By Kelly Jad'on

Known in sports circles as the World’s Greatest Champion, Lance Armstrong has defeated the odds of loss in more ways than one.

Author John Wilcockson begins this biography with an internal look at Lance’s family, prior to his birth, detailing the circumstances surrounding his earliest years. Raised by his mother, Linda, Lance began an early sports career of swimming, cross country, football, and BMX bike racing. Seeing his mother struggle with a divorce from his stepfather, pushed Lance to succeed. Linda would continue to be the guiding force behind her young son’s life. Lance states, “I think I was raised with the mentality to be a champion, not born with it. …You’re not born with aggression or a killer instinct. But my mother taught me to be a fighter and to never quit. She would say every day, ‘Go git ‘em!’”

Pushing back his kickstand, for a major cycling career comeback at age 37 (Sep 2008), has brought continued awareness and support to Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong Foundation. Elizabeth Edwards is quoted, “He keeps on doing these impossible things when we’re faced with really possible tasks, tasks that are possible compared with what he’s going through.” Armstrong fought against a a deadly testicular cancer diagnosis, doping charges, and age. Defying these physical and mental disabilities, and making a reentrance into the world of cycling, Armstrong took third place at the Tour de France (2009).

After interviewing both friends and family, Wilcockson writes about the personal details in Lance Armstrong’s life, which helps the reader see Armstrong as a person, rather than as a super star. Though viewed around the world as a celebrity, Armstrong considers himself a shy guy with an Airstream trailer, who uses his status to push his cancer foundation forward, inspire troops with his visits to Afghanistan and Iraq, and encourage others who have been told to go home and just give up.

Recently, with Anna Hansen, Armstrong has seen the arrival of another of his children. No longer sterile, this baby is his first to be conceived naturally. In the past, there's been criticism of Lance about his divorce from his ex-wife Kristin, but she has only glowing comments about Armstrong and his new relationship with Anna today.

This October, Lance Armstrong celebrates 13 years of victory over cancer. In a return to his athletic roots, Armstrong will compete for Team RadioShack (beginning 2010) as a cyclist, runner and triathlete in events around the globe, which will include the 2010 Tour de France.  Lance Armstrong truly is a man who just won't give up.

John Wilcockson has written for Outside and Men’s Journal, among other publications. He is the author of 23 Days in July, one of ESPN’s “Top 10 Sports Books of the Year.”

Lance: The Making of The World's Greatest Champion (Da Capo Press/ Jun 2009) by John Wilcockson

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