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

I started the book liking Lance Armstrong and unfortunately I ended with not liking him. I still think he is an amazing athlete that overcame many odds. But now I know that we would not get along well in real life. I think the idolized version of Armstrong as a terminal cancer survivor that came back to win the most prestigious race in cycling not once, not twice, but a record-setting 7 times is a story better told in a short news clip. When it becomes a full story written out in detail about the man that achieved that victory it seems less miraculous and more familiar. Lance appears to be little more than an egotistical, bitter, pampered, jerk with an unsurpassed hostility with authority. He was mostly raised by Mom who was his friend, not parent and anyone that tried to be a parental figure to him was met with rebellion and resistance. Even a very dear, kind neighbor who helped Lance get his first bike, and then his first car, was disregarded and not spoken to for five years when he tried to teach Lance a much-needed lesson in responsibility. He claims he is antagonistic to organized religion because his step-father was a “religious” man and a hypocrite so therefore, Lance became an atheist. That seemed like a lame excuse to me when I read it originally. Then at book club, Lance’s problem with authority was discussed and we all agreed that that was the real reason he is an atheist. He believes in a God (he prayed during Chemo), he would just rather pretend there is not one so he doesn’t have ANY being usurping control over Lance Armstrong! That is also why I think he even became a cyclist in the first place. It is mostly an individual sport and there is no boss to tell him what to do. Any coach learned the hard way that you do not tell Lance Armstrong what to do. You make suggestions, and Lance tells you what Lance is going to do. That is why after the cancer, Lance went back to cycling. He couldn’t imagine doing any other career, he wasn’t good at anything else. Not to mention any start-up job would require he would have to listen and do what he was told. Good thing his body is not designed like most people (he has a far higher VO2 max and produces less lactic acid than average) so he could recuperate so quickly.
What I learned from this book . . . I learned more about cycling. It is a team sport. Like most European sports, it is a gentleman’s game (no wonder so many other riders cannot stand Lance). The big group of riders is called the peleton. Professional cycling racing does not save energy at all because every rider has a car following with the coach giving feedback. Athletes are more likely to be humble when they believe in a God. At least that way, they understand they are not the greatest being to ever walk the Earth and they also realize that all men are created equal in the eyes of God. Atheists do not have that perspective. Parents need to be parents in more aspects than just loving and providing for their children. Lance has a great relationship with his mom but has never known what it was like to have a parent.