farmdoc's blog post number 149

If, as Psalms 90 says, ‘The days of our years are three score years and ten’ then as I'm within ten years of that age, I can reasonably call myself an old guy. And as one, I am on the side of old guys everywhere. For example last July I was disappointed when 53-year-old Greg Norman just missed becoming the oldest winner in the British Open golf championship’s 147-year history. So I thought I’d be pumped when last Tuesday, 36-year-old cyclist Lance Armstrong announced he was ending his retirement and aiming to win the 2009 Tour de France. Diagnosed with metastatic testicular cancer in 1996, Armstrong subsequently won a record seven Tours de France (no rider has won six; four have won five) in consecutive years from 1999 to 2005. Then he promptly retired. He says his comeback is to raise awareness of the global cancer burden. That’s admirable; I wish him and his cause well. If he wins in 2009, he will be aged 37. Until now, the oldest winner was 36 when he won in 1922. If Armstrong competes in the 2009 Tour I doubt he’ll disgrace himself. But sometimes I think old guys need to feel the tap on the shoulder – John Howard didn’t but should have. Armstrong finishing le Tour but not wearing yellow is a sight I doubt I can bear.