Contemplating Lance: How Heroes Fall

Over the years, many have weighed in with Cece and told her that "for sure Lance is doping.Everyone in cycling is doing it."  She has heard this a lot. But, it seems Cece chose not to believe it.....perhaps she wanted to keep her fairy tale hero all in one piece.

But in reading and contemplating Lance now, that the doping allegations are more than just rumors, Cece is feeling very let down.  Her hero, the man who won 7 Tours, who overcame cancer , who does so many good things through his Livestrong Foundation (that Cece supports whole heatedly) and has lungs like no one else, has cheated.  This is what bothers her the most....the cheating.  The winning by cheating.

As a cyclist and as a competitor, Cece also wants to win...to be the fastest, to get up that hill first.  But the reality is that she does not.  Should she then try to win by cheating?  Should she somehow try to beat the system?  To outsmart the system?  Would she cheat to win fame , money and glory by living a lie? 

Cece hopes that Lance will tell the truth and tell his story at some point...so she can understand the desperation that compelled him to live a lie for some many years.  What a toll it must have taken and is taking on him.  She is worried about him and his fall from grace.  He seems to have lost everything.

He is not the first hero to fall from grace.  For other reasons, there has been Tiger Woods, OJ Simpson,Bill Clinton, President Kennedy, Mike Tyson, pedophile priests and many many more.  Men in power.  They seem to think they can command and that none of the rules apply to them...or that they can manipulate the rules to their benefit.  Why is this?  Power?  Control?  Dominance?  Thinking they are untouchable?  People will cover for them?  Lie, cheat and steal for them?

It is just so sad................................that Lance had to win by cheating.