Saturday, March 5, 2011

It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong

In this non fictional autobiography by Lance Armstrong, Lance tells the story of his life, mainly focusing on his ordeal through cancer. Lance Armstrong is the current record holder for the most wins in the world's most prestigious bike race, the Tour de France. That is an amazing feat in itself, but it's even more amazing that Armstrong had a battle with highly aggressive testicular cancer in the middle of his career. The cancer spread quickly to his lungs, and then to his brain. Doctors were almost sure he would not make it. He was given a generous 2-3% chance of survival. Throughout the book, Armstrong tells how hard it was for him to deal with the cancer. People doubted him, said he would never race again. His contract with his sponsor was taken back by the sponsor, because they thought he would die. But he fought. He told doctors to give him the harshest chemicals they had to kill cancer. He went through many gruesome months of sickness; he couldn't sleep, he vomitted constantly, but he kept at it. All the while he kept a positive attitude. In his book he said how he treated the cancer like an opponent, and he would talk to the cancer and tell it that it would lose, and that it messed with the wrong guy. After many months, his condition turned around. He started to get better, and eventually, he was completely cured. He lost much weight because of the cancer and the chemical's toll on his body. Ironically, the new light weight body Armstrong had would help him win the Tour de France six more consecutive times, and make him the record holder for Tour de France wins.

1. Armstrong focuses a lot on telling the reader his positive mental attitude. Do you think any obstacle is able to be overcome with hard work and a positive attitude?

2. Cancer changed Armstrong's life. He became less arrogant, and focused more on people around him. He founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation to help cancer patients and their families cope with the disease. How would your life change if you had life-threatening cancer but then became completely cured of it?

11 comments:

Natesa W. 7-8 said...

1. Yes, if you are willing to put in all the effort needed and have a positive attitude about it, than anything is achievable.

2. I would like to think that I would go down the same path as Armstrong, and try to help more people through my disease.

Unknown said...

1. I think having a positive attitude and working hard is the key to overcome any obstacle. Hard work and a positive attitude pays off.

2. My life would change very much and I agree with Natesa, I would go down the same path as Armstrong and help people still suffering.

Sydney S. 1-2 said...

1. I think that if you have a positive attitude, then you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

2. I agree with Tesa and Renae. I would do what Armstrong did and help as many people as I could who were also suffering from diseases.

Monica J. 1-2 said...

1. Ye si think you can achieve anything if you have enough drive and willingness to do anything to reach that goal.
2. My life would change greatly, I would be more appreciative of everyone around me and not about the small little issues of life. It would be a big eye opener.

Megan M 1-2 said...

1. Yes I think that anything can be accomplished with the right attitude and I admire him so much for what he has done because most people would just give up. I know it was the chemotherapy and the doctors who cured him, but really if you think about it he cured himself, because without his attitude he would've died.
2. I would probably do all I could to help others and I wouldn't have any selfpity anymore because I would have a new perspective on how hard life really can be.

Leah K. 7-8 said...

1. I think that if you try hard enough and have enough motivation then you can accomplish whatever you want. If you want something then you will do anything to get that with a lot of hard work and dedication.
2. My life would probably change like his did. If I was cured I would help anyone that went through what I went through. i would value everyday of life since I would never know when it would end.

Sevgim A.1-2 said...

2. I think my life would change a lot. I would want to help other people and get them cured as well.

Nathan S. 7-8 said...

1) Sure, provided that your goal is reasonable; I wouldn't advise someone confined to a wheelchair to become a pole vaulter.

Sarah H 1-2 said...

Yes, I do think any obstacle can b overcome bu hard work and a positive attitude. A lot of hardships in life can be overcome with stregth and will power.

Of course my life would be completely turned around if i had cancer and then became cured. I would see things in a new perspective and learn to love everything in life and build on my relationships because everything can be taken away as fast as it got there.

Adam B. 7-8 said...

1. I think that with hard work and a positive outlook any obstacle can be overcome because it keeps you focused on the task and hand and you have 100% commitment to overcoming the obstacle.

Hannah K. 1-2 said...

1. Yes, I do, because positive attitudes are very helpful in all situations.
2. I think I would be a lot more appreciative of my health, and more careful with it. Also, I would probably donate to a lot of charities for cancer.