LIVESTRONG Blog

A Letter to Our Next President

2008-11-10T19:18:56Z

As part of an ongoing series, “Letters to the new president” that will run on CNN.com - Lance opens his letter with the following remarks:

“Here’s something that should outrage you: Every day, more than 1,500 Americans die of cancer. Our federal government knows how to prevent many of these losses. Tragically, its attention has simply been elsewhere.”

To read his whole letter visit CNN.com

Lance Cycling Update

2008-11-10T18:32:43Z

Lance Armstrong is now 3-for-3 after entering his third cycling competition over the last two weekends, winning the Cat 1 class at the Rocky Hill Roundup in Smithville, Texas on Sunday.

Lance also spent some time working in the wind tunnel last week.

To keep up with the latest on Lance’s return to cycling, visit LIVESTRONG.com

Lance at Web 2.0 Conference

2008-11-06T19:25:45Z

Last night Lance was in San Francisco at the Web 2.0 Summit. Below is the keynote he gave. It is about 40 minutes long, but well worth it in which he talks about a range of subjects including Twitter, Brett Favre, his comeback to cycling and even LL Cool J. So check it out.

Doug’s Vblog - 11.05.08

2008-11-05T17:32:20Z

Gruene Re-cap with Photos

2008-11-03T20:55:43Z

While the history was there, it’s doubtful that anyone would have picked Gruene, Texas as the start of Lance Armstrong’s historic comeback to professional road racing. Back in 1996 it was a very different story as Lance, who admittedly “barely could ride a bike” due to cancer treatments, rode with legendary Eddy Merckx in a ceremonial Time Trial circuit. Then in 1997 he rode with teammate Kevin Livingston notching a 2nd place result.

Flash ahead 11 years later and Lance had teamed up with longtime friend John “College” Korioth to contest his first TT since July of 2005. Lance started off by winning the individual race Saturday and the 2-man contest with College on Sunday. But as always, the result is only part of the story, here’s a look at what it took for Team Armstrong to get the win this past weekend…

Saturday
The morning started early for those in support of Lance’s solo effort. Man-of-all-things Dave Bolch (soigneur, mechanic, ranch manager, welder, and on and on) got all the gear together while I went out and picked up aero guru Steve Hed at the airport. While some things are always kept close, suffice to say they wanted to try some new things position-wise, as well as some new equipment. After all, early races like this are more about testing yourself and equipment than they are about victories.

Dave and Steve got to making the adjustments they wanted to try and Lance came over to check on their progress and discuss what his thoughts were in recent rides compared to back in the day. The joke of the day was that we planned to go “low profile” into Gruene, but by the time we had everyone organized realized we had four vehicles, a follow scooter, 12 folks including Lance’s kids and a video crew! So much for incognito… we made the 50 mile trek to just outside of Gruene proper to a scenic riverside start line. With everyone unloaded we got down to the business at hand: Lance went out to warm up, we got the lay of the land and start procedures down, and LA’s son Luke practiced skipping rocks in the river…

The weekend, weather-wise, couldn’t have been nicer for a Fall TT. With temps in the upper 70s and fall colors abundant, it was a truly scenic venue. Lance went and pre-rode the course (they had scouted it earlier as well) while we met with race directors Tom Sickman and Will Rotzler. Both guys have been running this race for a long time, and Tom was one of the first folks to get me into the sport back when he used to own B&J Bicycle Shop in San Antonio. Solid guys for sure.

With riders streaming out to test themselves on the 16 mile out and back course, Lance rolled in and got set up to spin on the trainer. By this time the crowd had found our camp and was a respectful 8-10 feet around him while he continued his warm up. While I helped with crowd control on one side, an older man came right up to him on the bike much to our surprise. As I came over to escort him to a safer position, he smiled and said, “No, no, it’s OK – I am from Denmark!” No, no - it’s OK to be over there, not here, regardless of national origin.

As the crowd started to press in, Lance decided to go finish his warm up out on the road and we headed for the follow car. College and Steve Hed were on the chase scooter so Steve could get a firsthand look at Lance’s position and performance, director Tom drove the follow car with several of our crew and reporters along for the ride. Lance was last to head out late afternoon, and while he was clearly the fastest rider on the course, he looked a bit “blocked” to me, especially on the first 8 miles out. I’ve seen Lance’s riding style for many years, and the smooth locked-in style just wasn’t there. He seemed to be fighting for power rather than it just flowing. The power was still there (albeit well below his Tour performance standard, he noted after), but it just didn’t look like it felt right. Lance would go on to win the day with a time of 33′14″ (46.5 kmh / 28.9 mph), but as soon as he came back he was in a huddle with Steve and Dave, discussing the day’s performance and bike set up.

On the way back home, with Blackberry phone calls and messages flying, it was decided for the next day to go back to basics and the riding set up from 2005. That meant plenty of work post-ride for Steve and Dave, and a 7am leave time tomorrow morning…

Sunday
At least daylight savings time was in our favor, and the crew – down to just two vehicles today – was in a much more relaxed state than yesterday. Of course the pressure was on today for College, after all, it’s not every day a 42 year old gets the opportunity to race a 2-man TT with a 7-time Tour de France champion, even if he is one of your best friends and you are the reigning Masters National Road Champ! But John looked in good spirits with plenty of good natured ribbing throughout the morning.

We rolled into downtown Gruene and set up camp in the Gristmill restaurant. Riders of all calibers were heading out onto the course, most taking it quite seriously while others took the opportunity to enjoy a sporty ride through the very scenic countryside. While Lance and College warmed up on the course, I went to scout out the venue and start times. LA and College would head out at 10:01am, and as I showed Lance a photo of the start times he saw that 2007 defending champs Pat McCarty (Garmin-Chipotle) and Phil Wikoff (Source Endurance) were starting three minutes ahead of them. “That’s the target!” he said enthusiastically. Now giving two solid TTers nearly a mile and a half head start and then running them down is not only a difficult thing to, but you have to AVERAGE 1.5 mph faster than them the entire way. Looked like a long hour for College was in the works!

With the race running spot on time we had just 13 minutes for some final adjustments to LA’s bike and while they lined up in the final spot we loaded up the chase car. I had the wheel while Bart Knaggs rode shotgun along with Steve, video crew, reporter and race director Will. The guys were off like a shot in the quick downhill start and it was immediately apparent that Lance was riding a lot better than yesterday. “The only problem is that Lance could burn out College,” Bart noted. That would take some good / honest communication between the two riders, or else College could blow up and Lance would have to wait (the final rider time is the one that’s scored). The guys looked very good together, and as to be expected Lance took most of the pulls but College did his share, too. With speeds going between 28-32 mph (and well over 40 mph on the mild descents) all was looking well, but while we knew that Lance had a ~29mph TT in him, could College hang on?

With Bart often hanging out the car yelling encouragement and banging on the door(!) it didn’t seem like they could go much faster. That is until Lance caught sight of a Garmin-Chipotle uniform on the horizon of a gradual ascent on Hwy 306. Spurred on by seeing their afore-mentioned 3-minute target, Lance and College worked even harder to catch and pass McCarty and Wikoff. The defending champs weren’t about to just get dropped and lose site, playing cat and mouse with Lance and College all the way to the line (while some in the car were concerned this chase effort may have cracked College). But in the end John did indeed hang on as they notched the second consecutive victory of the weekend, rolling in with a time of 56′37″ and an average speed of 28.9 mph / 46.5 kmh.

“That was the hardest physical thing I have ever done in my life,” a weary College said afterwards. “I have been asking Lance to do this race with me for 12 years. And when he finally agreed I realized I wasn’t quite sure what I had gotten myself into. I remember a part in the race where I told Lance my heart rate hadn’t gone below 180 since the start, and he told me his had been up over 190. I literally yelled at him – so why are we going on so hard?!” And while College was a bit cross-eyed, Lance had the fire back in his eyes and was already comparing TT photos on Liz Kreutz’s cameras back in the hotel room.

We made our way into the historic Gruene Hall jammed with riders and fans waiting for Lance’s podium time. Will first presented Lance with his trophy from the day before, then he and College accepted their prize for winning the 2-man TT. Lance thanked the crowd and the race for their amazing support, and then told them he intended to be back the following year to defend their title, much to the crowd’s delight! As we made our way back out, Lance signing item after item on the fly, you could just feel the overwhelming positive energy.

And while we’ve celebrated many victories on the streets of Paris, today just off of I-35 it was a Whataburger drive through that went to the victors. Hopefully when we look back on a very successful 2009 season, we’ll be able to say that it started on the roads of Gruene, Texas – great people, a great event, and a solid step forward in Lance’s comeback to professional cycling.

Sunday
Lance and company headed back to the house, LA spending the afternoon playing football and taking family photos with his kids and newest TT trophy. Dave and I dropped off Steve at the airport as he headed to the wind tunnel to prepare it for Lance and several other top riders in the days ahead. Afterwards we downloaded all the gear, glad for an early afternoon off and a successful weekend of racing. And me, I celebrated by breaking out my bike and going for a ride, it just seemed the right thing to do. Ciao for now – Cb…

Dave, Steve and Lance discuss the Trek TTX bike set up

College follows Lance on his warm up run Saturday

The scenic riverside of Gruene, TX

Lance’s kids cheer him on roadside

Steve and Lance discuss watts and drag counts on Sunday

The target has been noted

Team car

Lance leads College at 29+mph

Mission accomplished, McCarty and Wikoff are passed

Celebrating Whataburger style!

Photos from Gruene Time Trials

2008-11-03T19:54:40Z

Breaking Cancer’s Gene Code

2008-10-31T20:31:47Z

Dr. Bernadine Healy’s cover story on cancer in this week’s U.S. News & World Report takes a positive look to the future of cancer and forecasts the answers may lie in understanding the genetic underpinnings of the disease.

Read the full article here.

R.I.P. Fred Baron

2008-10-31T15:49:47Z

It’s with great sadness that the American cancer community bids farewell to Fred Baron. Fred believed fully in his responsibility to serve others and he did so with all his heart and every resource at his disposal.

You could always count on finding Fred on the side of those who needed his determination and wisdom the most. Many great causes benefited from his support but his generosity and dedication to the fight against cancer were singular and unwavering. The fact that we lost him, far too soon, to the very disease that he fought so hard to help defeat is heartbreaking.

Hopefully, this tragic loss and the great example he set for us will serve to strengthen our resolve to eradicate cancer. Our thoughts are with Lisa and Fred’s family as they mark his passing and we will continue our fight with their courage in our hearts. Fred will be greatly and sincerely missed by all who had the privilege to know him.

CBS Evening News Tonight - Where do the Candidates Stand on Cancer

2008-10-30T22:12:24Z

As part of the CBS Evening News Where do They Stand series, they will be airing a special report tonight about where the candidates stand on cancer. Make sure you tune in tonight and let us know what you think after you have watched.

UPDATE: The word we are getting is that this piece will NOT run tonight, but instead will now run after the election.

Our Vote to End Cervical Cancer

2008-10-30T19:06:52Z

American Cancer Society’s Dr. Seffrin and Lance teamed up urge action on HPV vaccines. Please take a moment to check out their joint op ed.

Our Vote to End Cervical Cancer
By Lance Armstrong and John Seffrin
Thursday, October 30, 2008; 12:00 AM

Preventing, treating and defeating cancer are among the greatest scientific challenges and personal triumphs of our time. And right now, we have the power to save our mothers, sisters and daughters from a type of cancer that claims a life every two minutes globally.

Cervical cancer progresses over decades, attacking women who might never know they are sick until it is too late. It often hits women in their prime, when they’re raising children, working hard and fully engaged in family, community and economic life, making these unnecessary deaths especially tragic.

Cervical cancer is unique among cancers because we know one of the main causes for it: certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV). We also know how to prevent it. There are now vaccines available that, when given to girls before they become sexually active, will later protect them from the potentially deadly strains of HPV.

In the United States and other wealthy countries, HPV vaccines, along with screening and early detection technologies, have become the standard. Yet cervical cancer remains the number one cause of cancer death among women in the developing world, because they do not have access to these technologies.

It’s hard to stop all HPV strains from spreading, but we can stop certain ones from killing.

Today in Geneva, the Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), which includes a U.S. representative, will decide whether to commit to making HPV vaccines available to girls in the 72 poorest countries. GAVI is an international alliance of governments, international agencies and nongovernmental organizations that helps bring needed vaccines to countries that can’t otherwise afford them. Once GAVI commits to a vaccine, it works with leaders in the public and private sectors to deliver its promise. But without a GAVI commitment, this lifesaving vaccine will remain the privilege of the few, rather than being deployed on the front lines of this terrible disease.

We have the data to prove that providing HPV vaccines to the poorest regions of the world is feasible, affordable and necessary. GAVI calculates that the cost of HPV vaccine at $10 per dose is possible, and in all likelihood, far less. The purchase price for GAVI-eligible countries will be $.30 per dose, which even the poorest of countries can pay. The difference will be covered through international financing and dramatic discounts from the pharmaceutical companies that make the vaccine. This combination of need, and a simple, affordable solution, makes the path forward clear.

To be sure, no new innovation or technology is without some controversy, and the HPV vaccine is no exception. Some concerns have been raised over the impact the vaccine may have on sexual behavior; however, there is no evidence that the introduction of this or any other effective vaccine leads to changes in human behavior, including sexual activity.

At the same time, we recognize that HPV vaccine alone is not enough to eradicate cervical cancer in the coming decades. We need to bring simple new screening technologies to women for whom the vaccine is not appropriate. Vaccines are most effective when they are given to girls before they become sexually active and contract the virus. For all other women, screening tools, as well as treatments for both precancerous cervical abnormalities and cancer itself, must be made more widely available. In places where screening and treatment may always be out of reach, vaccination is paramount.

Indeed, it is one of the miracles of our young century that cervical cancer prevention now comes in a vial. The HPV vaccine is built on Nobel-recognized science. It is effective. It is safe. It is affordable. And it is needed most in the places where it is hardest to get it.

The United States has another opportunity to show our belief and leadership in the powers of innovation and technology, by this commitment to improve lives of families, communities and nations. We urge our delegation to GAVI to vote “yes” on the commitment today in Geneva.

Lance Armstrong is a champion cyclist, cancer survivor and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. John Seffrin is chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society.

Washington Post Article