Three different American cyclists have won a total of eleven Tours de France between 1986 and 2006 which is truly a great accomplishment for the sport of cycling in the USA. It's also incredible that each of the three riders has had to overcome some type of obstacle during their pathes to greatness. Greg Lemond won the Tour de France in 1986 out of pure hardwork and determination. He was then accidently shot during a turkey hunt and almost lost his life but never gave up and was able to fight back to win the Tour again in 1989, in dramatic fashion, and 1990. He was the first to breath real fire into US cycling on the International stage by 0pening doors for other US pros.
There is no doubt that Lance Armstrong is a great cyclist, person, and probably most importantly an inspiration. He has overcome huge obstacles to still be alive today let alone win seven straight Tours de France from 1999-2005. I look up to him and even envy him for his determination to live and dedication to to live in the now. Since retiring last year it seems that Lance has dedicated his life to supporting cancer research even more than before.
Floyd Landis is the third American to join this select club and of course he too has a great history. Coming from a Mennonite background would seem to pretty much eliminate him from many of the opportunities that others may have to nurture their cycling skills but that didn't stop Floyd. He still found a way to do what he enjoys and made his way all the way to the top of the cycling podium with an overall victory in the 2006 Tour. He also accomplished the victory in dramatic fashion by racing with a detereorating hip which caused him a bit of pain from what I understand. Yet another truly amazing story.
Why do I state all of this? Mostly just because it needs to be said at times. We need to be reminded of some of these great accomplishments in today's society because our society seems to have ADD. Constantly in the need for some thing new and exciting, never satisified. Although this trait can be a good thing I feel that it can also work against us. Maybe it's just me but, I have always enjoyed history and the great sports and personal accomplishments that humans have overcome. Not the little stuff like winning Daytona by driving in circles for 2.5 hours, I like the real good stuff. Come on you know the kind. The types of stuff that people are told they CAN'T do for one reason or another and they turn around and prove them wrong.
1. Jesse Owens winning four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics in Hitler's front yard. Unbvelievable.
2. Tiger Woods breaking into professional golf not just as another player, but as the one that dominates.
3. A good friend of mine, who shall remain nameless at this time, was involved in a motorcycle accident about a year ago and was told that he would lose both of his legs. To everyone's surprise he walked for the first time six months later, with his own legs.
I look at all of these examples plus others and they usually help me to put my tiny little life back into perspective. It seems that we can always find someone else who has it harder than we do and they overcome their obstacle just fine. It really wipes away any selfish pity that we may have for ourselves. There is so much that others have done to inspire us all that I still wonder why it seems like we get bored and start looking for the next "hero". We seem to get tired of each hero until they disappear into the ashes as we search for the next. Heroes change through the generations because each person or generation has to find the one that they can relate to and they are always looking to the future. It is always stressed about how everyone needs to look towards the future and I feel that many of us may actually loos touch with the now. Maybe history can teach us a thing or two.
Heroes should be eternal.
What else is out there? What or who do you look at for inspiration? Sound off and be sure that you...LIVESTRONG.
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