David Falkowski

My story begins in 2005 when I went to a doctor in Philadelphia when I was not quite eleven years old. I was over 200 pounds at the time, and the least active a person could be. I was told something that would later change me: "You will die by the age of eighteen because of your habits". I lived a very unhealthy life at the time. I ate fast food at least three times a week, and would rip through cases of soda without even thinking about it.

Four years passed. I now weigh 260 pounds.

It's March, 2009. I'm in a health class. I watch Super Size Me. It scared me and made me realize what I was doing to myself and that's where it all began. I have not had a soda since March 19, 2009.

Two months passed. I was starting to feel better without soda in my body. I wanted to start exercising but did not know what to do. Then, one morning, I look out my living room window and see an elderly man riding a bike past my house. From that point, I decided that was what I was going to do. Ride a bike.

I started riding on May 18, 2009. I was a Freshman in high school, had never made a commitment in my life, and never stayed with anything for very long as it was hard to keep my interest.

I would ride safely until December 17, 2009 when I would lose control of my bike and suffer fractures in my arms and legs. I would return three months later after being told not to.

Tragedy would strike again on October 17, 2010. I was diagnosed with E. Coli from a bagged salad I had eaten. I would have to stop riding for over four months.

July 19, 2011 was the day everything fell apart. I weighed 128 pounds because E. Coli had eaten away at me. I was now too weak to ride.

I would return on December 24, 2011 after being told for a third time I shouldn't ride a bike.

I would start off slow, only doing about 500 miles a month for most of 2012, but, then in late 2012, I decided to kick it up a notch. 800 miles a month. Then, I wanted to kick it up another notch and that's where 2013 comes in. In 2013, I have averaged over 1,000 miles a month in the first seven months.

It is now July, 2013, I'm nineteen, and I have ridden 700+ miles for 12 consecutive months and have ridden 1,000+ miles for 4 consecutive months.

The lesson I've learned is that people will count you out, but that does not mean that you can't do it. It makes you try even harder and prove those people wrong.