It's not about the bike : My journey back to life by Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins

My good friend Rohit Keluskar (whom everybody calls Kelu) had the presence of mind (:P) to give (...........rather i should say , lend - that is the more appropriate word ;)) me this book - written by Lance Armstrong , the world famous cyclist whose name has become synonymous with the 'Tour de France'. The book is co-authored with Sally Jenkins and was published by Random House. The first edition came out in 2001.

The book traces the life of one of the world's most talented and celebrated athletes , Lance Armstrong who evokes strong memories of the fist-pumping winner of the Tour de France - the mecca of the cycling world. But as the title suggests, the book is not about his biking exploits but about his journey back to life after being diagnosed with testicular cancer at the young age of 25. Imagine having the world at you feet and then suddenly you are thrown off-gear ; not just that you are almost smashed to death with less than 40% chance of survival.

But as the author says, the book is not meant to be polite conversation. It is Lance's way to tell the truth, about cancer, about brain surgery, about being rendered sterile, about survivorship and lastly about beating the odds. The book starts with Armstrong discovering that he has cancer, and then goes into flashback mode, detailing his childhood, his upbringing, his mum's efforts to raise him notwithstanding all the troubles and tensions. It describes his fascination for acceleration; speed; restlessness which is then chanelled into high-activity sports. The book describes the initial days as a triathlete and then discovering his special cycling abilities. How he makes the impression on the radar of the cycling world as a young prodigious talent and then making the mark with national and international wins.

The cataclysmic moment comes after being crowned world champion with the discovery of testicular cancer which has invaded not only his lungs but also his brain. Armstrong is left numb, out in the cold, unable to face the sudden death staring in his face. Fear is what you realise when you hear the words -"You have cancer." he says. Through the book Armstrong tries to detail each stage of his cancer treatment, right from the extreme shock and then to the painful realisation of the same. He stresses the importance of knowing what you are afflicted with and have a plan to fight it, the fact that second, third and even fourth opinions must be sought and no stone must be left unturned. The book sheds light on the facilities available today ( i am sure, things have advanced even more as of now :)) to fight cancer and also details the brain surgery he had to undergo to remove lesions ; the horrible chemotherapy process where toxins are seeped in your blood which kill cancer cells but also end up blowing out the healthy ones. Throughout the treatment, Lance made sure that he remained active irrespective of his health. Also the book shows how his family and friends support him wholeheartedly.

He feared that his career as a cyclist was over because the cancer eats you out. After the treatments, he recounts his comeback and the various problems associated when faced with withdrawals from sponsors, no contracts and almost being without money. But the tough and determined individual that he is, he fights every obstacle in his path to win the ultimate honour for any cyclist and that is the 'Tour de France', putting many nay-sayers to shame.

The book talks about cancer and cycling in the same breath and makes us aware of the various terminologies involved in both. So you realise what is a peloton (The main group of riders formed during a cycling road race), what is bonking (the condition when an athlete suddenly loses energy by failure to eat and drink enough during the race ), how cyclists attack (A sudden attempt to get away from another rider), the strategies used during 'Tours' , the yellow jersey- the ultimate joy ! (Feel free to refer to the pdf in the link at the end for more cycling terms.) As also you learn about oncology (branch of medicine dealing with cancer tumors), chemotherapy, various markers used to diagnose, etc etc.

The book is written in a very Texan manner, just like how Lance Armstring is, loud and flamboyant. You can't help but marvel and learn a lesson or two regarding enduring determination from this guy. He shows you how to keep fighting when the chips are down. A book worth a read. To get inspired and to break free. Read it for the sheer beauty of seeing someone come back from the dead.

Cycling terms:
http://www.usacycling.org/events/2005/trackworlds/mediaGuide/2005%20UCI%20Track%20Cycling%20World%20Championships%20Information/cyclespeak.pdf