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Every Second Counts
In Paris on 25 July 1999, Lance Armstrong made world headlines with the most stunning comeback in the history of sport, winning the Tour de France in the fastest ever time after battling against life-threatening testicular cancer just eighteen months previously. A few months after that historic victory, he became a father for the first time. His first book,
It's Not About the Bike
, charted his journey back to life and went on to become an international bestseller, and to win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2000.
Now, in this much-anticipated follow-up, Armstrong shares more details of his remarkable life story, including four more Tour de France wins, an Olympic medal, and the births of his twin daughters Grace and Isabelle. Never shy of controversy, Lance Armstrong is a genuine global sports superstar and one of cycling's greatest ever champions. Here he offers us his life philosophy - his thoughts on thoughts on training, competing, winning and failure. He also recounts the work done for the Foundation he set up following his dramatic recovery and introduces further inspirational tales of cancer survival.
Every Second Counts is another extraordinary and awe-inspiring book from a man who strives every day to meet life's momentous challenges.
Now, in this much-anticipated follow-up, Armstrong shares more details of his remarkable life story, including four more Tour de France wins, an Olympic medal, and the births of his twin daughters Grace and Isabelle. Never shy of controversy, Lance Armstrong is a genuine global sports superstar and one of cycling's greatest ever champions. Here he offers us his life philosophy - his thoughts on thoughts on training, competing, winning and failure. He also recounts the work done for the Foundation he set up following his dramatic recovery and introduces further inspirational tales of cancer survival.
Every Second Counts is another extraordinary and awe-inspiring book from a man who strives every day to meet life's momentous challenges.
Hardcover
First published October 7, 2003
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About the author
Lance Armstrong
45 books132 followersLance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist. He achieved international fame for winning the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005, but was stripped of his titles after an investigation into doping allegations, called the Lance Armstrong doping case, found that Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs over his career. As a result, Armstrong is currently banned for life from all sanctioned bicycling events.
At age 16, Armstrong began competing as a triathlete and was a national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990. In 1992, he began his career as a professional cyclist with the Motorola team. Armstrong had success between 1993 and 1996 with the World Championship in 1993, the Clásica de San Sebastián in 1995, Tour DuPont in 1995 and 1996, and a handful of stage victories in Europe, including stage 8 of the 1993 Tour de France and stage 18 of the 1995 Tour de France. In 1996, he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal metastatic testicular cancer. After recovering, Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation (now the Livestrong Foundation) to assist other cancer survivors.
Returning to cycling in 1998, Armstrong was a member of the US Postal/Discovery team between 1998 and 2005 when he won his seven Tour de France titles. Armstrong retired from racing at the end of the 2005 Tour de France, but returned to competitive cycling with the Astana team in January 2009, finishing third in the 2009 Tour de France later that year. Between 2010 and 2011, he raced with Team Radio Shack, and retired for a second time in 2011.
Armstrong became the subject of doping allegations after winning the 1999 Tour de France. For years, he denied involvement in doping. In 2012, a United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) investigation concluded that Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs over the course of his career and named him as the ringleader of "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen." While maintaining his innocence, Armstrong chose not to contest the charges, citing the potential toll on his family. He received a lifetime ban from all sports that follow the World Anti-Doping Code, ending Armstrong's competitive cycling career. The International Cycling Union (UCI) upheld USADA's decision and decided that his stripped wins would not be allocated to other riders. In January 2013, Armstrong publicly admitted his involvement in doping. In April 2018, Armstrong settled a civil lawsuit with the United States Department of Justice and agreed to pay US$5 million to the U.S. government after whistleblower proceedings were commenced by Floyd Landis, a former team member.
At age 16, Armstrong began competing as a triathlete and was a national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990. In 1992, he began his career as a professional cyclist with the Motorola team. Armstrong had success between 1993 and 1996 with the World Championship in 1993, the Clásica de San Sebastián in 1995, Tour DuPont in 1995 and 1996, and a handful of stage victories in Europe, including stage 8 of the 1993 Tour de France and stage 18 of the 1995 Tour de France. In 1996, he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal metastatic testicular cancer. After recovering, Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation (now the Livestrong Foundation) to assist other cancer survivors.
Returning to cycling in 1998, Armstrong was a member of the US Postal/Discovery team between 1998 and 2005 when he won his seven Tour de France titles. Armstrong retired from racing at the end of the 2005 Tour de France, but returned to competitive cycling with the Astana team in January 2009, finishing third in the 2009 Tour de France later that year. Between 2010 and 2011, he raced with Team Radio Shack, and retired for a second time in 2011.
Armstrong became the subject of doping allegations after winning the 1999 Tour de France. For years, he denied involvement in doping. In 2012, a United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) investigation concluded that Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs over the course of his career and named him as the ringleader of "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen." While maintaining his innocence, Armstrong chose not to contest the charges, citing the potential toll on his family. He received a lifetime ban from all sports that follow the World Anti-Doping Code, ending Armstrong's competitive cycling career. The International Cycling Union (UCI) upheld USADA's decision and decided that his stripped wins would not be allocated to other riders. In January 2013, Armstrong publicly admitted his involvement in doping. In April 2018, Armstrong settled a civil lawsuit with the United States Department of Justice and agreed to pay US$5 million to the U.S. government after whistleblower proceedings were commenced by Floyd Landis, a former team member.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
December 22, 2009
This is an author that I wanted to hate, when I was half way through the book, because much of what he says comes off sounding arrogant and self-centered. He talks of his accomplishments, his ceaseless drive, how unfairly he was treated by those who thought he was doping, his generosity, his many homes, and then goes on to describe how he’s “just a regular guy” (like the reader is suppose to believe that he really believes that.) But I have to concede that his incredible accomplishments entitle him to some arrogance. And when I examine it closer, it may not be arrogance of which he reeks, but a blazing intensity. This guy is so intense that he’s sometimes hard to take. But it is, no doubt, a necessary ingredient to his success. A mellow guy can’t come back from cancer and win the TDF multiple times without being intense. And when I forget about him and instead consider his life lesson, I acquire new insights and useful information and attitudes to help me try to take my life to a higher level. So I both owe thanks and admire this amazing human being and SOB.
October 23, 2015
While the previous biography, , had the redeeming feature of being about his impressive return from cancer to not only return to competitive professional cycling, but to win the Tour de France. This sequel suffers from the same poor ghost writing, but without any story. While the first book was a story, the story of his fight, this book is more of a recruitment pamphlet for the cult of Lance.
February 25, 2013
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.
Of course "It's Not About The Bike" was not near enough to dissuade me that were anything but the actions of a bully forcing a smaller man to keep his mouth shut and not speak out against drugs in cycling. Even after the stage Lance said:
It's difficult to interpret this statement and his "zip your lips" message to Simeoni in a positive light, in any other way but "don't speak pubically about drugs".
After reading "It's Not About The Bike" I had a strong admiration for Lance and the way he got through his cancer ordeal, and his cycling performances were phenomenal, drugs or no drugs.
What about ""?
Well the first thing I'll say is that I picked this up at about 1am on a work night as some light reading before I went to sleep. I turned off my bedside lamp at 5.30am hoping that I'd survive the day on 3 hours sleep after reading all 250 pages straight through. Bonus point to Sally Jenkins - what a fantastic writer! If you are a world-famous athlete wanting to tell your story with a ghost writer, there's no one better.
The story takes us from his preparation for his second Tour de France victory in 2000 all the way to his fourth consecutive victory in 2003. As a cyclist and sports fan I really enjoyed his description of training and the races themselves.
The other part of the story is human - dealing with the events of September 11th 2001, dealing with children, his cancer foundation, the annoyance of dealing with difficult French bureaucracy.
He did mention Stage 18 '04, giving his side of the story in a few words. Although I'm not convinced by his explanation and I still think it showed the character traits of a bully, I must admit that the book did originally influenced me back to believing he was a clean rider. I can't pinpoint exactly why. I think it was a combination of the way he talked about the drugs tests and their effect on his life.
The book is very personal at times and after reading it I felt like I know how the guy thinks. I may not like him, but I have a lot of respect for what he achieved.
To summarise: this is an excellent book - 9/10. It's better than his first, and better than most sports autobiographies you'll find. I recommend that everyone read this book, you might find it inspiring, or simply a captivating page-turner.
Update 2012: I believe that no doubt that , but he probably has masterminded one of the greatest sporting frauds in known history. He has been rightly stripped of all 7 Tour titles.
Of course "It's Not About The Bike" was not near enough to dissuade me that were anything but the actions of a bully forcing a smaller man to keep his mouth shut and not speak out against drugs in cycling. Even after the stage Lance said:
I was protecting the interests of the peloton. The other riders were very grateful.
It's difficult to interpret this statement and his "zip your lips" message to Simeoni in a positive light, in any other way but "don't speak pubically about drugs".
After reading "It's Not About The Bike" I had a strong admiration for Lance and the way he got through his cancer ordeal, and his cycling performances were phenomenal, drugs or no drugs.
What about ""?
Well the first thing I'll say is that I picked this up at about 1am on a work night as some light reading before I went to sleep. I turned off my bedside lamp at 5.30am hoping that I'd survive the day on 3 hours sleep after reading all 250 pages straight through. Bonus point to Sally Jenkins - what a fantastic writer! If you are a world-famous athlete wanting to tell your story with a ghost writer, there's no one better.
The story takes us from his preparation for his second Tour de France victory in 2000 all the way to his fourth consecutive victory in 2003. As a cyclist and sports fan I really enjoyed his description of training and the races themselves.
The other part of the story is human - dealing with the events of September 11th 2001, dealing with children, his cancer foundation, the annoyance of dealing with difficult French bureaucracy.
He did mention Stage 18 '04, giving his side of the story in a few words. Although I'm not convinced by his explanation and I still think it showed the character traits of a bully, I must admit that the book did originally influenced me back to believing he was a clean rider. I can't pinpoint exactly why. I think it was a combination of the way he talked about the drugs tests and their effect on his life.
The book is very personal at times and after reading it I felt like I know how the guy thinks. I may not like him, but I have a lot of respect for what he achieved.
To summarise: this is an excellent book - 9/10. It's better than his first, and better than most sports autobiographies you'll find. I recommend that everyone read this book, you might find it inspiring, or simply a captivating page-turner.
Update 2012: I believe that no doubt that , but he probably has masterminded one of the greatest sporting frauds in known history. He has been rightly stripped of all 7 Tour titles.
July 13, 2024
Het is natuurlijk anders lezen met de kennis van nu, al is het daardoor misschien ook wel extra interessant.
August 3, 2016
Apart from the events where he blatantly defends his drug accusation and narrates emotional & mental stress he is undergone with due to such events, and how unbelieving was his performance to others who committed to see him through a spectrum of doping and which he describes as purely an outcome of his dedication and focus.
The rest of tale is about how he sees the fellow cancer patient describing his empathy, emotions, efforts & perspective which he tries to percolate to them in order to rekindle hope living, strength of struggle , endurance of pain which are by product of chemo are immensely appealing. believing at-least this part of story is true , the Lance Armstrong as a person deserve an applauds if not as cyclist.
Considering both the facet of his life and resisting judgmental approach (especially when we knew most of the paleton riding at that time were doping in some or other form) the book offer an interesting perspective about how one should see a life overcoming all odds which are also forms part of our life citing out his own example for which it certainly deserve a read !!!
The rest of tale is about how he sees the fellow cancer patient describing his empathy, emotions, efforts & perspective which he tries to percolate to them in order to rekindle hope living, strength of struggle , endurance of pain which are by product of chemo are immensely appealing. believing at-least this part of story is true , the Lance Armstrong as a person deserve an applauds if not as cyclist.
Considering both the facet of his life and resisting judgmental approach (especially when we knew most of the paleton riding at that time were doping in some or other form) the book offer an interesting perspective about how one should see a life overcoming all odds which are also forms part of our life citing out his own example for which it certainly deserve a read !!!
November 23, 2008
This book takes up where the first ("It's Not About the Bike") left off. Armstrong briefly reviews his bout with testicular cancer, and then talks about the next several years of his life, including the second through fifth of his consecutive "Tour de France" victories. There's much more detail in this volume about the cycling experience itself - training, how a team works together, the races, the traditions and emotions. It's a great "look behind the scenes."
Unfortunately, Armstrong spent a good part of the book (and a good part of his life) defending himself against allegations of drug misuse. He claims to have never failed a single drug test, and to have never broken a single rule regarding drugs.
There is also a lot about relationships. He talks about the birth of the twin girls that followed his first son, and the joy of parenthood. However, at the time of this writing, his marriage was struggling (he would eventually divorce), and he explores the difficulties that his career and focus had placed on what should have been the most important thing in his life.
Unfortunately, Armstrong spent a good part of the book (and a good part of his life) defending himself against allegations of drug misuse. He claims to have never failed a single drug test, and to have never broken a single rule regarding drugs.
There is also a lot about relationships. He talks about the birth of the twin girls that followed his first son, and the joy of parenthood. However, at the time of this writing, his marriage was struggling (he would eventually divorce), and he explores the difficulties that his career and focus had placed on what should have been the most important thing in his life.
September 9, 2017
If you can read it a decade ago then it's inspirational. If you read it now then it just seems hypocritical.
November 3, 2023
Heel vervelend om te lezen. Vervelend opgeschreven en de man zelf is natuurlijk narcist eerste klas. Zeker als je weet dat hij natuurlijk wel doping heeft gebruik is het tenenkrommend om te lezen.
May 4, 2012
Every Second Counts, by Lance Armstrong, tells the story of his life after he overcame cancer. Armstrong is a seven-time Tour De France winner, which is arguably the hardest cycling race on the planet. He wrote this book in collaboration with Sally Jenkins, a sports writer. It is the second book by Lance Armstrong, after he wrote his first autobiography, “It’s Not About The Bike”. I was unaware of a second book until, by chance, I stumbled upon it. I think that it is an injustice to have this book stowed away out of sight, because it was a gripping read.
The story begins by describing how he won his first Tour De France win in 1999 with his team the US Postal Service, after battling and surviving cancer. It continues all the way until his Tour De France win in 2005, after six wins. But Every Second Counts is not primarily about Armstrong’s cycling career.
It focuses more on his morals and opinions in life. He includes personal details, like the birth of his twin daughters, and marriage problems with his wife Kik. Armstrong uses the same open frankness as in his first book, giving his ideas on everything, not holding back what he thinks, whether it be good or bad.
In the book, scenes were described, but not with the familiar descriptive paragraph containing thousands of adjectives. Armstrong used his thoughts and feelings at the time to piece together a clear picture of the event. The first scene that I particularly enjoyed was when Armstrong was describing one of the stories that he was told that have kept him going throughout his life. It begins by saying how some losses are greater than others, and some you just have to let go of. Then, Armstrong says “When I need reminding of this, I think of Sally Reed’s hair.” (Armstrong, p. 59). He then describes an event that occurred the day that he won the 1999 Tour De France. Sally Reed, his close friend, was suffering from cancer, and losing her hair from chemotherapy. When Armstrong won, she took the final strands of hair and threw them into the wind.
I liked this scene because even though it wasn’t about Lance Armstrong himself, it obviously had so much meaning to him. It was one of life’s lessons, something he learned from. Most autobiographies don’t contain the story behind the author, just their history and achievements. But Armstrong takes it to another level, by describing how he came to be the man he is today.
The second scene I enjoyed was when Armstrong was describing his incidents with Jeff Spencer, the US Postal Service’s team chiropractor. Armstrong describes Jeff’s “Pink Tape” that can fix any problem, be it tendinitis, sore muscles, or an aching back. I enjoyed this scene because it was light-hearted and fun. It made me smile as I read it. Even though Armstrong touched deep subjects in his book, he also included happy moments that every book needs to keep you from becoming bored.
I really enjoyed this book. Although it was not as interesting as Armstrong’s first book It’s Not About The Bike, simply because there was not as much to write about, compared to a battle with cancer, it was still a very inspiring book. I would recommend this book to older, more mature readers, because of the language used, the morals and opinions in the story, and because the book is about the life of a adult athlete. Younger readers may not understand fully what the book is about, and perhaps in a few years time, if I read the book again, I would interpret even more from the novel. Sports and cycling fans would enjoy this book too, if they wanted to get a deeper understanding of the life of a professional athlete.
The story begins by describing how he won his first Tour De France win in 1999 with his team the US Postal Service, after battling and surviving cancer. It continues all the way until his Tour De France win in 2005, after six wins. But Every Second Counts is not primarily about Armstrong’s cycling career.
It focuses more on his morals and opinions in life. He includes personal details, like the birth of his twin daughters, and marriage problems with his wife Kik. Armstrong uses the same open frankness as in his first book, giving his ideas on everything, not holding back what he thinks, whether it be good or bad.
In the book, scenes were described, but not with the familiar descriptive paragraph containing thousands of adjectives. Armstrong used his thoughts and feelings at the time to piece together a clear picture of the event. The first scene that I particularly enjoyed was when Armstrong was describing one of the stories that he was told that have kept him going throughout his life. It begins by saying how some losses are greater than others, and some you just have to let go of. Then, Armstrong says “When I need reminding of this, I think of Sally Reed’s hair.” (Armstrong, p. 59). He then describes an event that occurred the day that he won the 1999 Tour De France. Sally Reed, his close friend, was suffering from cancer, and losing her hair from chemotherapy. When Armstrong won, she took the final strands of hair and threw them into the wind.
I liked this scene because even though it wasn’t about Lance Armstrong himself, it obviously had so much meaning to him. It was one of life’s lessons, something he learned from. Most autobiographies don’t contain the story behind the author, just their history and achievements. But Armstrong takes it to another level, by describing how he came to be the man he is today.
The second scene I enjoyed was when Armstrong was describing his incidents with Jeff Spencer, the US Postal Service’s team chiropractor. Armstrong describes Jeff’s “Pink Tape” that can fix any problem, be it tendinitis, sore muscles, or an aching back. I enjoyed this scene because it was light-hearted and fun. It made me smile as I read it. Even though Armstrong touched deep subjects in his book, he also included happy moments that every book needs to keep you from becoming bored.
I really enjoyed this book. Although it was not as interesting as Armstrong’s first book It’s Not About The Bike, simply because there was not as much to write about, compared to a battle with cancer, it was still a very inspiring book. I would recommend this book to older, more mature readers, because of the language used, the morals and opinions in the story, and because the book is about the life of a adult athlete. Younger readers may not understand fully what the book is about, and perhaps in a few years time, if I read the book again, I would interpret even more from the novel. Sports and cycling fans would enjoy this book too, if they wanted to get a deeper understanding of the life of a professional athlete.
November 10, 2011
I did not read the Spanish version, though that's what seems to come up here... :)
Rather than a review, just posting some of my favorite quotes from the book to "preserve them".
"What it teaches is this: pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever."
"Mortal illness, like most personal catastrophes, comes on suddenly. There's no great sense of foreboding, no premonition, you just wake up one morning and something's wrong in your lungs, or your liver, or your bones. But near-death cleared the decks, and what came after was a bright, sparkling awareness: time is limited, so I better wake up every morning fresh and know that I have just one chance to live this particular day right, and to string my days together into a life of action, and purpose."
"Suffering, I was beginning to think, was essential to a good life, and as inextricable from life as bliss. It's a great enhancer. It might last a minute, or a month, but eventually it subsides, and when it does, something else takes its place, and maybe that thing is a greater space. For happiness. Each time I encountered suffering, I believed that I grew, and further defined my capacities - not just my physical ones, but my interior ones as well, for contentment, friendship, or any other human experience."
"The real reward for pain is this: self-knowledge. If I quit, however, it would have lasted forever, that surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, would have stayed with me for the duration. When you feel like quitting, you have to ask yourself which you would rather live with."
"I'd lost races, health, and an old sense of self, and each loss had its own place in the scheme of life. Other losses, if they came, would have their places, too. There are certain inevitabilities. You will grow older. You will be forced to compromise in ways you never imagined and confront problems you thought you were immune to. You will find a job, and perhaps lose it. You will fight with your mate, shoulder unwanted responsibilities, and cope with rank unfairness. You can allow all of that to demoralize you. Or you can let it shape you, and trust that the shape will be more interesting because of it."
Rather than a review, just posting some of my favorite quotes from the book to "preserve them".
"What it teaches is this: pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever."
"Mortal illness, like most personal catastrophes, comes on suddenly. There's no great sense of foreboding, no premonition, you just wake up one morning and something's wrong in your lungs, or your liver, or your bones. But near-death cleared the decks, and what came after was a bright, sparkling awareness: time is limited, so I better wake up every morning fresh and know that I have just one chance to live this particular day right, and to string my days together into a life of action, and purpose."
"Suffering, I was beginning to think, was essential to a good life, and as inextricable from life as bliss. It's a great enhancer. It might last a minute, or a month, but eventually it subsides, and when it does, something else takes its place, and maybe that thing is a greater space. For happiness. Each time I encountered suffering, I believed that I grew, and further defined my capacities - not just my physical ones, but my interior ones as well, for contentment, friendship, or any other human experience."
"The real reward for pain is this: self-knowledge. If I quit, however, it would have lasted forever, that surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, would have stayed with me for the duration. When you feel like quitting, you have to ask yourself which you would rather live with."
"I'd lost races, health, and an old sense of self, and each loss had its own place in the scheme of life. Other losses, if they came, would have their places, too. There are certain inevitabilities. You will grow older. You will be forced to compromise in ways you never imagined and confront problems you thought you were immune to. You will find a job, and perhaps lose it. You will fight with your mate, shoulder unwanted responsibilities, and cope with rank unfairness. You can allow all of that to demoralize you. Or you can let it shape you, and trust that the shape will be more interesting because of it."
June 17, 2009
"So it looks as thought I'm going to live - at least for another 50 years or more. But whenever I need to reassure myself of this, as I sometimes do.."
Armstrong's second book is a remarkably balanced account of his attempt to adjust to an 'ordinary' life after his extraordinary battle against cancer and subsequent win of the Tour de France with the US Postal team.
Lance does a commendable job at describing the difficulties that he encounters in trying to fulfill his roles as husband; father; cancer activist and world class athlete, all the while battling the fear of the cancer returning and that negative publicity from (unsubstantiated) French doping allegations and investigations would ruin his image and that of his cancer foundation. In a nutshell, this book explores Lance's personal strategy in resolving the many conflicting interests and priorities that we're all faced with.
The account of life on the road with US Postal were by far the highlight for me. The grueling stages of the tour, the thrills, the constant training, the honor and unwritten code of the Tour, the comradeship, and the Team above all else.
Lance tempers those accounts with his exploration of the difficulties living half of the year in Europe, being an absentee father and having to manage his foundation as well as largely captain the US Postal Team.
Underling the narrative are constant reminders that Lance is intent on wasting not one second of the time he has left. After his experiece with cancer, he sees life as a race against the clock, and one that he is not prepared to lose. Against that background, its hard not to welcome Lance's occasional periods of contemplating the lessons of life, analyzing his own behavior and offering advice to others to save the day.
Highly recommended as an easy read, it'll equally grip you with action sequences and get you re-assessing your own priorities, and exactly how you would life your life if you appreciated just how short it was.
"Another finish line is out there, somewhere. But I don't really want to find it - yet."
Armstrong's second book is a remarkably balanced account of his attempt to adjust to an 'ordinary' life after his extraordinary battle against cancer and subsequent win of the Tour de France with the US Postal team.
Lance does a commendable job at describing the difficulties that he encounters in trying to fulfill his roles as husband; father; cancer activist and world class athlete, all the while battling the fear of the cancer returning and that negative publicity from (unsubstantiated) French doping allegations and investigations would ruin his image and that of his cancer foundation. In a nutshell, this book explores Lance's personal strategy in resolving the many conflicting interests and priorities that we're all faced with.
The account of life on the road with US Postal were by far the highlight for me. The grueling stages of the tour, the thrills, the constant training, the honor and unwritten code of the Tour, the comradeship, and the Team above all else.
Lance tempers those accounts with his exploration of the difficulties living half of the year in Europe, being an absentee father and having to manage his foundation as well as largely captain the US Postal Team.
Underling the narrative are constant reminders that Lance is intent on wasting not one second of the time he has left. After his experiece with cancer, he sees life as a race against the clock, and one that he is not prepared to lose. Against that background, its hard not to welcome Lance's occasional periods of contemplating the lessons of life, analyzing his own behavior and offering advice to others to save the day.
Highly recommended as an easy read, it'll equally grip you with action sequences and get you re-assessing your own priorities, and exactly how you would life your life if you appreciated just how short it was.
"Another finish line is out there, somewhere. But I don't really want to find it - yet."
Read
April 28, 2016This one is again a great book by lance and for me this book is more about telling the life of an athlete and what does he goes about in his life -How he balances his family, friends, and cycling.
This book starts -once the lance won his 1st title in the race and is is getting ready for the next one and how he keeps winning till the time he ends up winning his 5th title.
While there are surely few instances where he gives you advise for life i.e. 'You may not be able to solve the world problem though you can solve the problem which is just next corner'.
Or 'Life is a team work it's stupidity to just think of yourself all the time'.
For me this book also gives a perspective pertaining 'Why lance is a kind of person he is' .
A great book to read.
This book starts -once the lance won his 1st title in the race and is is getting ready for the next one and how he keeps winning till the time he ends up winning his 5th title.
While there are surely few instances where he gives you advise for life i.e. 'You may not be able to solve the world problem though you can solve the problem which is just next corner'.
Or 'Life is a team work it's stupidity to just think of yourself all the time'.
For me this book also gives a perspective pertaining 'Why lance is a kind of person he is' .
A great book to read.
October 9, 2012
I read this book while I was visiting India to attend my brother's funeral (who mysteriously/inexplicably passed away at a very young age of 39 yrs). I was trying to get a grip of life as it seemed so uncertain. This book did help me in some ways to restore some sanity in me.
The author says cancer was the best thing that ever happened to him!! It helped him understand his priorities in life. When one reads this book, one can realize that we need not wait for some bad things to happen so as to understand our priorities/responsibilities. This book is a gripping account of how a champion in life (not just an athlete) thinks in adversaries. I strongly recommend reading this book.
The author says cancer was the best thing that ever happened to him!! It helped him understand his priorities in life. When one reads this book, one can realize that we need not wait for some bad things to happen so as to understand our priorities/responsibilities. This book is a gripping account of how a champion in life (not just an athlete) thinks in adversaries. I strongly recommend reading this book.
January 14, 2015
As a follow-up to "It's Not About the Bike", this book continues to deliver an interesting story of this athlete's journey. Be sure to read the first book before this one. I'd give it 5 stars, but we now know that the entire story was not told here. So, I am eagerly awaiting Lance's next book. I'm hoping that one will be a tell-all soul-bearing story that will put these two books in perspective.
April 13, 2017
Read this like an idiot years ago. I live in France and defended this sod! What a muppet.
July 12, 2024
Inspirational read, would read it 100 times over. Regardless of the lies and doping, Lance is an inspiration.
February 3, 2013
Move this to Fiction.
June 25, 2025
Maybe 3.5-4. It wasn’t as good as his first but it was still good. A little unnecessary to bring up all the doping denial in your book... again. But honestly his relationship with and advocacy for the cancer community is pretty awesome. And the take home message was pretty badass. He wrapped it up with this “But both cancer and competition have taught me one great, incontrovertible lesson that I think every person can learn from, whether healthy or ill, athlete or layman. The lesson is this: personal comfort is not the only thing worth seeking.
Whether the subject is bike racing, or cancer, or just living, comfort only takes us to a point that's known. Since when did sheets with the right thread-count, a coffee maker, and an electric toothbrush become the only things worth having or working toward? Too often, comfort gets in the way of inner reckonings.
For instance, there's no math that can tell you why some people ride in the Tour de France, some never enter the race, and some ride but don't risk. I've known guys who never quite put it all on the line, and you know what? They lost. One minute, after nearly a month of suffering, can decide who wins. Is it worth it? It depends on whether you want to win. I have the will to suffer. I do have that.
There are parts unknown with regard to human performance, and those are the parts when it's just about pain and forfeit. How do you make yourself do it? You remind yourself that you're fulfilling your obligation to get the best from yourself, and that all achievement is born out of sacrifice.
The experience of suffering is like the experience of exploring, of inding something unexpected and revelatory. When you find the outermost thresholds of pain, or fear, or uncertainty, what you experience afterward is an expansive feeling, a widening of your capa-bilities.
Pain is good because it teaches your body and your soul to im-prove. It's almost as though your unconscious says, "I'm going to remember this, remember how it hurt, and I'll increase my capacities so that the next time, it doesn't hurt as much." The body literally builds on your experiences, and a physique and temperament that have gone through a Tour de France one year will be better the next year, because it has the memory to build upon. Maybe the same is true of living, too.
If you lead a largely unexamined life, you will eventually hit a wall. Some barriers can be invisible until you smack into them. The key, then, is to investigate the wall inside yourself, so you can go beyond it. The only way to do that is to ask yourself painful questions just as you try to stretch yourself physically.”
Whether the subject is bike racing, or cancer, or just living, comfort only takes us to a point that's known. Since when did sheets with the right thread-count, a coffee maker, and an electric toothbrush become the only things worth having or working toward? Too often, comfort gets in the way of inner reckonings.
For instance, there's no math that can tell you why some people ride in the Tour de France, some never enter the race, and some ride but don't risk. I've known guys who never quite put it all on the line, and you know what? They lost. One minute, after nearly a month of suffering, can decide who wins. Is it worth it? It depends on whether you want to win. I have the will to suffer. I do have that.
There are parts unknown with regard to human performance, and those are the parts when it's just about pain and forfeit. How do you make yourself do it? You remind yourself that you're fulfilling your obligation to get the best from yourself, and that all achievement is born out of sacrifice.
The experience of suffering is like the experience of exploring, of inding something unexpected and revelatory. When you find the outermost thresholds of pain, or fear, or uncertainty, what you experience afterward is an expansive feeling, a widening of your capa-bilities.
Pain is good because it teaches your body and your soul to im-prove. It's almost as though your unconscious says, "I'm going to remember this, remember how it hurt, and I'll increase my capacities so that the next time, it doesn't hurt as much." The body literally builds on your experiences, and a physique and temperament that have gone through a Tour de France one year will be better the next year, because it has the memory to build upon. Maybe the same is true of living, too.
If you lead a largely unexamined life, you will eventually hit a wall. Some barriers can be invisible until you smack into them. The key, then, is to investigate the wall inside yourself, so you can go beyond it. The only way to do that is to ask yourself painful questions just as you try to stretch yourself physically.”
January 31, 2019
Another finish line is out there,but I don't really want to find it - yet
~~ every second counts by Lance Armstrong
~~year of publication: 2003
~~genre: autobiography/ sport
Autobiography of the legendary Lance Armstrong where he narrated his survivorship and championships after life-threatening cancer.
We all know that he doped and for a minute I will keep all the dope thing aside and will think about him and his challenges,his experiences, his races after cancer which are very inspiring and mind blowing.
His attitude towards his disease and life defined him. My favourite part in this book was one dialogue between him and his teammates about no bondage, about having 'no chains'
This book is full of unspoken emotions about human nature. Fears, insecurities, anxieties, introspections happiness,victories and success.
This is one of the best autobiographies that I have read, because it's about winning life over everything.
Three things can be learnt from this book
1. There is 'no mess' free life.
2. You will always make mistakes no matter what.
3. Your success is not completely yours. It's always about teamwork.
#Qotd: Do you think there is a perfect life??
~~ every second counts by Lance Armstrong
~~year of publication: 2003
~~genre: autobiography/ sport
Autobiography of the legendary Lance Armstrong where he narrated his survivorship and championships after life-threatening cancer.
We all know that he doped and for a minute I will keep all the dope thing aside and will think about him and his challenges,his experiences, his races after cancer which are very inspiring and mind blowing.
His attitude towards his disease and life defined him. My favourite part in this book was one dialogue between him and his teammates about no bondage, about having 'no chains'
This book is full of unspoken emotions about human nature. Fears, insecurities, anxieties, introspections happiness,victories and success.
This is one of the best autobiographies that I have read, because it's about winning life over everything.
Three things can be learnt from this book
1. There is 'no mess' free life.
2. You will always make mistakes no matter what.
3. Your success is not completely yours. It's always about teamwork.
#Qotd: Do you think there is a perfect life??
April 20, 2025
I sped through this book, even though I initially disliked the matter of fact style of writing, as I came to thoroughly enjoy the pace and shared insights Lance provides about his life and all the big and little moments. I enjoyed the motivational aspect of this book, about never giving up, and never slowing down, life is unexpected and can be short.
It was disappointing though only to search Google and realize the largest part of the book, where he is consistently spewing his innocence about not doping, is in fact a bloody lie. I’d been a fresh out of school kid when the truth broke so I didn’t have that knowledge before reading this book, having taken no notice of it as it broke.
If you’re able to overlook this, and read the book for the encouraging and motivational insights that litter the pages, then you’ll probably enjoy this. If you’re not, then likely you’ll be suspect at everything you read, wondering when you should take a pinch of salt.
It was disappointing though only to search Google and realize the largest part of the book, where he is consistently spewing his innocence about not doping, is in fact a bloody lie. I’d been a fresh out of school kid when the truth broke so I didn’t have that knowledge before reading this book, having taken no notice of it as it broke.
If you’re able to overlook this, and read the book for the encouraging and motivational insights that litter the pages, then you’ll probably enjoy this. If you’re not, then likely you’ll be suspect at everything you read, wondering when you should take a pinch of salt.
December 20, 2024
A decent work of fiction, featuring many passages where he tried to make the reader feel sorry for how much suspicion he was placed under regarding doping. It would later turn out to be correctly placed suspicion.
I feel for the cancer survivors and families of them. They must have felt cheated and deceived by zero-time Tour de France winner, Armstrong.
While I recognise the good work he did at the Foundation, and I enjoyed reading this book, it cannot be overlooked how poorly he treated other in the sport. Which clean winners could have won the 7 Tours he unfairly won? Perhaps Armstrong could have even done so!
I feel for the cancer survivors and families of them. They must have felt cheated and deceived by zero-time Tour de France winner, Armstrong.
While I recognise the good work he did at the Foundation, and I enjoyed reading this book, it cannot be overlooked how poorly he treated other in the sport. Which clean winners could have won the 7 Tours he unfairly won? Perhaps Armstrong could have even done so!
May 16, 2017
I would say I liked the book a lot. Just that after all the fuss about 'The' Lance we knew and now reading about it and also recalling what happened to his life eventually. I don't know whether to like him or not. I mean he did raise a lot of money through his NGO and helped millions of people suffering from Cancer. But it hurts me when I think about all the greats who came second when Lance was busy doping.
July 19, 2018
I enjoyed this book, although people may feel differently about this man today. I still believe he is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen. The fact is cycling is a dirty sport, so my view is he still beat everyone fairly because they were all on something. People need to get over the doping, it happens. It does not take away from his determination and heart to win.
A good look into the mindset of a champion.
A good look into the mindset of a champion.
March 31, 2019
Wow. What a life, what a career. This is the stuff legends are made of. This is the story of survival, the story of persistence. As they say, Fall seven times, stand up eight. This apies aptly for Lance Armstrong the champion.
The book has been written in a very lucid style and engaging style. By taking us through his journey on the personal front and during the Tours (De France), he has made us realise what it takes to be a champion. Controversies aside, he is a champion. Salute!
The book has been written in a very lucid style and engaging style. By taking us through his journey on the personal front and during the Tours (De France), he has made us realise what it takes to be a champion. Controversies aside, he is a champion. Salute!
April 6, 2021
I don't know if Lance is guilty of doping or not but the book seems to be quite predictable in his dealing with races and cancer. However, I did learn about what racing is or was about back in his days of racing. The cancer part is different for everyone. just because someone has survived, it doesn't mean it won't happen to you or it will happen to you. That part I agree with the book: don't idolize hero, just look for people around you, your family and friends for inspiration.
June 30, 2022
I read his first book when it came out in 2000 and I thought "wow, what a story, what a fighter".
I got around reading this book only in 2022, almost a decade after he finally admitted to doping. Well, that change of perspective certainly makes for an interesting read.
I wonder how he manages to look into his family's eyes after all that lying.
I got around reading this book only in 2022, almost a decade after he finally admitted to doping. Well, that change of perspective certainly makes for an interesting read.
I wonder how he manages to look into his family's eyes after all that lying.
March 28, 2021
Being a cancer survivor is one of my biggest earns in life, and in his book, Lance showed us how a serious disease can imorove one's mindset and how to be healrhier than ever even after a serious illness.
November 25, 2022
I find Lance armstrong to be a flawed but real hero to me, and I loved this book.
We had a French foreign exchange student live with our family and he turned me on to the /tour De france bike race...which in turn made me realize how interesting armstrong is.
Worth a Read!
We had a French foreign exchange student live with our family and he turned me on to the /tour De france bike race...which in turn made me realize how interesting armstrong is.
Worth a Read!
February 3, 2023
This book is a mixture of great stories and philosophical insights. It’s a fantastic read you just have to separate the fact that a lot of it is built on the lies that he was a clean athlete and was being persecuted by the ADAs
November 21, 2024
Found this on the back of my bookshelf, so I thought I'd see what it was like. Especially after it has been found him cheating. I couldn't take the bits about the tour seriously, although I did enjoy him talking about his cancer and charity work. I just hope that those parts are true.
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