Is it wrong to be proud of an ex-doping cheat?

I must admit, since Dwain Chambers tested positive for doping back in 2003, I haven't really followed his comeback that much. He was refused entry into the last Olympics by the British Athletics board, despite serving his ban and being one of the fastest still in Britain.

I saw yesterday he set the fastest ever 60m time in the semi-finals in Turin. Today was the final.
He won that, and got the gold medal, and crowned European Indoor 60m champion.

Chambers is running faster than ever, and admits taking drugs in the past was a BIG mistake, and he has proved to himself, and others that you can do well, even better in Chambers' case, without drugs - he is now running faster than he did on "performance enhancing drugs".

I actually feel pleased for Dwain.
Yes he did wrong, he cheated. But unlike a lot of other drug cheats, he didn't just retire and take the easy option. He's trained, improved, and set his focus and targets to get better and stronger than before. He's also proved to people that you can achieve everything you want without resorting to drugs, and that they are not "the golden key" to results.

I hope he can improve further, go on, and get himself back in the English and British athletics squad. It will be a personal triumph for him, and a show of determination and self belief, training day in, day out for what you want to achieve. All of this while people still call him a cheat, and don't want him competing - that's quite some self-motivation on his part.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/7931339.stm

Am I wrong in supporting someone who was labelled a "cheat?"

Don't let go of your target!

The England rugby team are in a bit of a re-building phase!! South Africa have done it, Australia have been through it, New Zealand.....well they always seem to be great!!

Although under heavy pressure to make wholesale changes after heavy defeats in the past few weeks, new England manager, Martin Johnson, has resisted and stuck mostly to his crop of young (mostly!) players. This not only shows faith, and instills confidence in the players, but is a building block for future success. You get nowhere by making changes, and upsetting the balance week-in, week-out. The same can be said for your eating habits.

Occasionally there will be times when you 'fall off track' such as meals out, holiday's etc, but DON'T lose heart. Don't use that occassion as a "Oh, this isn't working (like the current rugby results!), I won't worry about the rest of the week". If you can keep to a sensible eating plan for 80% of the time, your results will come.
Set yourself a target, set a goal, and if "a bad result" occurs, minimise the impact, stick with your initial ideas, and you will get your results.

Fingers crossed for Saturday then!! It can only get better!

You should be eating more of;

- Lean protein (fish, white meat, good quality lean read meats)

- Lots of vegetables and fruit

- Lots of water

- Wholemeal rice, and oats

and grazing every 3 hours or so.

and eating less of;

- Sugary foods

- man made or processed foods

- wheat and pastas

- Alcohol, coffee

Have confidence, have belief, have self-motivation.

The big return!

Tonight marks the return of Wasps and England fly-half Danny Cipriani to first class rugby. One of English rugby's best young prospects, he was caught in a tackle in May 2008, dislocating and fracturing his right ankle (top left- not quite pointing the right way for running!). He is returning to first team action 6 weeks ahead of schedule. As well as first class rehabilitation, and youth on his side(!), a combination of first class nutrition, and a positive attitude to return, has made this recovery a great success both for him, Wasps and English rugby - especially as Jonny Wilkinson is back in the treatment room for the forseeable future. - How can such a fit, strong, athletic guy get injured so much?!

WILKO'S POST-2003 INJURY WOE
Oct 2008: Dislocates knee
May 2008: Shoulder operation. Misses England tour to NZ
Sep 2007: Twists ankle. Misses first game of RWC
Nov 2006: Suffers kidney damage. One month on sidelines
Sep 2006: Knee ligament injury. Misses autumn Tests
Jan 2006: Torn abductor muscle
Nov 2005: Groin operation
Sep 2005: Appendix operation
Jul 2005: Shoulder injury v NZ. Misses third Lions Test
Mar 2005: Injures same left knee on comeback
Jan 2005: Knee ligament damage. Two months out
Oct 2004: Haematoma in right arm. Misses autumn Tests
Feb 2004: Shoulder operation. Misses Six Nations
Dec 2003: Shoulder injury.