Train to live well
昨天晚上在 Velonews.com 看到 Steve Larsen 去世。我今天腦子裡一直揮不去這件事。Steve Larsen 和我同年紀，也是在北加州長大。我不認識他，但小時候在比 junior 賽不時會遇到他。在 80 年代末時他已小有名氣。我記得我們還是 junior 時他就已穿上 Greg LeMond 的 Z 隊衣。很明顯的他的程度比我們高出很多，大家也都認為他以後一定會騎環法。
後來 90 年代初他真的到歐洲，在 Lance Armstrong 的 Motorola 隊上騎了環義，世界冠軍賽等。90 年代中後他專攻越野賽，幾次登上美國國家冠軍寶座。2001 年後他又轉攻三鐵，也有世界級的成積。
大概沒有其他人可像 Larsen 在公路車，登山車，三鐵領域都有世界級的成積。
他在 2003 從職業賽事退休後還是維持很 active 的 lifestye, 繼續維持訓練。他昨天就是在跑步訓練時倒下的。
我看到網上的報導才知道他已有五個孩子，也有很成功的事業。他的哥哥說他時常在早上六點半前就把 workout 做完，好有時間配孩子。
Pretty impressive life. 但真如 the Good Book says: 我們的生命不過像一片雲霧，出來少時就不見了。
我想 Steve 在 39 歲時不會認真的再想以三鐵為職業。他訓練是因為某種熱愛，因為訓練 — pushing yourself mentally and physically — 是好的生活中必要的原素。 我相信他走的時候做的是自己熱愛的事。 And that’s impressive.
訂閱台灣 Team Cinelli Ritchey 車隊 
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:01 am
This story makes me think very seriously. It is good to have a lifelong passion for fitness; but to which end? Steve wasn’t healthy at the time, but continued to physically train. The decision for him to “push” ended in tragedy for his family, friends, and community. This is a lesson for me to “listen” to my body, seek help, and take a break. In life there are times to push, and times not to push. I would not want my family to go through what Steve’s family is going through now. My thoughts are with his children, and even more so, my own children: Galen, Olive and Kai.
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May 26th, 2009 at 2:24 am
Tim, Larsen came on the scene in Northern California my last year racing here as a junior. He was vibrant and athletic and I envied him because he so obviously had a brighter future in cycling ahead of him than I. That’s why his death is so shocking. Like you, Larsen was one of the rare bike racers who understood that, for better or worse, garnering sponshorship is a huge part of the sport. Most riders don’t want to deal with that, but Larsen was so good at it he was able to create opportunities for himself to extend his career out of road racing and into mt. biking and triathlon.
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May 26th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Andrew, even at Larsen’s level, where money and fame obviously motivate, I’d like to believe passion is still the thing that pushes someone out of bed at 5 in the morning for interval sessions. For the rest of us, i think it’s safe to say being fit is just a necessary part of living well, and that in itself is the end. As I get older I find that to be truer than ever, but the concept of living well has been evolving. I no longer wish to nor am able to train 20 hours a week. I’d rather ride 10 hours and have time to go to church, go camping, go scootering with Xiaoyu and Meimu, be good at work. Living well takes a lot of training just as riding fast does. Like you said, Larsen was someone we all sort of looked upon in awe (and envy). And he seemed a guy who trained himself to live well. I truly hope that’s the case.
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