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File this under, 'You learn something new every day about Shreveport-Bossier!' I was flabbergasted when a friend of mine, who didn't even grow up here, told me today that Lance Armstrong had competed in the River Cities Triathlon. I had to fact-check him immediately. Mind blown! Yes, Lance Armstrong actually swam in Cypress Lake and then biked and ran the roads of Benton, LA back in 1988.

Granted, in 1988 I was still a student at Haughton High and had no idea who Armstrong was at the time, but that's still a pretty big deal! I found confirmation in a Shreveport Times article from 2018 citing Armstrong's River Cities Triathlon record in the men's competition with an overall time of 1:07:11. For a fluffy girl like me, it's insane to think that anyone could swim a half-mile, then bicycle for 18.2 miles, followed by a 3.1 mile run.

sheryl crow lance armstrong grammys
Kevin Winter, Getty Images
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Armstrong is best known for winning the Tour de France an incredible seven times before being stripped of his titles due to a doping scandal. Prior to that, Armstrong served as an inspiration to many after beating metastatic testicular cancer and establishing the Livestrong Foundation to aid others in their fight against cancer. It's interesting to note that Armstrong was born just down the road in Richardson, TX and was named after Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Lance Rentzel. Armstrong also dated famous musician Sheryl Crow but is now married to Anna Hansen, whom he met while doing charity work. [Source: Wikipedia]

See? You really do learn something new every day ;)

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