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

Early in the book, Lance Armstrong says ". . . that cancer was the best thing that happened to me." He goes on to say, "When I was sick I saw more beauty and triumph and truth in a single day than I ever saw in a bike race."

Overcoming cancer and becoming an athletic champion in the grueling sport of bicycle racing require a toughness of spirit, mind, and body that is hard for most of us to imagine. This inspirational book portrays beautifully how one can start with the right spirit and overcome enormous obstacles.

Although his doctors told him he had a 40 percent chance of surviving stage three testical cancer, this was mostly to keep his morale up. After he had recovered, his doctor admitted that is chances were around 3 percent, instead.

While he was being treated for the cancer, no one thought that he might ever race again. He did decide to go through treatments that would leave open the possibility that his lungs (affected by the cancer) would still be functional and his coordination (through delicate brain surgery) would be unaffected. Within two years, he had won the Tour de France, a grueling race he had never done well in before he had cancer.

Growing up, Lance Armstrong had little reason to suspect that he would become one of the world's greatest athletes. He was well into high school, still trying pretty unsuccessfully to make the football and swimming teams, before it became clear that he could become a significant cyclist. Pleased with the money that success brought, he had a tough time building the attitude of a champion to go with his remarkable endurance skills. Overcoming cancer helped him with that, as well as seeing the beauty around him.

He met his wife at the press conference to announce the beginning of his foundation to fight cancer. They were married during his recovery, and recently became parents through the miracles of modern medicine.

Of such wonderful stuff are role models made, something we have too few of these days.

The story is told in a very open and matter-of-fact way. He is not trying to make himself into something that he isn't. Clearly, his purpose in writing this book is to help all of us fulfill our potential rather than to glorify himself.

Please share this book with people who need this inspiration and encouragement to take on the pain of giving life all you've got.

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Sally Jenkins is an accomplished sports writer and she has done a fine job to render Armstrong's story into a gripping and fluid read. I finished this book in one sitting and I think that many readers will do the same. In terms of gritty detail, there is more about cancer treatment than about the Tour de France and the detail is explicit. Reading this book will give you a vivid picture of what it is like to face a course of chemotherapy.

I do not want to make a judgment on the man himself. Some readers will be in awe of his achievements while others will be exasperated by his faults. I cannot recommend this book as an inspirational read either. Anyone who can complete the Tour de France let alone win it posesses levels of physical and mental toughness that are so far beyond normal experience as to seem superhuman. Rather than being inspired, a cancer sufferer given this book to read could just as easily see the message that if you are superman, you can fight cancer. Seen instead as a fascinating tale the book is a compelling read.

Even if you have no interest in cycling, this book is still worth reading. I am very glad that I read it and I think that most people who pick it up will feel the same way.

You will probably want to buy one of the later editions as they contain additional material relating to Armstrong's second tour win in 2000.

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