Lance Armstrong

Dear Lance:

I am writing to let you know what an inspiration you have been to me and my family. The way you have faced life’s challenges head on, when so many other people would have just given up, and went on to achieve so much is a very powerful example of optimism and belief in yourself. Your story is a real triumph of the human spirit. Everyone here at my house has a LiveStrong bracelet and wears it with pride and hope.

My son, Alex, is fourteen years old, and he has decided that he wants to be a competitive cyclist, just like you! He trains very hard every day, and though he won’t be eligible for his school’s cycling team until he’s in ninth grade next year, he’s doing everything he can to learn more about bicycle racing — studying coverage of races on television, taking classes in bicycle maintenance and repair, even looking into the performance and wind-resistance of different types of clothing.

He has, however, started shaving his legs, and I’m a little concerned. He told me that this is common practice for cyclists, and that it makes his legs more aerodynamic and makes for easier clean up and treatment in case of injury. Is that true? I’ve called the coach of the high school team to ask about this, but I haven’t heard back yet. I trust my son and absolutely want to best for him, but I also want to make sure this isn’t the beginning of some unfortunate phase that would lead to a career as a chorus dancer on Broadway. I do love musicals, but Alex can’t carry a tune to save his life.

Thanks for your help! We’d all be thrilled to hear back from you, and I know Alex would really appreciate any advice you can share with a young cyclist. He’s a huge fan.

Best wishes,

Janice Marks