One game away from a perfect season. New England walked into the arena with their ego’s through the roof, figuring that the game would be over by the 3rd quarter. They walked in expecting to walk all over the Giants. Heck everyone expected that, even the die hard Giants fans, but we they still hoped. Giants made history forcing the undefeated Patriots into submission. No one foresaw the come from behind victory, leaving the score 17-14 Giants. The underdog can finally claim to be the best team in the country.

What does it take for an underdog to be victorious? Power, endurance, high tolerance for pain? Or is it heart? Is the pure desire to win the only way an underdog can come out on top? If you are not as strong as the other team you train harder, not a fast, train harder, but what do you do if you don’t have the same passion or desire as the other team? You can’t train your heart to want the win more than the opposing team. Their heart, their determination is what drives a team to victory. So, if the underdog has the heart and the determination on their side, they will come out victorious.

A long, twisted road full of holes and roadkill. Only an inept rider would ever dare to climb the brutal mountain. Only his strength against the power of gravity. With each pedal stroke getting him closer to the summit, closer to his finale. Each gasp for air brings him that much closer to when this torture will finally subside.

The climbs becoming more unforgiving now. The rider no longer feels the same tranquility as when first beginning this outrageous pursuit for the top. The riders feelings transform from a peaceful calm to unmatched anguish.

Every breath is a prayer, a prayer for the end of the ride to ultimately arrive. Every pedal stroke, every push is pure agony.

The rider has turned from man to machine now. His legs move no longer for the pleasure of the ride, but now they move out of habit. They move without pain, they move to get him to the top. The ride is no longer the joyous adventure that it started out as, but now it has turned into the opposite; an agonizing, hurtful climb that has torn the rider down.

As the end gradually approaches the rider feels the joy that was once lost. He now remembers the reason he continued to push, pedal stroke by pedal stroke. He remembers why he trained those four long months in preparation for this monumental event.

As he crosses the line tears fall from his eyes. The mixture of unrivaled suffering and the unparalleled pleasure overpowers him as he drops the bike to the ground. The ride is over as is the pain, that is, until next year.