Lance Armstrong article

When Lance Armstrong was fourteen my dad was the president of a popular running club in Waco, the Waco Striders. Lance came to the Waco Marathon (keep in mind he was fourteen) and blew the field away. Fair and square. He beat 20, 30, and 40-year-olds who had been running professionally for years. There is no way at this young age he had already started taking performance-enhancing drugs. I would imagine his athletic abilities and development have only improved as his experience and practice increased. With the exception of the major setback of his cancer, his athletic talent most likely only progressed from the age of fourteen. I feel if he didn't need the drugs then to preform shocking performances, he would not need the drugs as he got older. As far as people disliking him on a personal level...I could only imagine being the best (literally) at something from such a young age gave him feelings of confidence and simultaneously cockiness. Several professional athletes are cocky.. that does not make them cheaters. People have have shown their amazement and told him how impressive his performances have been for over 20 years, and yes, I am sure that has gone to his head, but once again, that does not mean he is a cheater. The only evidence they have had of any drugs in his career is a certain medication after the cancer that the doctor had prescribed. Lance would not intentionally cheat and risk his career and cancer foundation. I am a Lance Armstrong fan and have read two of his books. Sure, I think he is a little sorry for leaving his wife who supported him through cancer for Sheryl Crow, however, he most likely had his personal reasons and I feel people judge him for those types of choices and also have a somewhat "jealous" attitude towards his success.. it is no wonder people want to find something to break him. They try desperately to find evidence and have yet to find any to charge him guilty of the allegations. There is a part in one of his books that talks about how often officials would come to his house, knock on the door, and barge in to drug test him, he could not refuse no matter the circumstances, or how inconvenient of a time, or that would automatically count as failing the test. On one occasion the officials come while Lance and his wife are rushing to the hospital to have their baby. Lance must stop, wait until he needs to use the bathroom, and then take the test for the officials, while his in-labor wife waits near the car. I say leave the man alone! He has done great things for cancer and is a great contributor to society. If they have not found illegal evidence in the several years they have been trying, they may should give it a rest. He has been awesome at the sport since he was fourteen and there is a good chance he is still that all-natural, awesome athlete he has always been. It just comes NATURAL.