Andrea Bocelli - Con Te Patrio 

my junior year in high school i was cutting a lot of weight for wrestling (i was 5’10 and 112 pounds). i would have my heat turn up to 80 degrees 30 minutes before i would get up. next, i would drag myself out of bed and get into 4 or 5 layers, turn on my fireplace and jump on the exercise bike. 

i would spend the next 30-40 minutes absolutely killing myself and trying to sweat as much as was humanly possible.  sometimes i had not eaten in two days and had only rinsed my mouth out with water (for every swallow was another 5 minutes on the bike). in those times, when i was delirious and questioning my motives, i would turn on this song.

every time i hear it i still think of those mornings. even though what i was doing was stupid and even if it cost me two teeth, hurt my school work and strained relationships, i can’t help but look back with some pride. that year i wanted to win the state championship and i still don’t know if i have ever chased something that hard in my life.