Saul & Sean

I should have given myself more time earlier today to blog, but my class at Simply Pilates was calling my name. Every time I go there I learn something new about my body, and in most cases I can use that knowledge in my own workouts at home. Those machines may look funny to you, but if there's one comment you say over and over it is, "ahhhhh, that feels good!"

Saul Raisin interview with ProCycleNews
How can you not like this guy? This hasn't been brought up by anyone that I've read, but Credit Agricole deserves a lot of praise for sticking by Saul's side through his traumatic injury. Maybe they see the lesson learned by Cofidis for not sticking with Lance Armstrong during his cancer treatment and then his subsequent domination of the sport. Or, quite possibly, they are simply doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Either way it should be commended.

Saul sounds like a kid with a healthy perspective on his life. Having gone through a traumatic experience myself I can relate to his enthusiasm for being able to do the smallest of things on his own. To compare where he was 6 to 8 months ago to now is like night and day, and to think he could be racing again in 2007 or 2008 is remarkable.

He discusses how French teams handle the blood work of riders, and it's his belief that it's next to impossible to cheat if you're on a French team. They are checking for abnormalities and inconsistencies in blood work, which looks like a backdoor way of monitoring DNA doesn't it?

Our culture is too quick to put the underbelly of the sport on the front page, but it's athletes like Saul Raisin that should be getting all the attention. Parents, if you're looking for a role model, look no further than Saul.


Sean Kelly - testing amateurs is risky
I read this elsewhere before I saw that Velonews included it in their "cycling in the news" section. Apparently Ireland is considering drug testing amateur sportsmen, but the former green jersey winner at the Tour de France says it's a bad idea. I agree with Kelly on this one.

On the surface it does indeed come across as forward thinking, but the reality is it's just not practical. If you're on a national team or professional team then getting the proper guidance on nutrition and medicine is at your finger tips. However, for the every day athlete that type of assistance isn't available at a level that would ensure fair results.

Ireland's interest in testing amateurs came about because of one known local who admitted EPO use in 2004. My gut tells me that this does happen more, but not on a macro level the Irish may think.

So for all us amateurs out there.....

One, I can't understand why anyone would cheat their God given abilities and take drugs to begin with. Two, if you do, how do you look at yourself in the mirror? Three, if you aren't receiving a paycheck to race for a living and you take drugs then there's imbalance in your life. Yeah I know I am assuming a lot, but my gut also tells me if you're taking drugs to race your bike as an amateur you have serious issues off the bike. Here's the other thing, if you take drugs and still lose, how does that feel? Or worse, how does it feel if you purposely take drugs knowing you'll not win but finish only in the top 10? Idiots.

The biggest idiot?.....The winner who takes drugs. A winner on drugs has their mind stuck in fantasy land. So to all the drug takers out there, professionals and amateurs, winners and losers, your house of cards will fall sooner or later.