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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 postcancer 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 yearold self
02:26:56 Keeping fit at age 50
About:
The Peter Attia Drive is a weekly, ultradeepdive 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).
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