I know I am only eleven years late to the game but I just finally read Lance Armstrong’s book, “It’s Not About the Bike.” It took me forever to read it because I haven’t really agreed with some of his life choices but I wanted to know his story and a little more about cycling so I gave it a chance.
Please tell me your nose get’s sunburned way more than anything else too…..
I absolutely LOVED this book. I took so much from each chapter whether it was about fighting the battle of cancer, endurance, relationships, training, and fighting for what you want.
I have been reading it on the elliptical or spin bike and there are so many sections that helped me to push harder and go fasteer;)
I am not going to lie…..the whole injurieS thing the last 6 months really put a damper on my LONG-TERM RUNNING GOALS and I kind of lost a little motivation to get back there.
Um, there was NO way I could have kept that same attitude after reading this book. Lance came back from his DEATHBED. His inner-drive is incredible and unstoppable.
I love one-liners because they are something that my brain can actually remember when I am on mile 22 of a marathon or on my last set of overhead presses (please tell me those kill you too) and can use to keep GOING.
Not only are these fitness quotes from the book but LIFE quotes, and that is why I love them so much!
“Make EVERY OBSTACLE an OPPORTUNITY!!!!”
“Make EVERY NEGATIVE into a POSITIVE!!!”
“We have two options, give up or fight like hell.”
—————————————————————–
What is your favorite ONE-LINER that you use when the going get’s tough.
-Pain is temporary, quitting is forever.
What was YOUR WORKOUT!?!?!
-30 minutes elliptical intervals and PUMP….loved it because they made it HARDER today and there was new music!
Any motivational book suggestions? I need another…I am hooked:)
88 comments
chloe @ 321delish
“good better best, never let it rest, till the good is better and the betters best”
Julia H.
i need to look into this book!!! Have you read The Long Run????/ best book ever!!!
Lauren @ Sugar Coated SIsters
“I want to do it because I want to do it”
-Amelia Earhart
aka my role model :)
My workout: 6x800m at 6:39 (careful not to overdo the speed workouts like you mentioned yesterday!) with 400m jogs in between + 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down
I haven’t read it yet so can’t vouch for it – but I really want to read Raising The Bar (clif bar book) http://www.amazon.com/Raising-Bar-Integrity-Passion-Business/dp/0787973653
Janae
HOLY COW!!! Girl, that workout is AWESOME!!! You are so speedy and I want to read that book too!
Siobhan @ sio 'n the run
I love that quote!!
kari @ Running Ricig
My workout today is coached speed work at the track after work…gulp. I’m just a little nervous. It’ll be good though.
Love those quotes!
Laura @ Cookies vs. Carrots
Great book review! I want to read it now! My favorite one liner is from Finding Nemo– just keep swimming!
Janae
OH MY GOODNESS….I love NEMO and that quote is the best!
Brandi @ The Vitamin Bee
I always tell myself “Don’t Panic” because it pretty much applies to every situation in life!
“Do good work” is another favorite, courtesy of my yoga instructor :)
My workout was 20 miles of road biking. I’m always so sad when it’s over. I want to ride farther!
Corey @ Learning Patience
Live Life to the Fullest! (I know it’s so cliche but it’s really my motto) Had a super awesome workout this morning with my husband – missed working out with him while I was on vacation! xoxo from Trinidad
Ash @ Good Taste Healthy Me
I really like Lance Armstrong. There is definitely a level of respect for his struggles and perseverance.
BDD
Its a good book, eye opening as well, I learned things I never knew (maybe I didnt want to know), your quote you wrote is the most famous from the book, my favorite from the book is
“Racing is so hard, the suffering is so intense, that it’s absolutely cleansing. You can go out there with the weight of the world on your shoulders, and after a hard race at a high pain threshold, you feel at peace. The pain is so deep and strong that a curtain descends over your brain. At least for a while you a kind of a hall pass, and don’t have to brood on your problems; you can shut everything else out, because the effort and subsequent fatigue is absolute”
Janae
Yep….that paragraph made me tear up a little, incredible!
Kim @ girlevolving
Did knowing some of the negative stuff now (that he probably doped during comeback, that he broke up with his wife, etc.) make it any different to read? I’d think some of what he says about enduring or relationships would be tainted for me seeing choices he’s made.
Janae
I totally thought it would be but for some reason I blocked all of that out of my mind and just read it as more of a non-fiction…does that make sense? An incredible story (whether I knew all the details or not?)
Holly
I LOVE Lance- he is so inspirational!!!
and my favorite one liner is ‘there is NO finish line!’ :D
Danielle
Born to Run! Just don’t go out running barefoot or an ultra just yet (that was the warning I got from my PT friend when I started reading it :) )
Lizzy @ runbakerace
I ran a quick 3 miles at lunchtime today :) I might need to read that book and loved Born to Run. My ears get the most sunburned, so random.
Jessica Karazsia
I recommend reading, Every Second Counts, also by Lance. It is such a great book. Some key quotes from that book that inspire me include:
“So this is about life….It’s about risk, it’s about agenda, and it’s about balance. It’s about teeing the ball up high and hitting it hard while trying not to lose control. And if you shank it, then go find your ball and try it again…because the way you live your life, the perspective you select, is a choice you make every single day when you wake up. It’s yours to decide.”
“Pain is good, because it teaches your body and soul to improve.”
“Time is limited, so I better wake up every morning fresh and know that I have just one chance to live this particular day right, and to string my days together into a life of action and purpose.”
Janae
AMAZING QUOTES….wow, I NEED to read that book now, thank you!! I am off to go download it!
Leslie @ mommysgoingforarun
The long run by matt long. I finally picked it up at half priced books 2 days ago, and I’m already more than half way through it. Inspirational and amazing story.
Janae
AHHHH I want to read that so bad, thank you for reminding me…you are the BEST LESLIE!!!
Megan
I second this! I LOVED it.
Sweetie
I agree! I read probably 200 books a year and this is the best book I can ever remember reading, bar none. You gotta get it. I got the audio version too and listened to it and bawled half the time.
Patty
“If running were easy, everyone would do it!”
“Pain is weakness leaving the body”
Janae
Those quotes are the BEST…thank you so much Patty!
Nikki @ The Worth Of My Sole
You can Dooooooo it!!!! I just got into biking. Mostly because the husband is. It’s looking like we should check this book out too!
Aditi
What kind of intervals do you do on the elliptical? I need some suggestions for my XT days!
Janae
While listening to music I go at a normal pace and then when the chorus of the song comes on I sprint…..I wish I had a better formula for you:)
Lauren
I don’t know if this is inspirational so much as it always make me laugh to myself and push a little harder…at one of my races I saw a guy holding up a huge sign that said “that’s not sweat, that’s your fat cells crying!”
LOL
Janae
BAHAHAH That makes my day…hilarious!!!
Colleen
My favorite quote is “The pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret”. I love that quote so much that I got it inscribed on a ring so that when I want to give up I have a little reminder :)
Today’s workout was Body Pump class followed by 6 miles of mile repeats. My legs were jello.
I don’t have any inspirational book recommendations but my all time favorite book is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It is a story from the perspective of a dog. If you are a dog lover you will love it!!!
Erica
I think it’s from a Gatorade ad – I love it: “You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face.”
Erica
Hi other Erica.
I am catching up on Janae’s posts thinking……I didn’t comment on this…….did I?
Lauren @ Ultra Lauren
Lance’s ex wife, kristin Armstrong, is a runner and she wrote a great book called mile markers. It’s split into 26 chapters which is fun.
My workout today is elliptical intervals while watching mad men on netflix.
emily
oh my gosh janae, i have so many favorite quotes it’s embarrassing. two for today:
“do or do not. there is no try.”
and
“sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same thing.:
how’d i do?
i wish i had a motivational book suggestion for you but i’m stuck in the parenting book section for awhile. let me know when baby is on the way and i’ll send you some keepers! *wink*
today i did forty minutes on the treadmill. coming back from a baby injury (my back went out on saturday. ouch!). it was the slowest run ever in the history of slow runs but, it’s done and, i’m on the road to recovery. yesterday i stepped on the elliptical but only lasted 20 minutes before i thought i might die of boredom!
Janae
WHAT….your back went out?!?! NOOOOO!!! I am so sorry girl, take it easy!!! Maybe I will have to get some of those books from you in the future:) LOVE THOSE QUOTES and they are SO perfect!
Emily@RunningPerspective
yes i need to read this book!!!!!!!!!
ps read all of dean karnazes books and he is AMAZING so so so inspiring!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
I haven’t read the book either so don’t feel bad it took you this long. My favorite one liner that’s specific to running though, is “you can do ANYTHING for one mile.” It gets me through every time and then when I get to the next mile I say it again :)
ImTheMarigold
Mile Markers is a great book! I honestly had no idea she was Lance’s ex wife. Interesting. For some reason Lance’s choices also rub me the wrong way, esp the whole doping mess. I really lost respect for him because of that, but maybe I should try his book. I don’t want to put blinders on to what bad things he might have done in his life because he really is a tremendous athlete, not that being talented makes you a better person.
Janae
Yeah, I know what you mean….I lost a lot of respect for him too but I went into the book thinking it was just a story about a random person that I didn’t know anything about and ended up really loving it (except for a few times that I caught myself thinking he is a fake:)
Kate
Today’s workout is a 6 miler with intervals. Haven’t done it yet. I’m a night worker outer.
Did you read Bart Yasso’s book? I really enjoyed it. I like his free-spirited approach to running and he has ran all over the world which I found completely fascinating. It was such a quick read–I think I finished it in one day.
Janae
THANK YOU for the recommendation, I am STOKED to read it!!!
Tina @ Faith Fitness Fun
Love that give up or fight like hell approach. That’s an awesome way to look at it. I have no doubt you will fight like hell. Yay for an extra oomph of motivation!
emily
have you read any of dean karnazes’ books? so, so incredibly motivational!
one of my fav quotes is, “pain is weakness leaving the body.” bring it on!
Amanda
I’m reading The Happiness Project right now. It’s not about running– more about living a positive lifestyle, and I absolutely love it so far.
Kristi @ Sweet Cheeks
i went to pump today too! They just started a new routine/music at my gym! It’s always fun to change it up!
Siobhan @ sio 'n the run
I’ve been thinking of reading that book too! I think you just pushed me to do it!
And what is this pump workout?!
“In the race to be better or best, don’t miss the joy of being.” – Kara Goucher
Allison
I read Lance’s book a while ago. He is an amazing athlete and a real fighter.
(Boo to not being with Kristin though. She seems like an amazing PERSON period.)
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” ~ Winston Churchill
You should also read Michael J Fox’s Lucky Man and Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture. The Last Lecture is also on You Tube. Very inspirational. I get choked up EVERY. TIME. I. SEE. IT. I actually use it as an essay question on their exams.
Allison
“Their” as in my students. Duh.
Janae
I LOVE Michael J Fox and the Incurable Optimist! I need to YouTube The Last Lecture…that sounds AWESOME.! Thanks!
keegan
I’m not very familiar with Lance’s life – what are these ‘personal choices’ you speak of that were keeping you from reading the book?
Janae
He was caught Doping and broke up with his wife…..I think cheating may have been involved.
Christina @ The Athletarian
“Obsessed is just a word the lazy use to describe the committed.” I get negative comments from people all the time about being so passionate about nutrition and exercise. I’ve been called obsessed, neurotic, crazy…you get the idea. So this quote really spoke to me!
My workout was quick today. 20 minutes of skipping intervals followed by a quick 3 miles on the TM!
Janae
WOW!!! Girl, you and I are a lot alike and we should be proud of our COMMITMENT!!! I want to try skipping intervals!
Nelly
I read that Lance book a long time ago – it was a great read!
For motivational books – Unbroken is another great one that I just finished. Amazing story about running and World War II. Probably the best book I’ve ever read.
Tiffany
Today I ran up a big hill for my workout; and then walked my dog. A good quote for you is: “Don’t wish for it, work for it.”
Kat
My mantras? Repeating “come on, come on, come on…” to myself a million times over, haha. Fancy, I know. For real quotes I have:
“‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars.”
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. ”
“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Obviously those aren’t made up by me, I’m not nearly that smart.
My workout today was 2 miles @8:58. That’s the fastest I’ve ever run! I couldn’t believe the treadmill, haha. I’m also going to do some upper body later today.
Caitlin Rushlander
I have been curious about the book, because I get annoyed when thinking about his life choices as well. I will give it a chance now!!!
Janae
I just went into it trying to forget everything I knew about him before and try to take out all the good things from the book….and there are a lot!
Lizzi
During a hard workout or race, I continually say to myself “It’s MEANT to hurt! It’s MEANT to be hard!”
obviously this doesn’t apply to injury AKA “bad-pain”, but in normal situations it really helps me KEEP GOING.
I also just mentally plan what I’ll do when I’m done… eg. “just three more kilometres til you can go out for a milkshake”… “just half an hour and you’ll be on the couch in your PJs” etc etc :p
Janae
YOU ARE SO RIGHT…..running hardcore is not supposed to feel good!! LOVE this!!! I always think about what I am going to eat right when I get home too!
Brittany @ A Spoonful of Peanut Butter
My workout was a crappy lower body circuit…today was just not the day. lol. I was not feelin it at all! Hmm…favorite one liner would have to be Just DO It. (ha, Nike). When things happen and they turn bad, you just gotta look at the bright side and do what you have to do because you can’t run away from it.
Debbie
My training partners and I constantly repeated “That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!” Toward the end of bike rides while training for Ironman and we felt like we were going to die, this was a good reminder! I also use your “Pain is temporary, quitting is forever” quote.
Today’s workout was a solo 2000 yd swim. Boo. I do so much better when I swim with the Master’s group.
You should definitely read Born to Run. It was the perfect motivator to get me back into training.
Janae
WOW….you are incredible and I want to read a book about YOU and your amazing training, you are HARDCORE DEBBIE!!
Island Runner Girl
For inspiration, you can’t beat “The Long Run” with Matt Long and “In a Single Bound: Losing My Leg, Finding Myself, and Training for Life” by Sarah Reinersten. Both of them are about athletes who have managed to overcome overwhelming odds. Lance may have fought cancer, but he came back physically whole. Matt’s bicycle seatpost speared him through his butt and came out his stomach (gruesome details included in the book!) Sarah was born with a tissue defect in her leg and had it amputated at age 7. Both of them have completed the Ironman. They inspire me whenever I moan about my knee injury that I am currently re-habbing from. At least I have a knee to moan about!
Enjoy!
Janae
WHAT…that is incredible that they BOTH completed an IRONMAN…I can’t even imagine. Thank you for the recommendation, I can’t WAIT to read it!
Kimi B
When I start feeling tired or pain from a hard run I just remember that I am LUCKY to physically be able to run, whereas some people are stuck in hospital beds, wheelchairs, etc.
My fav inspirational quote is “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”… I’m one of those crazy people that is alwayssss super busy with a million commitments on my plate. And I like it that way. :)
Janae
Okay, that is PURELY awesome and I will be saying that to myself in the morning when I am getting up for an EARLY RUN!!!
THANK YOU, it is so true!
Tara
“No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch”
Also love – “It’s never too early, it’s never too cold, you’re never too tired…Just put your shoes on and GO!”
xo
Janae
SO SO SO TRUE…I LOVE IT!
Julie
Have you read “Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men’s Cross-Country Team.” I think it was pretty good but I read it a while ago.
I just finished “Duel in the Sun.” It was good. It was about the 1982 Boston Marathon. Pretty crazy stuff they each went through after the marathon.
Janae
NO, that sounds absolutely AMAZING!! Thank you so much for the recommendation, you are the best!
Pam
I haven’t read any of Lance’s book but, I think he’s an amazing athlete. Janae, you should download “mile markers” by his ex-wife. Soo good! I really enjoyed it and I think you would too! I haven’t read “Born 2 Run” but, I think I’m going to check it out.
I love quotes. Two that have stuck with me that I’ll share with you…”Running is the perfect metaphor to what you put in is what you’ll take out” -Oprah Winfrey and “Fall seven times, stand up eight” – Japanese Proverb
Workout today was 3 x 1600 (7:31,6:41,6:31) then I headed to the gym and did 40 mins. on crossramp, upper body strength training and then I swam for 25 mins.
:) xo
Janae
DANG WOMAN….best workout ever!!!!! AHHH I LOVE those quotes and thanks for the MILE MARKERS recommendation. I can’t wait to see you SOON!
kara t.
I have no book recommendations, but I DO have several inspiring one-ish liners :)
“A river cuts through a rock not because of its strength, but because of its persistence.”
“I’m not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.” -Michael Jordan
“It never gets easier, it just gets better.”
“Success comes from your backbone, not from your wishbone.”
“What’s holding you back is the thought that something is holding you back.”
“Don’t get even, get even better.”
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”
Janae
WOW!!! I LOVE each and every one…I may have to print these out, THANK YOU!!
kara t.
Oops, one of them is wrong! It is “it never gets easier, YOU just get better.
if you haven’t gotten addicted to pinterest yet you can view my board full of quotes at pinterest.com/misskarat/inspired
~Jessica~
“We have two options, give up or fight like hell.”
LOVE it. I really needed that.
I don’t see me ever being able to come back from my pelvic stress fractures, but as you say if Lance can come back from near death, I have no excuse for giving up.
Janae
Praying for you gorgeous girl. I felt the same way about my femoral stress fractures but we WILL be back to our old running selves!
Katie
“Nothing good comes easily…Sometimes you’ve got to fight”- 311 lyric
Barborkas @ BarborkaOnTheRun
“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”
… I know it from the Haruki Murakami’s book “What I talk about when I talk about running” (can only recommend), he says he does not know from whom it is, but he saw it on a t-shirt of a person running a marathon (he runs marathon every year).
That quote is so so true. And I just bought Lance’s book as an audiobook, my long slow runs are increasing, so I need entertainment :)
Samantha @ Running and Cupcakes
Have you read “Running on Empty” by Marshall Ulrich yet? I can’t put it down – it’s amazing, inspirational, motivating. The things that man endured in his life and the his accomplishments are enough to inspire anyone.
Most of my fave quotes have already been listed, but I’ll relist:
Pain is weakness leaving the body (that is SO FREAKIN TRUE!!!!)
That which doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.
And from one of my very bestest friends/coach, when I feel like putting in a half a$$ed attempt, I remember what he told me “It takes discipline. No SLOUCHING!” And I remember that I have to report back to him with what I did for a workout, so it kicks my booty.
I haven’t worked out yet today – tonight I will run for the first time in a week now that my foot feels good again, testing it out for Sunday’s RnR Half in Providence! Then I’ll do upper body weights!
Janae
How did your FOOT feel on your run…..are you going to to the half on Sunday? I NEED to read Running on Empty…thank you so much girly!
Samantha
My foot was telling me that it wasn’t 100%, but it didn’t hurt. I came home, stretched and iced, and this morning I woke up to NO PAIN! YAYAYAYAYAYA!!
I am running the half on Sunday!
Samantha @ Running and Cupcakes
And yes – my nose is always the reddest thing on my face ;-)
And it gets covered in freckles!
Mac
Don’t worry I’m super late on reading that one too! In fact I haven’t even read it, because when I checked it out from the library last month I didn’t have time to read it before I moved! I really liked Drew Brees’s book, it’s very motivational and don’t worry it’s not x’s and o’s [no that’s not hug and kisses ;) ]. Check it out!
Barborkas @ BarborkaOnTheRun
Just started today with Lance’s book, I’m so in to it! Thanks for sharing … linked on my blog to your post, since together with the comments you crated great source of motivation and inspiration.
Thank you!