It's Not about the Bike- Devan Kowdley

Conflicts-Individual vs. Self(cancer), individual vs. individual(biking)

Exposition

During the exposition, Lance Armstrong, who was somewhat of an accomplished athlete at the time, starts to notice symptoms like a fever and coughing of blood. He is taken to a doctor, who diagnoses him with testicular cancer.  He also describes his childhood as a triathlon runner and competitor, with a good-for-nothing stepfather.  Armstrong describes winning multiple biking races and getting his first contracts. Just as he starts to get attention, he gets diagnosed with cancer.

Initiating Event

Armstrong contracts testicular cancer and starts to get ill.

Rising Action

.Armstrong talks about how he told people he had gotten cancer, and how people became an important part of the healing process. He also details how he did endless research with his mother, desparate to find a cure of some sort. He talks to medical professionals and goes to various institutes to find the right one for him. In this part of the book, Armstrong gets a very horrible prognosis that says he will statistically die. He settles on a facility in Indianapolis. 

Climax

Armstrong goes through his treatment and surgery. He is told by his doctors and advisors that if he survives the treatment, which would be very unlikely, he would never be able to race again. He contemplates life now that it hangs in the balance. He is then told by Steve Wolff, his assistant in finding the facility, that although it would be a little bit riskier, Lance could preserve his cycling ability and high max volume lung capacity. He agrees and starts his treatments. During the course of this section, Armstrong loses his insurance coverage and a contract with a cycling team. Although the team contract was never resolved, Lance Armstrong's agent is able to replace the insurance coverage.

Falling Action

Lance deals with the pain of chemotherapy. He talks about his trials of being a cancer patient. Slowly but steadily, he starts to see signs of recovery. At this point, he becomes an inspiration to those with cancer. Although losing the contract, he is relieved he did not have to sell his house to pay the medical bills. He tries to ride during his cancer treatment, but is not able to because he is very weak. After the treatment, he attempts to assist his fellow cancer patients by creating a foundation now known as Livestrong. During the process of organizing the foundation, he meets Kristin Richard, a representative in public relations for the foundation, who later becomes his wife. Although, Lance retires officially from the sport of cycling, he changes his mind.  He attempts to ride, and slowly, as he did as a teenager, he climbs his way through the ranks of various races .  Armstrong then sets his sights on the Tour de France, the biggest race in cycling.  He trains vigorously, finally winning the Tour.  He also talks about his wife's pregnancy and the birth of Luke Armstrong , his first son.

Exposition

Armstrong talks about life both as a Tour de France winner and a new father, and the celebrations that follow.  He goes on in a few pages about winning the Tour de France the second time in 2000.  As a closing thought, he reflects upon life as a cancer survivor and a family member as his family goes home to Austin as champions.