LIVESTRONG BLOG

TweetUp Ride in Dublin

Aug 26, 2009 by Chris Brewer

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This is the simple story of a guy who just wanted to go out and ride his bike around a park with some friends. But when that guy is a 7-time Tour de France winner and an icon of the cancer community, and he just happens to invite 1.8 million people to tag along, the story becomes a bit more complex.

Lance Armstrong likes to ride his bike.

?Oh, really?? I?m sure some of you are saying, eyebrows arched just a little. Yes, really. But you see, it?s this basic principle that has set him on this amazing path and has allowed him to achieve so very much. Think about it. How many people do you know who don?t like the job that they do? And yet they toil away, year after year, mired in the bog as they would say over here in Ireland.

Lance told me years ago that the #1 thing that allowed him to succeed over his rival Jan Ullrich was that he loved his job. To be able to get out of bed and look forward to a day of training and not ever consider it a burden made the difference between being on the top of the podium versus second place or less.

And years later, it still is sometime about the bike. As I am sure you know by now, Lance likes Twitter. It?s a fast, succinct way to get your message out across a broad spectrum and LA is a pioneer in this new form of mass communication. About a two weeks ago he got an idea on the way to Scotland to use Twitter to see if anyone would like to go for bike ride.

?Hey Glasgow – group ride starts at Ashtree House Hotel. 9 Orr Square. Paisley, Scotland. See you there at noon!?

In the pouring rain approximately 300 riders answered the call

A few days ago, as we prepared for the Tour of Ireland, Lance told me he was going to need a little help in Dublin ? he wanted to go on another ride, and wondered where would be best to do it. As we discussed the pros and cons of various routes, I had to ask him: why are you doing this?

He paused for a moment, smiled, and said, ?Because it brings people together. For years I?ve trained and raced with other professionals and there was this image that sure, we can all ride bikes but we?d never actually get the chance to ride together. I want to change that because at the end of the day I?m just a cyclist, a guy who likes to ride his bike, and I want to ride with other people who are passionate about it as well. And by using something like Twitter we can get together as a community, ride our bikes, and keep building this grassroots movement. When we ride together we?re like this unstoppable army, and I plan to keep on doing this as long as there are people who?d like to go for a ride.?

Yesterday morning, Lance grabbed his blackberry and entered:

?Good morning Dublin. Who wants to ride this afternoon? I do. 5:30 pm @ the roundabout of Fountain Rd and Chesterfield Ave. See you there.?

And in the glorious Irish sunshine, over 1200 riders answered the call.

The movement continues – LIVESTRONG! ? Chris?

Lance's Tweetup Ride in Dublin-Photo by Liz Kreutz Photography