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Peter Attia MDPeter Attia MD

Lance Armstrong: The rise, fall, and growth of a cycling legend | The Peter Attia Drive, Ep. 178

View podcast show notes page: https://bit.ly/3JiqBTM Become a member to receive exclusive content: https://bit.ly/3JsI4Ja Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mBcj6T Lance Armstrong is a legendary figure in professional cycling having won seven consecutive Tour de France titles but also a controversial figure facing scrutiny for the use of performance enhancing drugs. In this episode, Lance takes us through his meteoric rise to one of the most famous athletes in the world and his equally accelerated fall from grace. Lance describes how he persevered through his brutal diagnosis of testicular cancer before rattling off a historic run of seven consecutive Tour de France titles all while facing tremendous scrutiny for his alleged use of performance enhancing drugs such as EPO and cortisone. Lance opens up about his decision to come clean about his use of performance enhancing drugs, the remorse for how he treated other people during that time in his life, and the personal growth that’s helped him emerge on the other end of that. Finally, Lance recounts some of favorite stories from his cycling career, reflects on his legacy, and explains how he stays fit at age 50. We discuss: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:10 - What everyone wants to know—yes and no questions 00:02:45 - Lance’s childhood and beginnings of a great athlete 00:14:17 - Lance’s realization that he had a knack for racing after his first pro race at age 00:18:05 - The move to cycling full time and a desire to compete in the Olympics 00:22:35 - Metrics tracked early in Lance’s career and his time with Motorola team 00:31:30 - The grueling nature of the Tour de France and the beginnings of serious drug usage in cycling 00:42:36 - The impact of EPO on cycling performance 00:46:55 - Testicular cancer diagnosis—denial, torturous symptoms, and treatment 01:03:16 - Livestrong is born 01:07:02 - Return to cycling post-cancer and a crossroad in Lance’s career 01:15:35 - Lance’s rise to prominence in the late 90s and the growing use of EPO in the sport 01:31:34 - Racing in the early 2000’s, blood transfusions, and rivalry with Jan Ulrich 01:45:45 - Retirement in 2005 and a comeback in 2009 01:52:20 - Lance’s decision to come clean and tell the truth 02:00:52 - Growth through downfall: learning from his mistakes and helping others after their own fall from grace 02:12:33 - Moving forward: Living his life, reflecting on his legacy, the state of Livestrong 02:21:00 - Turning back the clock: Advice Lance would give to his 15 year-old self 02:26:56 - Keeping fit at age 50 -------- About: The Peter Attia Drive is a weekly, ultra-deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing health, longevity, critical thinking…and a few other things. With over 35 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including fasting, ketosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more. Peter is a physician focusing on the applied science of longevity. His practice deals extensively with nutritional interventions, exercise physiology, sleep physiology, emotional and mental health, and pharmacology to increase lifespan (delay the onset of chronic disease), while simultaneously improving healthspan (quality of life). Learn more: https://bit.ly/3EC8tRt Connect with Peter on: Facebook: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDTW Instagram: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDIG Subscribe to The Drive: Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveApplePodcasts Overcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveOvercast Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheDriveSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheDriveGoogle

Peter AttiahostLance Armstrongguest
Oct 4, 20212h 35mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Lance Armstrong reflects on cycling, doping, cancer, downfall, and rebuilding his life

  1. Armstrong describes his childhood in Plano, his strict stepfather Terry Armstrong, his start in swimming at age 12, and turning pro in triathlon at 15 before moving to cycling.
  2. He recounts the doping culture he entered: EPO took hold around 1994-95, he worked with Michele Ferrari, and he says he moved from EPO to blood transfusions after 1999 and says the comeback years were clean.
  3. He walks through his 1996 testicular cancer diagnosis, delayed recognition of symptoms, brain surgery and chemotherapy in Indianapolis, and the creation of the Livestrong foundation during treatment.
  4. He explains his return to racing, the Tour wins, his rivalry-turned-friendship with Jan Ullrich, his 2009 comeback, and his decision to come clean to Oprah in 2013 after George Hincapie's grand jury involvement.
  5. He reflects on the fall, apologies, the loss of Livestrong, the double standards applied to other riders, what he'd tell his 15-year-old self, and how he stays fit at 50.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Armstrong's athletic base came from swimming and endurance sports

He started swimming at 12 in the six-year-old lane and worked his way across the pool, and he says a swimmer's engine and body carried into cycling, where he still had to learn peloton tactics.

He says EPO was highly effective and cut across all types of races

He says it added about 10% power, taking his 30-minute Madone effort from roughly 450 to 500 watts, and that it helped in one-day races as much as in Grand Tours.

Ignoring symptoms delayed his cancer diagnosis

He rationalized testicular pain, headaches, blurry vision and coughing up blood with excuses until he reached a doctor, by which point the cancer had spread to his lungs and brain.

Livestrong leveraged advocacy beyond fundraising

Armstrong notes the foundation spent about $600,000 lobbying for Texas's $3 billion CPRIT bond initiative, which he saw as far more leverage than selling yellow bands.

Armstrong sees inconsistent punishment across riders

He is frustrated that Ullrich and Pantani were shunned while riders like Zabel and Basso were embraced, and attributes it to society, the press and sport officials, and to how far the biggest stars had risen.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

I'm telling you, it is 10%.

— Lance Armstrong

If you put a gun to my head and said, "Okay, dude, you got one sport to choose for the rest of your life," there is no question it would be swimming. No question.

— Lance Armstrong

You can call me a lot of things. You cannot call me a quitter. I don't quit at anything.

— Lance Armstrong

It's like that guy needed to die, right? And then, and a new guy needed to come around.

— Lance Armstrong

It's a very effective substance.

— Lance Armstrong

Childhood in Plano and swimming rootsTriathlon to cycling transitionEPO, cortisone and transfusions in the pelotonTesticular cancer diagnosis and treatmentLivestrong and advocacyJan Ullrich rivalry and friendshipConfession, apologies and legacy

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