Disillusionment has been a common feeling for me of late.  Having recently become involved in the sport of cycling and racing, I look up to those with enough talent and strength to compete in contests like the Tour de France.  This year, two incredible athletes were removed from competition based on suspicion of their use of "banned substances." 

It's unclear to me whether I am supposed to feel outrage at this.  Are the truly awesome performances of these two men attributible only to their alleged  pharmacologic enhancement? Would I be just as inspired to have seen them perform without having used these illicit substances?  Nobody knows. 

The bigger question is whether viewership would be the same if these athletes could not pull off stunning performances and blowout comebacks.  Would anyone watch?  Are we as a World audience so accustomed to superhuman exploits that we no longer care to be reminded of our mortality?

Another recent discovery of mine is the "reality" show Man vs. Wild,  featuring Bear Gryllis, survival expert.  He is dropped off in remote areas and must battle the wilderness, the elements and sometimes wild animals in order to reach safety.  The show touts the fact that Bear does not receive assistance from the camera crew or from others.  He is provisioned only with a canteen, a knife and a flint.  He eats bugs.  He wrestles fish from the ocean and eats them raw.  He wards off bears.  He fends off exhaustion, extremes of temperature and hunger.  Or does he? 

Turns out he stays in motels sometimes during his adventures.  He has assistance with the building of shelters and rafts.  He has more to eat than the flora and fauna of the region.   The media are up in arms about this.

Do I care?  Not really.  Am I still entertained by his adventures? Yes.  Will I continue to view the show?  Of course.  It's a TV show for goodness' sake!  I have little interest in seeing someone freeze to death or pass out from exhaustion in the name of television. 

But where do we draw the line between entertainment and sport?  Is there any such thing as pure sport anymore or has our commercial interest superceded our interest in testing the  limits of unenhanced human power?

Floyd Landis, Tour de France winner 2006.

About 30,000 Orthopedic Surgeons from around the world descended on San Diego last week for the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons annual meeting.  San Diego proved to be a superb venue for this meeting.  The weather was glorious.  The waterside convention center and its surroundings are lovely and boast affordable parking.  Attendees need not be limited to the food offerings inside the center, either.  There are plenty of great restaurants within blocks of the meeting.

There are terrific academic lectures, instructional courses and symposia (which are my favorites).  Physicians from across the globe present their research and discuss new ideas in our field.  It's an enlightening, if not overwhelming week.

What most impressed me, however, is my meeting Floyd Landis, winner of the 2006 Tour de France.   Mr. Landis underwent right hip resurfacing in September, 2006.  He had osteonecrosis of the hip after a serious crash injury years ago.  Floyd underwent two operations before the resurfacing procedure.  He told me that after his initial recuperation and rehabilitation, he is impressed at his level of function.  He's back in full training and will take part (not ride) in the Tour of California this Winter.  He's written a book about his innocence in the TdF and will promote it and his defense case during the tour.   

And, talk about coincidence!  My good friend, Doug, also met Floyd during a recent visit to NYC.  Floyd was kind enough to autograph a copy of High Impact Quotations, edited by none other than Richard "Dick" Pound.

Aside from the meeting, I was able to enjoy the fabulous San Diego weather.  I rented a Cervelo road bike from the nice folks at Nytro in Encinitias, CA.  Each day before the conference, I had a few hours to ride on a stretch of Route 101.  It's a gorgeous  road with breathtaking ocean views. 

These are taken at the base of the North Torrey Pines Road hill.  The surfers are out in force on this breezy, sunny day.

Claudette with serious helmet hair. A nice passerby snapped this for me.  Where does a girl find a mirror when she needs one?

Overall, a wonderful experience.  Even though my travel time practically equalled my time in San Diego because of the awful weather situation in New York and some serious flight delays and cancellations.  I made some great airport friends through that ordeal.  And I must send some kudos to the incredible gate agent who helped us on flight 265 out of JFK on Thursday.  You managed to handle a horrible 9 hour delay with grace and professionalism.  You are a credit to your organization!

 







On Sunday, November 5, 2006, more than 37,000 runners participated in the ING New York City Marathon. 

And then there were the scores of other athletes who did not "run."  They are the elite and non-elite wheelchair and handcycle participants.  Each year these athletes start the race about an hour before the official start and pass over the NY Marathon course at speeds of up to 26 mph on flat ground. 

Richard Rosenthal, a friend and member of the New York Cycle Club, organizes a group of cyclists to clear the way for these marathoners.

This year I was lucky enough to be one of those cyclists.  What an inspiration to work with this extraordinary group of "disabled" marathoners!

The New York Times wrote a bit about us here.

Congratulations to all of the runners, riders and helpers who make this day so incredible.  There are more of my photographs here.  In this photo:  many of the women volunteers.

Yesterday I met a chef during a ride with the Rotations Cycle Club in Southampton, Long Island. Like me, he's new to the sport.  Like me, he's been riding a lot and has become fitter over the past few months.  In fact, he tells me he's shed about 35 pounds and has just completed his first triathlon.

Then he asks a "medical question."

He asks if I have an explanation for why his libido has diminshed since be began his training.  The devil in his eye, he admits that this change might be for the better.  He admits that his prior libido may have been a little too much sometimes.

During the ride, I cannot think of a medical explanation for this phenomenon.  Hormones?  The effect of the bike seat?  We discuss our training and our goals.  He shares a recipe.

We finish our ride and part ways.  But I can't help but think about his question.  Why, indeed, did his sexual appetite change?  Why has my appetite for food and alcohol changed?   Why do I find myself craving more healthy foods?  Why do I want to retire and rise early, even on the weekends? 

Perhaps our bodies are smarter than we suspect.  As we demand more of them in our athletic pursuits, they demand more of us.  Our appetites change to reflect what we need. And when we are in tune with what we need, we can be a stronger and more efficient machine.  The trick is to listen to this visceral advice.

With food, this makes perfect sense.  Donuts and cheeseburgers do not a triathlete make.  But sex?  One would think that better health would improve or increase libido.  In the case of my new friend, it may be that his prior libido was unhealthy. In the same way his training has caused him to lose excess weight, it has freed him from the weight of unhealthy sexual cravings.  No longer does he feel the need to binge on empty calories. His body has decided to eschew the donuts and cheeseburgers of junk food sex and to instead opt for better, healthier choices.  Now it's up to him to decide whether he wants to listen.

I'm learning a lot from cycling.  Not just technical stuff like when I need to lube my chain and fill my tires.  I'm learning about patience and pacing.  About saving some energy for the end of the ride. About not needing to be first or to win, even though it's fun do perform well.  The gift of cycling (or yoga, for that matter) is in the doing.  The psychic and physical benefits surround that.

Namaste. 

July Fourth weekend at West Point with the New York Cycle Club.  Hats off to Basil, Fred and all who volunteered.  Click here for photos from the weekend.

These are hi res photos.  Kept them this way so as not to lose quality.  Sorry if they bog down your machines.  If you want some web-ready shots, please let me know.

Namaste.