BURNING LEGS = SUCCESS by guest blogger Gavin

Today was one of the most challenging days in the past few weeks/months. I started out the day with shoveling, after shoveling for about 2 hours I would go inside to eat some breakfast(waffles, bacon, and chocolate milk. ). The day was starting out rather amazing as I was pumped to possibly play some basketball, and watch the Michigan State basketball game(which I’m doing as I write this blog post). That’s when my dad would bring up the idea of going on a bike ride. I was frustrated with the idea mainly because I suck at biking and it can tend to be hard. 50 minutes after the idea was offered we were in the truck on our way to the South Trails.

There I was…biking through the snow that would lead to the Jeep trail, a thrilling bike trail of pure down hill riding. The ride there was minor compared to what would come. We would get to the top of the hill that led to the downhill and my dad would warn us of what was to come. He led us down and boy was it fun. Zooming down and and making somewhat sharp turns sometimes was amazing.  A couple years ago I would’ve feared for my life going down that thing. We got to the bottom and now the real work began.

We entered Shirley’s trail, it started out not that difficult because we had so much momentum after the hill. We would pass by the Marquette Prison and the Carp river. The ride would continue and my legs were BURNING, and I mean BURNING. Have you ever had that feeling where your legs feel like jelly and you just want to fall over? That was the feeling in my legs. I had to power through it but it got the worse a little after passing the NTN snowmobile garage.

I was laying in the snow…letting the cold snow soak me and my legs rested on the fluffy white stuff. I had given up. I would have to get up even though I wish somehow I could just float to the truck. About 4 more flops on the ground later, I was out of breath, thighs burning, and laying on the ground. My little brother and dad left me behind and my step mom followed behind me. I just laid there all sorts of tired. I got up and kept biking. My legs burned and they burned bad. Later, we reached Granite Pointe and passed through the neighborhood and my dad said were doing the jeep trail again, just me and him. I stood there with my soaking feet holding me up hoping to the heavens that he would change his mind.  We made back to the trail and I sat next to the truck and as my dad opened his mouth to speak he said…

“Let’s go…”. I was furious at him. My feet were soaking and I wasn’t sure what life is. WE headed back down the same way we did an hour earlier….ah happier times then. THIGHS BURNING, LOSING BREATH. That’s how you define success. We had reached the top point and I looked down and off we went. ZOOMING past trees and leaving snow behind me was what thrilled me. My father would complement me doing such a good job going down the trail. I got a little confident and when faster and faster until… my tire swerved. I panicked and turned left quickly. Seconds later I was flying into a pile of snow face first. My chin(not my face chin but the chin on my leg. would smash into my pedal. I didn’t realize the pain until seconds later when I screamed. I laid there for 10 minutes recovering. That’s when I realized doing the hard things will include pain and burning legs will bring you success. We would finish the ride and I felt amazing.

The past 4 months have changed my life. I could barely shoot a three without throwing all 94 pounds of me into the shot. I couldn’t shoot from the half court line on a basketball court. 4 months later I have found my three point shot and I can make half court shots. I’ve been eating healthier and feeling healthier lately. The gym changes lives. PUTTING IN WORK will bring you places and no matter what, remember the pain now doesn’t matter…it’s the rewards that follow.

BURNING LEGS= SUCCESS

-Gavin