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Lance for Senate?
What was the catalyst for the comeback and the taking your cancer advocacy international?
First and foremost, we realized we could take LIVESTRONG around the world. That there was a place for that, and there was an audience for that. Not just in Texas and the United States. There are people in India, Italy, Mexico, Asia, and South America who understand what we were talking about and want to hear more about it.
But then the rubber ultimately meets the road. You have to go out and pedal and train and be an athlete in probably the hardest sport in the world. For me, the desire to take LIVESTRONG around the world met the Leadville 100 which was a race I trained for last summer just for fun, just to go out with some buddies and see if I could be competitive in a 100-mile mountain-bike race. But the process of building up for that and training for that reminded me that, uh oh, I still love this and I could still do this full time. However, it’s still not a paying job. It’s basically a volunteer position for the Foundation.
And at the Foundation we studied whether we could have an impact around the world. The result of study after two years was, “Yes, there is a place for us. There is a need for us which is more important.” I didn’t announce my comeback in order to do that, they came together very organically and naturally. But when they did, obviously me racing around the world touching different continents and being in different environments and talking about this issue in all walks of life in different societies, it helps the initiative. So that’s the reason I went to Johan [Bruyneel— Armstrong’s general manager and director during his seven tour wins and coach today of the Kazakhstan Astana team] and said, “I’d love to come back. You’ve got me for free. I’m racing because I’m passionate about cycling but most importantly I want to take this message around the world.”
You are such an inspiration to so many people. Who inspires you?
Of course, I’m in a unique position because I hear a lot of stories and see a lot of courageous, tough people. It’s not just a monthly or weekly thing. It’s probably an hourly occurrence. Where you see somebody who is fighting hard and showing incredible strength and courage that we all look up to. Just today, I’ve been thinking about Jim Owens who’s been real involved in the foundation and was a Tour of Hope rider. He was down at our LIVESTRONG ride a couple weeks ago. Looks like he’s at the end here. They’ve decided to stop treatment and enter hospice. This guy has fought literally for the better part of over a decade. That kind of strength, to fight for five or ten years, you can’t compare that to anything else. Athletically, politically, socially, It’s really inspiring. [Note: Owens passed away Sunday, the day after our interview.]
Hamilton Jordan [cancer crusader, former chief-of-staff to Jimmy Carter] is another person who spent many, many years dealing with his health. I got to know him very well. He never let on to how he was doing. You’d call Ham and say, “How you doing?” He could have just left the doctor’s office and received the worst news possible and he would look you right in the eyes and say, “I’m doing great.” That spirit is hard to come by.
There are those examples. But, of course my greatest inspiration has been my mother. Because she was always so tough and so committed to being such a great mom, committed to her son and trying to teach me the right things to do and keep me going in the right direction. Pound for pound, she’s far and away the toughest person I’ve ever known.
Tell us about your training.
Training is ahead of schedule. Because I started earlier and it hasn’t been a traditional run up. Normally you’d race the tour in July and you do some other races in August and maybe September and then you spend October and November just recovering from that season and then you get back on the bike and start going again in December. This one was completely different for me. I started in the summer primarily training for the Chicago marathon. And then that transitioned into training for Leadville which really kick started this whole thing. But since that point, I haven’t stopped training. I’ve spent months and months in the gym trying to build back a certain level of strength that I think I’ll need, not just strength but core stability. Now, for four to six weeks I’ve been out of the gym and strictly on the bike. So, long hours, four or five hours a day just getting ready for the season and first races, which come a lot of earlier now than they would have in the past. So, I start in a couple weeks, in mid-January. Typically I wouldn’t have started racing until late February.
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Give me a break. The guy rides a bike. The last thing we need is another person taking a public position simply to keep that all important attention they have come to need.
Go away lance and leave the running of this country to those who are educated to do so. Your not.
Hey Mark...ya still in grade school buddy? Removing any comments that you don't like? LOL Grow up or go back to work at Burger King
Thanks for the interview, Mark. I have a small-time blog where I basically sort through all the news out there about Lance and post the positive stuff regarding training, preparation and racing. Most "news stories" lately look like someone took a safety scissors and Elmers Glue and visited Lance's twitter account. Your getting the quote about Astana possible filling the podium at the Tour de France was huge.
Now I know why he loves bike riding so much. The crouch allows him to more easily gaze at his navel.
Sorry. But I don't believe that he is riding again for the foundation. He is riding again because he is an egomaniac and can't stand being out of the spotlight. Plain and simple. He could take the LIveStrong foundation global without riding the Tour. Now, he wants to save the world by entering politics. He is an athlete not a savior.
I enjoyed this timely, well-rounded piece. With Lance, it's hard to separate the man, the athlete and his cause. This interview hits right at the intersection of all three.
So on the one hand I'm glad to see him back in the saddle. His return is good for cycling in the U.S. Political ambitions? Cool. I'm of the opinion that people that groom there entire career toward Washington, DC are less prepared to lead the country than someone that may have actually accomplished something.
His foundation could be promoted and served just as well had he never come back to road racing. Thought he'd do more off-road racing. Leadville is only one endurance race. I'd love to have seen him in the Great Divide Race, or Trans Alps...
Lance would make an excellent politician - he's a brutal competitor, and knows how to win. Pro cycling is best defined as "Boxing meets horse racing" - which gives Lance a knowledge of how rough human behavior can be and how to handle it - a trait I deeply admire in our president-elect with his Chicago experience. At the same time, Lance's passion for cancer work is genuine - he does visit kids cancer wards in hospitals without a lot of fanfare and accompanying PR hacks. He has done enormous things for the cancer community, in terms of moral support/encouragement political presence and in delivering pure hard cash. Never make the mistake of underestimating Lance or counting him out. Never, ever works. Besides, If Schwartzenegger can be a Gov....
First, I would race until, I guess, I came in second. When you are on a winning streak there is no reason to stop. Secondly, (SHOCK!) I would take LIVESTRONG globally through LinkedIn or other social and professional networking sites as the Pickens Plan has group representation on LinkedIn. It may already be "a group" I've just haven't seen it. As far as politics, if Al Franken can win then anyone can. (That's a compliment.)
I'm not interested in feeding his ego.
Go Lance! To all you critics, you are allowed your opinion, but most of you don't have a clue about the complexity of pro cycling. But I don't have the time to educate you. Lance is a force, whether on the bike or spearheading cancer awareness globally.
He would make a great politician but he does have a flaw, he is an honest, hard working individual. I hope he does take office in some capacity and help clean up the corrupt government we have in these trying times.
Lance is an inspiration, and although not perfect, he is doing more than all of you put together! So shut up and go back to watching tv on your couches.
I think it is great he is racing again, no matter what the reason. I plan on watching him.
He seems to have all the qualifications to run for a polital office. Womanizing, lying, drugging, flip-flopping, what else---
While I can appreciate his cycling achievements and promotional efforts for cancer, he's not a good person, deep down--which is what matters most in this life. It's really unfortunate when his talent is offset by the fact that he's such a tool (see also Kanye West and John Mayer, for starters). He should stop talking about himself for a few years and start treating women respectfully; this will go a long way toward making him the inspiration that he aspires to be.
The trouble with politics anybody thinks they can do it. And stupid people vote them in like it's American Idol and then wonder why things get as screwed up as they currenly are.
After seeing first-hand the work Lance and the LAF are doing to fight cancer, I am inspired and empowered by his personal commitment and that of his foundation staff.
Mr. Armstrong is one of the most well-focus, intense individuals on the place of the planet. He has surrounded himself with some of the most talented and competent people on the planet, via both his cycling team and his LAF staff.
Whether it is cycling, serving in the fight against cancer, or the political arena, he faces each task head-on with iron determination to make change HAPPEN.
Mr. Armstrong isn't sitting on his ass doing nothing but complaining about what needs to be done or how it could be done better. He is personally invested in the fight.
Since it's inception in 1997, the Lance Armstrong Foundation has raised more than $250 million to fight cancer, donating $2 million in December of 2008 alone. Lance served on the President's Cancer Panel from 2002-2008. I'm all about some VOTE LANCE. I would be proud to have him in my corner any day.
That's 15 minutes of my life I'll never get back.
trisha08
"Sorry. But I don't believe that he is riding again for the foundation. He is riding again because he is an egomaniac and can't stand being out of the spotlight. Plain and simple. He could take the LIveStrong foundation global without riding the Tour. Now, he wants to save the world by entering politics. He is an athlete not a savior."
I have to agree with this. I have watched all of his races and
have read all of his books. I do have great respect for his accomplishments. He has a "Killer" attitude so necessary for his success. However, there is another side to this guy
who has an enourmous ego along with being a "player" (read womanizer who prefers blondes). Will he marry his pregnant
girlfriend and if so, how soon will he divorce her? I think his ego thinks he is doing the world a good deed by leaving us a bunch of future "Armstrong Bred Riders". I forsee another
"Love Child" episode if he enter politics.
Mark was kissing Lance's bicycle seat so hard he must have got
Mark was kissing Lance's bicycle seat so hard he must have gotten a concussion.
brelnday:
"He seems to have all the qualifications to run for a polital office. Womanizing, lying, drugging, flip-flopping, what else---"
lol....I forsee another love child once he gets in office.
Thank you.
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