[ noun ] fortitude and determination <noun.attribute> he didn't have the guts to try it
Moxie \Mox"ie\, n. [fr. Moxie, a trade name for a beverage.] 1. energy; pep.
2. courage, determination.
3. Know-how, expertise. --MW10.
In a sport noted for its competitiveness, Metzger's moxie is legendary: As a teen he underwent knee surgery two weeks before a junior-national meet, ran three miles a day on his crutches, and then took off his cast to win.