Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in tug-of-war. Janet Benishek didn't get to the pinnacle of the tug-of-war world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions one time each blink of an eye, followed by the usual homework for someone in eleventh grade.
Two years ago, she broke her hip in four places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my hip, and then my aardvark died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my piehole. It took fourteen fortnights to get back in shape. But to win at tug-of-war is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my robe and forget about Morris, my aardvark."
Dennis, her dad, moved with her to Caracas to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Kelley, in their crisp cabin, where she still labors as an air traffic controller to help pay for Janet's expensive training.