Do you LIVESTRONG?

Where were you when you decided to LIVESTRONG?
by Nick van der Leek

Chances are, even if you’ve never heard of Lance Armstrong, you’ve seen someone wearing a yellow LIVESTRONG wristband. LIVESTRONG started it all – selling for $1, with all funds donated to Armstrong’s non-profit Foundation that assists cancer patients worldwide.

LIVESTRONG has made its appearance everywhere. In South Korea there are even knockoffs – yellow bands but with different messages, and these are sold for profit and for gain. And here in South Africa, there’s the reddish AIDS wristband, and others.

Being a keen cyclist, and an admirer of Armstrong and his 7 Tour de Force wins through France, I was eager to identify myself with LIVESTRONG. I was at a Virgin Active and while in the pool, noticed an assistant swim coach had one on. He was obviously a swimmer as well, because he was tanned and well built. Halfway through my workout I asked him where he got his wristband. He told me he had a few in the car and could have one for R40. He came back and offered me his, saying he’d left the others at home. When I had dried off I walked back to the pool and paid him.

When I first slipped it on I was surprised how rubbery and soft it was. I expected it to be harder, and more plasticky, more brittle. It cleans easily and the script on the band is sunken in and well defined. The word strong is slightly bolder.

At first I wasn’t sure if I was a wristband kind’ve guy. You can feel a bit of turbulence swimming with the thing. And sometimes I come across people who wear LIVESTRONG who seem to be everything that LIVESTRONG isn’t (badly-disciplined, fat, unhealthy).
Once or twice I’ve considered taking it off for good, because my identity shouldn’t be dependent on appearances, on devices. But every time you’re in a bicycle race (and hereabouts that’s every weekend) there’s someone wearing one that elicits inspiration.

For me though, LIVESTRONG is about two things, and I’m sure it’s not the same for everyone. The first is passion. Living strong. Gritting your teeth and going out hard. Life beyond mere survival. The second is that it links one to the cycling cult, the cult of the yellow jersey. Beyond that is a genre I can’t really put into words, but I like to be associated with that. It’s good to be part of a group that represents a greater good. I can live with that, and I’m sure we all can.