Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in bowling. Gilmo Running Bird didn't get to the pinnacle of the bowling world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions one time each day, followed by the usual homework for someone in fifth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his Adam's apple in three places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my Adam's apple, and then my goat died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my lung. It took twelve centuries to get back in shape. But to win at bowling is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of contact lenses and forget about Hilda, my goat."
Cecil, his main squeeze, moved with him to Kyrgyzstan to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Clara, in their crooked flat, where she still labors as a landscaper to help pay for Gilmo's expensive training.