Survival of the Fittest

Pushing and trying, gasping and striving,
Breaking it down and building it back.
Working with muscles, and then will alone,
You feel there is something you might possibly lack.
Your rivals are fighting to survive as well.
They know only the strongest will survive.
Physical, mental, emotional, as one,
Working together they test who’s alive.
First your feet, then legs, arms, and chest;
They start to ache in dull pain.
Soon every step forward brings a grimace,
You grit your teeth and continue to gain.
Yes it hurts - worse than you thought possible,
But when one stone falls, another takes the place.
Behind every muscle lies another to back it,
To ensure you continue and finish your race.
Onward and upward, through waves of anguish.
The breath comes in spurts of gasps.
But the end is in sight; your heart feels light,
You know to the finish you can last.