Lance, the Texan and cancer survivor, didn't get much respect at first, but as he hit win number 5 the guys he rode with clapped him on the back as he drank champagne riding into Paris. There is something elegant about watching that snaky peloton whip around the corners and knowing that the guy in yellow being protected by his team mates is Lance. For me, watching the Tour will never be the same without Lance, and yes Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso and a whole host of others.
Lance founded the LiveStrong foundation set up to help cancer victims, survivors and families. When I quit smoking I got some of the yellow bracelets. I wore one for a looooonng time.
So I didn't go to the gym today. Instead I slept until almost 10am... felt damn good though. I did drop off a book at the library and hit work. I did buy the shuffle for Christmas gifts and then swung by the dollar store. Grabbed the tins and figured seeing as I was out, i'll go get the candy. I stopped at bulk barn and went crazy buying so much candy. I munched a bit in the car, then when I got home I ate more and more and more. I went to work feeling sick and having a headache.
Even at work I was fine for the first bit. I had a few bites of a piece of pizza but tossed most of it, then we got CRAZY busy. The roads are still shit so I kept getting stuck everywhere. I swear it's like the city took a day off plowing and considering it snowed all night last night, all day today and most of the evening, that's not cool. The main roads are fine, it's just those intersections are scary.
Once we quietened down we had a ton of extra food, so one of the other drivers and I split some medium buffalo wings and I had some more pizza. I felt horrible and sick and when I got home I was suprised to see that the scale showed the exact same weight as I was this morning... it doesn't now, but there's hope for the morning!!!
I really have to go to bed. I stayed up late to make mittens, then took forever to do this post. I have to get up and get all my gym stuff together. I'm going to try and make the ball class by 5:30pm and I'm off at 4:30pm so we'll see how it goes. If I can skip out a bit early and get to the gym by 4:30, take 15min to get ready, then hit the treadmill for 30min, that gives me 15min to spare. Try this ball class and depending on how dead I feel, more cardio or weights after. Legs aren't too bad from yesterday but my shoulder blades hurt from where the damn bar rested.
Mitten count: 1. Almost. They need a hem on the bottom..... I need to make at least 5 more by Friday.
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