Determined to Achieve
At 18- years-old a kid from small town Yakima Washington had a dirt bike, a dream and had just graduated High School. The dream was to move to Southern California in hopes to get exposure for his skills in free riding motocross. With enough money saved for three months’ rent, he loaded his van with two motorcycles, determined to leave a legacy.
Tanner Holbrook is a 21-year-old man from Yakima Washington. Currently Tanner works for TTC Construction as a heavy equipment operator, but most importantly, Tanner is a gifted motocross rider. He started out riding bicycles at a young age until he finally had enough money to buy himself a Kawasaki 85cc 2-stroke and found his passion. Unlike any other rider in the state Tanner is able to do some incredible things on a motorcycle that very few people can, including backflipping a motorcycle. Being able to do a backflip and many other tricks is unique enough, but he is unique in a different aspect. Tanner is fearless and determined and did something not many young adults do. He had money for rent and gas for his bikes and bet everything on his talent. The determination to chase a dream that is unknown takes a special kind of person that truly believes in themselves, especially trying to ride a dirt bike for a living.
The goal of this blog is to shed insight on a world that not many people are aware of and to show them how it can shape your life. Tanner went to California and got a very big amount of exposure within the few weeks he was there, which is unheard of in the motocross industry. This exposure led him to other connections within the industry which started to cause a “buzz” around his name. Ultimately Tanner would only be able to stay in California for a few months due to financial issues. This leap of faith that he took altered his life in incredibly positive ways. The most important is that he had full confidence in betting on himself. Life is short and unexpected and is full of people saying, “I wish I would have done that.” People miss out on life because they may be scared of the unknown and are not willing to push their comfort zones which limits their experiences in the world. Tanner was not going to be limited and he had the mental toughness to realize what he wanted and to go after his goals.
“A look inside A Racers Life” is a blog about motocross riders and how the sport has shaped their lives. It is not just about a dirt bike and what an individual can do with that dirt bike, but it is about life lessons and how the sport can teach you about your own life. Racing motocross is one of the few sports where you do not have teammates to rely on and everything comes down to yourself and how well you prepared. This is exactly the life lesson that Tanner learned through his experience travelling to California. At the end of the day he had little support and it all came down to him and the decision he was willing to make to better his life. When Tanner returned back home there was not a single ounce of regret within him. His response when asked how he felt about the experience was, “If I would have had another month I would be at X-Games next year.” That confidence that he gained from this experience gives him confidence in his everyday life. There was no longer any doubt in his mind that he could not achieve his goals if he wanted to. Determined and fearless are two words that describe Tanner best and portrays what my blog is all about.
Inside a Racers Life 