Lance Armstrong wrote sports history by winning the Tour de France seven times in a row between 1999 and 2005. No other cyclist has ever won this event seven times. The 35-year-old retired as a professional cyclist after last year’s victory, and made his marathon debut at last weekend’s New York City Marathon. Supported by running legends Alberto Salazar, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Hicham El Guerrouj, Lance finished in 2:59:35. Take The Magic Step® spoke with Lance soon after his marathon debut.
How was your first marathon?
Lance Armstrong: It was hard, very hard. It was without doubt the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done. I never thought it would be so exhausting. Now I admire the marathon runners even more than I did before. I don’t know how these guys [the elite athletes] do it.
Why did you decide to run a marathon, and why New York City?
Lance: It was always a goal of mine to do a marathon. I figured in retirement, running would be a much more logical mode of exercise than racing, because I am on the road so much and running is simply easier to do with travel. But as I said before, I thought a marathon would be easier than that. In the last year of my career, I had the idea that I would do one a year, but now I am not sure if I stick to that. It was the first time. And why New York? Well, New York is a great city, and after winning the Tour de France I always flew into New York and had my first press conferences here. The welcome was always great here.
Was there a certain point where you hit the Wall?
Lance: No, I never felt a point where I hit the Wall. It was really a gradual progression of fatigue and soreness that really started after, I suppose, when we got into Manhattan. The second half was hurting, and the last seven miles my legs were burning. In between, I felt so bad, and I would have loved to stop for a little stretching, but in front of the LanceCam [Armstrong’s race was broadcast live on the Internet], that would have been really embarrassing.
How badly did you want to break three hours?
Lance: Before the race, that was my goal. I wanted to break three hours. But if you had told me with three miles to go, you’re going to do 3:05, I would not have cared. I got to the last half a mile and I realized that if I could just pick up a little, I would break three hours. Hicham El Guerrouj und Joan Benoit were really supportive. But honestly, at the end, I was so tired, I just didn’t care. Now I am glad I did it.
Riding uphill at L’Alpe d’Huez you never looked as exhausted as here at the New York City Marathon. Was the marathon more exhausting?
Lance: For the level of conditioning that I have now, that was the hardest I’ve ever done. I don’t think I am in super shape. I suppose I didn’t train sufficiently enough for a marathon, but I can tell you, 20 years of pro sports, endurance sports, from triathlons to cycling, all of the Tours, even the worst days on the Tours, nothing was as hard as that, and nothing left me feeling the way that I feel now in terms of just sheer fatigue and soreness.
Can you compare the Tour de France and the New York City Marathon?
Lance: Not really. You have to remember that those days in the last seven years of my career, I was in the best possible shape. It was my job. I was literally paid to be a winner. And so I took it seriously, and I focused daily. It was all that I did. Whereas running a marathon was a wild goal that I had. But it’s not a job. It’s not something that I train hours and hours every day. I do an hour or 45 minutes a day and that’s about it, whereas in the past I would have trained six or seven hours a day.
Will you run another marathon next year?
Lance: I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know. I would say it was one of the more special events that I’ve been to in terms of the support. The answer right now is no, I’ll never be back. But in a month, I reserve the right to change my mind. Nevertheless, it was very special here, and I will never forget it.
Posted November 22, 2006
