Do you remember the hero who spread the "yellow" awareness? He is the founder of the Livestrong Organization which encourages people to stay brave during their battle against cancer. He is none other than Lance Armstrong, whose story is nothing short of a Hollywood movie script, except it's true. His story would inspire others not only because he overcame cancer and emerged as a hero, but also because of the fact that he trained to unsurpassed levels which had given him amazing physical fitness and the mindset required for long distance racing.
The Diagnosis
Back in 1996, at age 25, Lance Armstrong was one of the world's best cyclists. Having won the World Championships, the Tour Du Pont and multiple Tour de France stages, he seemed invincible and his future was bright. But things seemed to have come to an end after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer on October 2, 1996. Like most young, healthy men, Lance ignored the warning signs, and he never imagined the seriousness of his condition. Going untreated, the cancer had spread to his lungs and brain as well. A surgery had to be conducted urgently to remove his inflamed testicle which grew to the size of an orange. Doctors had very little hope about his recovery. They said that he had less than 40 percent chance of survival.
Armstrong proved to be a fighter in the race and in his personal life as well. He was brought up by his mother, a single parent and she was the person who inculcated the spirit of strong determination in her son's mind from a very young age. Armstrong showed courage and agreed to go through the surgical procedures and the long period of chemotherapy. He suffered weight loss to a large extent and he was not able to ride his bike even around his neighborhood. It seemed as if his career had come to an end.
The Come Back
Cancer left him scarred physically and emotionally, but a combination of physical conditioning, a strong support system and competitive spirit kept him fighting. With the advice of specialists, he tried a course of treatment that gave him a chance for a full recovery with less danger of losing lung capacity as a side effect. Remarkably, the chemotherapy began to work and his cancer went into complete remission. He then went back to pursue his passion - cycling! He sensed that he could once again go back to become a champion while cycling through the training trails of the Blue Rider Mountains. By January 1998, he was already engaged in serious training for racing and moved to Europe to race for the U.S. Postal team.
In 1999, when Lance went to the line at the prologue of the Tour, it was already a victory – both for him and cancer survivors everywhere. He rode on to win his first Tour de France that year. Since he made history in 1999, he has won the tour six more times, and has become one of the most recognizable and admired people of this era.
An average person would have a VO2 Max aerobic capacity of 45 ml/kg/min, but the figure is a whopping 83.8 in case of this leading cyclist. His resting heart rate stands at 32-34 beats per minute with the maximum value shooting up to 201 bpm. For an average individual, the resting heartbeat goes over 60 bpm. He is not just a great cyclist, but a Marathoner as well. In 2006, he completed the New York Marathon within a time of 2 hours and 59 minutes. Two years later, he again took part in the Boston Marathon and completed the race in 2 hour 50 minutes. He was among the top 500 participants. Lance Armstrong sets an example to others who are passing through similar conditions. He was the one who was able to stand on his willpower and to defy the dreaded disease.
