My name is Isaiah Phillips and my story begins in the spring of 2022.

Mountain biking is
my passion and I put everything I have towards it. The high school mountain biking training
season had just begun. I qualified for the advanced Mountain Bike team and my eyes were set on
the last opportunity that I would have to compete at State.

During training and throughout my mountain biking career I was lucky not to have any
notable accidents. After the hardest training was over the races began. My first race went well as
I had planned ahead and practiced on the course several times however, during the final lap, of
the second race, my chain broke! I was able to make the repair but it took me from nearly 30th to
68th place (Dead last). Riders start in the position that they finished in the previous race. Last
place is not ideal for qualifying for State. To have a chance I would be fighting for every second
I had lost in the previous race.

There was a point during every race when I was so tired that the pain just went away. It
was no longer about overcoming my physical limits but conquering my mental ones. Maintaining
clear and positive head space while competing in any sport is a good idea, however, in mountain
biking, it is imperative. The reason is that mountain bike athletes use every muscle in their
bodies. Throughout all of my races, I experienced increasing fatigue until I felt as if I could not
turn another pedal stroke. By the end of the race season, I had recovered 20 places in my
ranking.

During the last qualifying race, I was involved in a large multiple-rider accident that
dislocated my shoulder and rendered my arm virtually immobile. At the time I had no clue about
the extent of my injury, and though it hurt, I decided to keep pedaling. Merely seconds down the
trail I felt my arm weaken to the point where it could barely support my own weight. This made
it difficult for me to operate my brakes. My breathing became increasingly difficult, and the heat
became unbearable. As my adrenalin began to wear off, every pedal stroke was more painful
than the last. This was a low point for me as I was running on a half-functioning body and being
passed by the riders that I had worked so hard to pass in the previous races. Eventually, I was
passed by the competitors in the race heat that had started 5 minutes later than I did.

Through all of this, the thing that kept me going was my strong foundation of
determination and perseverance. In spite of how much it hurt, I was going to keep going. At this
point, I was the only one who could stop me. For me to complete the race, I had to overlook pain,
such that I had never experienced before, and continue to turn the crank. Though doubt crept in, I
finally saw the finish line after the hardest miles I had ever ridden. I gave everything I had left
and passed the finish line nearly crashing again.

I made major progress on the scoreboard nearly passing 90 riders. Riding in the State
Senior Open was galvanizing. Despite my physical situation I continued to push to the end. This
was the last race of my high school mountain biking career so it was all or nothing. I learned to
push back emotional and physical barriers and just keep pedaling.

These principles will help me to achieve things that never before seemed possible. My
mind is mine to control, taking large projects into the most simplistic pieces and conquering each
barrier one crank at a time. I am excited for the opportunity to continue my story with your
company and cannot wait to see the barriers that we conquer.