Let's see...what's more important...winning a bicycle race or raising my children...hmmmm, can I have time to think about that one?
Lets see, my entire career, livelyhood, food for my kids, roof over their heads, money for their education, and financial security for the next 30 years after I drop out of cycling has depended on my bicycle riding ability. Shucks, I should have spent all these years getting a PHD in engineering instead. At least I would have had job security until I retire........
As a side note, what is Greg Lemond doing for a living these days? or Miguel Enduraine? (sp?)
You give your life to it and ride it for as long as it lasts! There ain't too many cyclists at the top over age 35........
In YOUR case, since there ain't much chance of you winning any bicycle race and since it is unlikely you have devoted your entire life to becomming one of the world's best of anything and attempting to profit financially from that endeavor in the brief number of years in which you have to do it, YOUR only likely option is raising your children.
Within 5 years after Armstrong retires, you probably will never hear his name again, such as the fate of LeMond.
You won't see him endorsing Nike, Subaru, Titelist or any other product for that matter. You won't see his football, baseball, or basketball play-by-play analysis and unless some other American cycling extraordinaire comes along, you probably won't even hear the TdF mentioned during prime time sports news unless as a 5 second side note........
Today, in this country, Lance Armstrong IS the Obscure Tour de France! Without a spectacular successor, the TdF becomes irrelevant in American sports once again......
What's more important, breaking up your family to run an elephant paced marathon, or staying married, raising a family, and allowing your kids to bask in the glory of watching their dad, one of the greatest athletes ever, break an all-time record. What a selfish b*tch.