It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life

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It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 20,500 ratings · 1,531 reviews

Keep up to date with the latest on Lance at LanceArmstrong.com! This is the story of one man's journey through triumph, tragedy, transformation, and transcendance. It is the story of Lance Armstrong, the six-time winner of the Tour de France, and his fight against cancer.

People magazine called it "inspiring." The New York Times called it "fascinating." But perhaps the Cinc...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published September 1st 2001 by Berkley Trade (first published November 8th 1999)

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Feb 27, 2013 ♥ Marlene♥ rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: If you like fairytales

Shelves: bookcrossing, released, fiction

On Wednesday, November 17, 2004 I wrote on bookcrosing:

I had to decide what to read next and decided to read this book. Although I do not like Lance Armstrong I love The Tour de France and want to know as much as I can of the event and the participants.I have heard that this is a very good book and while reading I noticed I forget the arrogant guy who treats the other cyclists with not enough respect. Now I just want to read how he dealt with the cancer and I know a lot of the names and persons...more

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Feb 03, 2008 Julie rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review will probably upset some people, but here it is: I had more respect for Lance Armstrong before I read this book. Now I just think he's pompous, self-absorbed, and egotistical.

So you survived cancer...big deal. What, do you think you deserve a friggin' cookie? People survive cancer every day. People are diagnosed every day. People are re-diagnosed every day. People suffer from treatment every day. People fight insurmountable odds every day. But nobody writes a book about them. Nobody...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Alastair McDermott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, science-fiction

Despite believing that Lance Armstrong was a drug using cheat, I really enjoyed his first book "It's Not About The Bike". It was a well written, compelling story. Lance is an example for everyone not to give up, not just cyclists or cancer patients, regardless of whether he's using performance enhancing substances or not.

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Apr 13, 2013 Farnoosh Brock rated it 1 of 5 stars

On second thought, Lance, I stripped the extra 4 stars I gave you when I first read the book. It just so happens that you were a big fat liar, and now feeling sorry or happy for you is really hard to do.

But here's the original review of the book I wrote, when I had assumed the author was an honest and hard-working person without all the issues he developed during the Tour de France, all of which are entirely 100% his fault.

---- the old review ----
I picked up this book in the juice store in San J...more

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Sep 07, 2010 Emanuella rated it 5 of 5 stars

След случаен разговор за жълтите гривни Livestrong, колоезденето и силните духом, един колега ми даде книгата да я прочета. Бях впечатлена и си я купих. Започнах да я раздавам.

Докато четях отделните глави и части от живота на Ланс, чувствата ми към него непрекъснато се променяха - ту ми се струваше егоист, отворко, самохвалко, ту му се възхищавах колко упорит, смел и борбен тип е. Животът му е чудо и стискане на зъби. Голям късмет е да имаш такива хора до себе си - амбициозна майка, всеотдайна ж...more

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Jan 07, 2009 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A friend of mine loaned me this book years ago; he enjoyed it and recommended that I read it. This friend had never loaned me a book before, and since he's a bit more of a jock than me, I thought I might not get the same satisfaction as he did. So I put it on my shelf and considered it from time to time over the years, but finally picked it up when there was nothing else of interest on the shelf.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I have never read any sports books before, and didn't know what to...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Brooke H Holt rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book, Its not about the bike; My journey back to life by Lance Armstrong is an Amazing book. It is about Lance’s biking career and how cancer took it all away from him when he was finally getting to where he wanted to be in the sport. The storys tells us about the difficulties he had when he had cancer and what it was like through the chemo process. Lance was told he had only a 20% chance of living and a very little chance of having children, but he never once thought of giving up. When he...more The book, Its not about the bike; My journey back to life by Lance Armstrong is an Amazing book. It is about Lance’s biking career and how cancer took it all away from him when he was finally getting to where he wanted to be in the sport. The storys tells us about the difficulties he had when he had cancer and what it was like through the chemo process. Lance was told he had only a 20% chance of living and a very little chance of having children, but he never once thought of giving up. When he was finally released with no cancer in his cells from the hospital Lance was told he would never be the same rider he used to be, Lance was told he would never be at the same level he was at. But Lance proved all the people doubting him wrong, he ended up winning the tour de France, the most popular and longest race in Europe and had a baby boy a few months after that. This book was an amazing book because it showed determination towards something that was loved. When the odds weren't in Lances favor he still never stopped believing in his self. This book reminds me of the people who, everyday, are fighting for their live in hoping to overcome cancer. There are many children and adults who are suffering from the dramatic steps taken to stop the cancer. The book makes me want to donate money to a foundation for cancer to help the people in need of the research and new medication.

At age 16 Lance became a professional triathlete. In 1989 the U.S. Olympic development team invited him to train as a cyclist. He placed 11th in the World Championship Road Race, with the best time of any American since 1976. From 1999-2005, Armstrong won seven Tour de France in a row and inspired others with his cancer survival story. In October, however, came the shocking announcement that Armstrong had been diagnosed with testicular cancer. Well advanced, the tumors had spread to his abdomen, lungs, and lymph nodes. After having a tumour removed, drastically modifying his eating habits, and beginning aggressive chemotherapy.(less)

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Jan 08, 2012 Anbu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bio-autobio, favorites, sports

I pick up this book to read when I was feeling low with the certain things happened in my personal life. Lance, thru this book helped me realize that anything is achievable and any hurdle could be overcome. Thank you Lance.

I have heard of Lance Armstrong, the man who won the Tour de France record-breaking seven times after recovering from life threatening cancer. So what I expected from this book was a fairy tale of a rider who survived cancer and became successful in the tour. But what I got wa...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Buggy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bio-memoir, atheletes, survival, shelf-12, scars-r-sexy

I really enjoyed this, a fascinating and inspirational read even if you’re not a cycling fan or into sports biographies. As the title states this is “not about the bike” well not completely anyways, of course the bike is always present (even on Lance’s sickest days when he could barely stand from the chemo treatments he still managed to go for a wobbly ride around the block) but I would say more than half of this story deals with Lance’s brutal battle with cancer and his miraculous recovery. We...more I really enjoyed this, a fascinating and inspirational read even if you’re not a cycling fan or into sports biographies. As the title states this is “not about the bike” well not completely anyways, of course the bike is always present (even on Lance’s sickest days when he could barely stand from the chemo treatments he still managed to go for a wobbly ride around the block) but I would say more than half of this story deals with Lance’s brutal battle with cancer and his miraculous recovery. We also learn about his childhood and growing up kinda poor in a single parent home, his early days as a triathlete, falling in love and his 1st marriage (this was written in 2002) and a surprisingly detailed account about the IVF that allowed for the birth of his first child.

It’s well written, honest and unflinching, as some of what we read doesn’t always paint Armstrong in the most favorable light. Other reviewers have mentioned his ego (huge) and his single mindedness when it came to racing and training, bordering on obsession. I am of the mind that you don’t become the best in the world without developing an ego, without becoming preoccupied. I mean it takes everything to get to the top so personal relationships are bound to suffer. On that note while Armstrong praises his (now ex-wife) Kit I was shocked at how he treated her, expecting her life to just revolve around him. At one point she gives up everything in the States and follows him to Europe to just “be there” while he trains, then on a whim Lance quits the tour and he expects her to just pack up the house and follow him back home while he sorts himself out and plays golf.

When Lance is diagnosed with cancer it’s the first time in his life that cycling is not the foremost thing in his life however he handles his treatment and recovery like a big race. Finding the right doctors and learning everything he can about his disease. We the reader get the story down to the smallest of details; from the day he just didn’t feel well, through diagnosis, gut-wrenching fear, denial, dealing with the backlash from his team and sponsors and then a single minded focus on beating cancer through his day to day struggle through operations, chemo and near death. I actually had no idea just how sick he was, not only was the cancer in his testicle but he also had tumors in his chest and brain, his odds of survival at one point were as low as 20%.

His fight to make a comeback into the cycling world is almost as grim as his cancer itself; no team would touch him so there was a political side as well as a physical side to his return. And just because he was in remission and well enough to race didn’t mean his mind was in the game either. I found it fascinating how he entered into a sort of survivor’s guilt phase where he didn’t want to ride, he just wanted to play golf, eat crappy food and be a bum, like he didn’t know how to go back to his life before cancer.

If you’re into cycling obviously this is a must read. The longest chapter here deals with his first Tour de France win and it’s exhausting and totally exhilarating, leaving me feeling like I was grinding up the Alps and Pyrenees amidst a mass of spandex. (Yay me) There is also a freakin ton of inside information regarding well, just about everything you ever wanted to know about “the Tour” and cycling in general, specifically covering European terms, customs, the training regime and accounts of competitions and what it takes to get there. Yup the doping issue is brought up as well, and because Armstrong was an American winning a European dominated race he was tested persistently,(always negative) with such claims as his cancer treatments had given him an unfair advantage!

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Jan 23, 2010 Lobstergirl rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, memoir

There is no more remarkable story of surviving cancer than Lance Armstrong's, and perhaps there is no better athlete in history. His rise from poverty and being raised by a young single mother is quite impressive too. But I have to give his memoir 2 stars, because

1) He's such a cocky son of a bitch. Really, it gets quite annoying.

2) He couldn't keep his marriage and family intact, especially after putting his wife through the IVF, twice. Before they even began dating, she was concerned about his...more

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Dec 04, 2008 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Talk about an inspiring book. He didn't hold back any details when it came to his treatment and struggles with cancer. It makes his accomplishments with the Tour de France that much sweeter in my mind hearing what he went through. I think my biggest take home from the book is that your mindset and attitude towards struggles can make or break you.

I will say that he also showed signs of being quite arrogant and prideful, but in his defense lots of competitive athletes are. If they're not going to...more

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Oct 21, 2008 Chantal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Chantal by: Bret Gadberry

The strangest thing for me in reading this book was realizing that I was right in Paris when Lance won for the first time. I was eating at a restaurant with my grandparents when the Tour de France was going by. My grandfather, who doesn't speak a lick of French, was proudly trying to show off my French to the waitress...I had to say something about the Tour de France to her. He didn't realize that I could barely speak French. I kept praying that she would at least pretend she understood me, and...more

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Aug 26, 2007 Melanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2002

In early 2002, I was going through a rough time--I had just dropped out of college after a semester marked by panic attacks, the inability to leave my room, and a variety of reckless behaviors, and I was convinced that my life was over. I was also convinced that my parents hated me because I was such a failure. It was in this weakened state that I agreed to read It's Not About the Bike (and, later, The Hobbit), because they were recommended by my stepmother (Bike) and my father (Hobbit), and I w...more

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Jul 09, 2008 Stefani rated it 2 of 5 stars

So...I understand that Lance is not a writer - but why hire a ghost-writer that cannot write either?

That aside - "Its Not About the Bike" is a combination cancer survival against the odds/sports prodigy story/inspiration.

Lance seems like an arrogant asshole, its true, but I couldn't help getting all ferclempt when he wins the tour the first time...I love cycling, I am truly fascinate by the mental and physiological processes of true athletes, and this book *did* give a little insight.

Maybe with...more

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Nov 22, 2008 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lance Armstrong was 25 years old and starting to achieve fame and fortune on the world cycling tour, when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He wrote this account in 1999, three years after the initial diagnosis, describing his fight against the disease and the highly improbably comeback that led to his victory in the 1999 Tour de France, cycling's greatest event.

The book describes his youth in Texas - slight of build and not suited for the football that was the passion in his Texas hometo...more

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Oct 15, 2006 Otis Chandler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, nonfiction

I read this right after my dad passed away from cancer. Lance was a hero of my dad's for some time, but I'd never seen his autobiography until I found it on my dad's shelf. Lance's drive to survive and win against all odds is an inspiration to anyone, but especially to cancer survivors & their family. It really helped me get through a difficult time, and inspired me to start doing triathlons with Team In Training (a great organization which helps benefit cancer victims).

Oh - and Lance is th...more

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May 03, 2013 Michael Mack rated it 2 of 5 stars

[Review originally written in 2008] I read this book several years ago, and was just looking it over again, thinking about selling it on Amazon. I decided not to, not only because I underlined several sections and wrote in the margins, but because I want to hold onto this book for inspiration when I need it. I also want my 12 and 15 year old sons to read this some day.

Lance's fortitude in the face of adversity is inspiring. He does come off as a bit of a jerk and an egomaniac in several places--...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Pramod Pant rated it 2 of 5 stars

Well, well !! What do you say to this now ?

I had read it when Lance Armstrong was still a respectable name, highly respectable indeed. The book brings across a man of determination and very strong will. That is where the 'review proper' of the book has to end and the question begins as to how the propensity of taking (calculated) risks is so pronounced in strong willed men. And how the moral view point at a given stage in life is in so much deviation from those held by others and the ones held...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Peter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amazon.com Review

...more Amazon.com Review

People around the world have found inspiration in the story of Lance Armstrong--a world-class athlete nearly struck down by cancer, only to recover and win the Tour de France, the multiday bicycle race famous for its grueling intensity. Armstrong is a thoroughgoing Texan jock, and the changes brought to his life by his illness are startling and powerful, but he's just not interested in wearing a hero suit. While his vocabulary is a bit on the he-man side (highest compliment to his wife: "she's a stud"), his actions will melt the most hard-bitten souls: a cancer foundation and benefit bike ride, his astonishing commitment to training that got him past countless hurdles, loyalty to the people and corporations that never gave up on him. There's serious medical detail here, which may not be for the faint of heart; from chemo to surgical procedures to his wife's in vitro fertilization, you won't be spared a single x-ray, IV drip, or unfortunate side effect. Athletes and coaches everywhere will benefit from the same extraordinary detail provided about his training sessions--every aching tendon, every rainy afternoon, and every small triumph during his long recovery is here in living color. It's Not About the Bike is the perfect title for this book about life, death, illness, family, setbacks, and triumphs, but not especially about the bike. --Jill Lightner

From Publishers Weekly

In 1996, young cycling phenom Armstrong discovered he had testicular cancer. In 1999, he won the Tour de France. Now he's a grateful husband, a new fatherAand a memoirist: with pluck, humility and verve, this volume covers his early life, his rise through the endurance sport world and his medical difficulties. Cancer "was like being run off the road by a truck, and I've got the scars to prove it," Armstrong declares. Earlier scars, he explains, came from a stepfather he casts as unworthy; early rewards, from his hardworking mother and from the triathlons and national bike races Armstrong won as a Texas teen. "The real racing action was over in Europe": after covering that, Armstrong and Jenkins (Men Will Be Boys, with Pat Summit, etc.) ascend to the scarier challenges of diagnoses and surgeries. As he gets worse, then better, Armstrong describes the affections of his racing friends and of the professionals who cared for him. Armstrong is honest and delightful on his relationship to wife Kristin (Kik), and goes into surprising detail about the technology that let them have a child. The memoir concludes with Armstrong's French victory and the birth of their son. The book features a disarming and spotless prose style, one far above par for sports memoirs. Bicycle-racing fans will enjoy the troves of inside information and the accounts of competitions, but Armstrong has set his sights on a wider meaning and readership: "When I was sick I saw more beauty and triumph and truth in a single day than I ever did in a bike race." Agent, Esther Newberg. First serial to Vanity Fair; BOMC main selection; foreign rights sold in the U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Holland and Japan. (May 22)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Nov 12, 2012 Jon Witt rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is about how Lance Armstrong discovered, dealt with, and overcame his cancer. He viewed his cancer as a wake-up call and reminded him of how precious life is. It talks about the influence of his mother and how she was always there for him. The book talks about Lance growing up in Plano Texas, his early beginnings as a very young tri-athlete and cyclist, and how when he was 25 after ignoring many symptoms was diagnosed with cancer. He received second and third opinions and eventually w...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Jodi Cassell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I'll agree with some of the other reviewers that Lance might not be the celebrity I'd most want to sit down and have a beer with, however, that does not diminish the importance of this book and of Armstrong's significant contributions to the fight against cancer. The man is an incredible athlete, and incredible trainer, and person. I'm disappointed that so many folks hold his divorce against him ... I guess I'm more of a "...Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone" kin...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Guillaume Troquet rated it 4 of 5 stars

English Language Arts Grade 9 Teacher: Ms. Borod
Lower Canada College Classroom: L208
2012-1013

“I was a world-class athlete with a mansion on a riverbank, keys to a Porsche and a self-made fortune in the bank”. This was the lifestyle Lance Armstrong was used to. It seems that he had it all, and in a way he did. But soon, none of his possessions would matter to him because he would return to his home in Texas and be diagnosed with testicular cancer. The cancer spread to his lungs and his brain and...more

English Language Arts Grade 9 Teacher: Ms. Borod
Lower Canada College Classroom: L208
2012-1013

“I was a world-class athlete with a mansion on a riverbank, keys to a Porsche and a self-made fortune in the bank”. This was the lifestyle Lance Armstrong was used to. It seems that he had it all, and in a way he did. But soon, none of his possessions would matter to him because he would return to his home in Texas and be diagnosed with testicular cancer. The cancer spread to his lungs and his brain and required surgery and four months of aggressive chemotherapy. Following that, he was ready to give up on his old life, sure that he would never get back on a bike again. His friends refused to let him retire. Their encouragement drove Armstrong to get back on his bike and to rejoin the competitive sport of bicycling. Armstrong’s biography devotes sections to thanking all those who helped him. He details how his friends and family supported him through his time in the hospital. The theme of the importance of friendship runs throughout the book. The fact that Armstrong gives so much credit to his friends, makes the readers stop and take the time to evaluate the role friendship plays in their own life. Armstrong’s description of the disease allowed the reader to relate to the pain he went through. For instance, Armstrong says, “It was the kind of headache you see in movies, a knee buckling, head between your hands brain crusher” The author describes his journey back to health in great detail. In fact, at times the details seem to drag on to the point that the reader loses interest in the actual disease and wishes that Armstrong would continue to tell his story of recovery. However, it must be said that the author’s emotions certainly are realistic. For instance, Armstrong drives his message home when he tells his readers to never quit even though that may be the easiest thing to do. He tells us that, “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever” These words really have an impact on the audience because every reader can apply them to their own life. Each person has obstacles in life, yet few may be as serious as cancer and many people probably do not spend a lot of time thinking about how they would overcome a disease. Lance Armstrong encourages each reader to face whatever obstacles come their way, be strong and realize that inside each person is a strength that is there ready to be called upon to help a person meet any challenge. Those who love to bike, as well as anyone who respects someone who battles back from illness to health will cheer Armstrong as he returns to France and fights his way back to fitness.
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Jun 18, 2012 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Like Open by Andre Agassi, this is a sports autobiography which defies the genre and is a terrific book in its own right. Written in 2002, when Lance Armstrong had two Tour de Frances under his belt (he went on to win seven), this is the story of his early career as a cyclist, his battle with testicular cancer when his odds of survival were perhaps as low as 20%, his subsequent struggles to regain motivation and then his determination - and work - to secure a Tour de France victory. It's a fasci...more

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May 11, 2012 Kennedy K rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life was a good interesting book that makes you keep wanting to read it instead of stopping and putting it down. Lance Armstrong told his life story about his obstacles he had to face while going through the process of getting diagnosed with testicular cancer. He talked about wanting to deny the fact he had cancer and wanted to keep riding. It was hard for him to stop riding for a while, but he maintained to try his best to fight for his life and he ex...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Dylan Becker rated it 4 of 5 stars

It’s About The Journey

The book that i read was called It’s Not About The Bike. This is a book about Lance Armstrong's journey about cancer. I think this book is very inspiring because it tells about how he was able to fight through cancer and was able to still ride his bike after. This book is also very sad because it shows how fast you can be at the top of the world (not literally) and then you can lose it all. This is very sad because he had everything going for him but he got cancer and lost...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Ismail Elshareef rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lance Armstrong's life with all it's stupendous ups and cruel downs is a true testament to the human spirit and its incredible powers to triumph. In this very descriptive account of his life as a cyclist, son, husband, father and a cancer patient in recovery, he delves into details that will both awe and inspire you. He'll take you through a journey of seemingly insurmountable obstacles which he eventually overcomes with perseverance, determination and the ample love with which he's surrounded....more

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Aug 23, 2011 Valerie J K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lance Armstrong's mother summed his life up perfectly when asked by a reporter if his victory at the Tour de France was against the odds---"Lance's whole life has been against all odds." The only child of a working (and often single) mother, Lance turned his time and energy first to swimming, then triathlons, and soon became a world-class cyclist. His career was cut short when he developed testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and brain. There were 2 facets of the book I enjoyed--his descri...more Lance Armstrong's mother summed his life up perfectly when asked by a reporter if his victory at the Tour de France was against the odds---"Lance's whole life has been against all odds." The only child of a working (and often single) mother, Lance turned his time and energy first to swimming, then triathlons, and soon became a world-class cyclist. His career was cut short when he developed testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and brain. There were 2 facets of the book I enjoyed--his description of the actual sport of team cycling (I was surprised to learn about the inner workings of a peloton), and his personal battle with cancer. Early on in his battle, he received an email from a soldier that read "You don't know it yet, but we're the lucky ones." Although my own cancer wasn't life threatening, I knew immediately what the soldier meant--cancer gives you a new perspective on life. A very few things are important, everything else is inconsequential. Lance credits his fight with cancer as the best thing that ever happened to him, giving him the mental and physical drive and discipline to win the Tour de France 7 consecutive times, and shaping him into the person he is.

I really respect his dedication to his foundation--now one of the top 10 groups for funding cancer research. Lance was fortunate to have access (time, $, and referrals)to the best Doctors in the country. Not every cancer patient has that advantage. I respect that he uses his position in life to better the lives of other cancer patients. It was awkward to read about his wife, of whom he speaks so highly, knowing their marriange ended a few years later.

Some of my favorite quotes--
"We are so much stronger than we imagine, and belief is one of the most valiant and long-lived human characteristics. To believe, when all along we humans know that nothing can cure the briefness of this life, that there is no remedy for our basic mortality, that is a form of bravery."

"One thing the illness has conviced me of beyond all doubt--more than any experience I've has as an athlete--is that we are much better than we know. We have unrealized capacities that sometimes only emerge in crisis. So if there is a purpose to the suffering that is cancer, I think it must be this: it's meant to improve us."

"...I believe I have an obligation to make something better of my life than before, and to help my fellow human beings who are dealing with the disease...Anyone who has heard the words You have cancer...is a member of it. If you've ever belonged, you never leave."

"...put aside your ideas about heros and miracles, because I'm not storybook material...I've read that I flew up the hills and mountains of France. But you don't fly up a hill. You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill, and maybe, if you work very hard, you get to the top ahead of everybody else."

"When I was sick, I saw more beauty and truth in a single day than I ever did in a bike race." (less)

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Aug 03, 2011 Natasa Tovornik rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: auto-biography

It is a page-turner. Maybe also as after a long time I read a book in slovene. :) Easily written and with no bullshitting. I really liked the style of writting and it is also an inspiring insight in a man's life. As said - it's not about the bike. It really is not.

My favourite qoutes (only in Slovene):

Besed mame Lancea Armstronga:

"Sin, nikoli ne smeš odnehati."

"Odnehati pa ne smeš. Četudi boš moral do ciljne črte hoditi"

"Če ne moreš dati od sebe sto deset odstotkov, ti ne bo uspelo"

"Glej, ne ve...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Tamara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: voluntaryreads, reviewedreads

I grew up a passionate cycling fan. Every summer during the Tour de France, my family and I used to - who am I kidding? we do this still - sit around the TV in the evenings (or, alternatively, while eating breakfast on the weekends) and watch that day's stage, each of us cheering on our respective favourite. The next day, I would clip from the New York Times’ Sports section the short recap article about the race, filing it away in a binder. As an American, my interest was most caught by the man...more I grew up a passionate cycling fan. Every summer during the Tour de France, my family and I used to - who am I kidding? we do this still - sit around the TV in the evenings (or, alternatively, while eating breakfast on the weekends) and watch that day's stage, each of us cheering on our respective favourite. The next day, I would clip from the New York Times’ Sports section the short recap article about the race, filing it away in a binder. As an American, my interest was most caught by the man more often in yellow than not, none other than Lance Armstrong. As a young girl, I was fascinated by him (I never found him physically attractive, per se, but something drew me to him). I would take my bike out for a spin up and down the block, and pretend that he was accompanying me, and we raced (that was until I fell down and bloodied my knee so badly that even now, a full decade later, I still have a scar). Each of his Tour victories stands out separately in my mind, and whenever he stood on the top step in Paris, the Arc du Triomphe framing the podium, a feeling of pride and elation filled me until I couldn't breathe. I smiled when he brought his kids up there with him, all three dressed in yellow. And I cried when he retired in 2005, the undisputed champion with the eloquent speech I once had memorised (something about "believe in these athletes, believe in these cyclists...Vive le Tour," but I forget it now).

So it is from this perspective that I gave the book four stars.

That’s because I read it before he fell out of favour with me, a distaste that came on so dramatically it surprised even me. I still defend him from people who, in my opinion, are not entirely qualified to make judgments on him as an athlete. I still wholeheartedly and unequivocally believe in his being clean and never having doped. On his behalf, I still hate Greg LeMond, who led the way on vicious personal attacks against Armstrong because of sour grapes. And I still wish Armstrong well in all of his endeavours. But I just can’t stomach him now, at all. Since he retired (the first time), my allegiance switched from him to a German (who retired), to a Spaniard (who failed a drug test under questionable circumstances), and ultimately to a Luxembourgian (Andy Schleck FTW); when he popped back up and re-entered professional cycling, I found it an insufferably arrogant move. Not to mention his various relationships with a plethora of females, which are just disrespectful.

But I realise that the review section is not for me to discuss my cycling loyalties. So I’ll say this: I haven’t read the book in years, but I loved it at the time I did read it. I loved the unashamedly candid portrayal of his life, and the descriptions of his development as a cyclist. I loved the unfolding of his relationship with Kik, his soon-to-be-at-the-time-now-long-since-divorced wife Kristin (“the first time we ever talked, we fought”), especially their not being able to keep a straight face during the IVF info sessions. I loved reading how he drew inspiration from other cancer patients (the woman, for example, who said, “My house has burned down, but I can see the sky”), and how he was humbled by the illness, perhaps the only time he was ever truly humbled. (Okay, so that last part was my own opinion, but still. I have a hard time dealing with arrogance, and he’s become full of it lately.) I loved the anxious moments following his son’s birth, and the way his fear and anxiety over another person’s life came through. I think I also loved how cliché it all was, the triumph of the underdog, the man left for dead (literally, as the team which had signed him for the next season – Cofidis – bailed on him, thinking he would die), rising from the ashes and claiming the prize at the top. There’s something almost charming about a man who brings the fairy tale to life for all of us.

(sidenote: I read his second book, Every Second Counts, first, not knowing that it was the sequel to this, and I enjoyed that more, I think. Except for the totally depressing concluding pages, in which (view spoiler).)(less)

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Jan 29, 2011 Mccartjt rated it 4 of 5 stars

The copy I read was published in 2000.

Although I knew that Lance Armstrong is a cancer survivor, I didn't know what that entails, in terms of personal suffering. I have a more profound respect for Lance now. This book, ghost written, gives a good insight into how someone becomes driven and goal orientated.

I have here read a book that is still in progress as it were, with Lance now coming up on his 40th birthday soon. Also one thing that it did put into place for me too was that Lance probably w...more

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Lance Armstrong (born Lance Edward Gunderson) is a retired American professional road racing cyclist. He had won the Tour de France seven consecutive times, from 1999 to 2005, but in 2012 he was disqualified from all his results since August 1998 for using and distributing performance-enhancing drugs and banned from professional cycling for life. Previously, he also survived testicular cancer, a g...more

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“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. That surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, stays with me. So when I feel like quitting, I ask myself, which would I rather live with?” — 190 people liked it

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