Community.

Hi Everyone!!! These last two weeks have been truly incredible. Like, beyond words awesome. I don't even know how to start to thank each and every one of you. It just wouldn't be enough. <3

This past week was the start of BenchMark Weeks at my box. We are doing all of the popular benchmark wods & comparing our progress from last time we did them! I've had a lot of PR's this week, including 155lb back squat (5lb PR), 90lb strict press (5lb PR), 225lb dead-lift (30lb PR)! I also PR'd my "Grace" weight by 5lbs (75lb), but added on 10 seconds- still a win! Tomorrow we are doing "Isabel" 30 snatches for time...not my favorite girl, but I'll give her my all! Sorry if this blog post is all over the place, I'm trying to make sure I get everything in here!! 

I used to complain that I never had any support from my family- and now that doesn't matter. While I would love for my mom and dad to be interested in what I do in my CF life, it's no longer something that I crave. Ever since that video of me finishing the final wod at the Battle of the South Shore Boxes, with everyone in the whole place cheering me on, went viral, I've been over the moon. There has been over 11,000 shares (including one from CAMILLE LEBLANC BAZINET & CROSSFIT HQ!!), over 1,000 likes, over 500 comments, over 42,000 blog page hits from all over the world! No lie, I got fan mail. And my friend Hutch made me a Facebook fan page. Seriously. Is this real life? These are just a few of the countries that my story has been shared with: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Mexico, France, Costa Rica, Norway, Italy, Chile, & Puerto Rico. So crazy! 

What really resonates with me is the messages that I've received from complete strangers- telling me that I am the reason that they push harder in a workout; the reason they finally started crossfit; the reason they didn't give up when they got an injury. I've always looked up to other people as my inspiration, so having people look up to me as their inspiration is kind of wacky. I almost feel like I'm not worthy of such praise. I just go to the box day after day, and do what I  need to do. What makes me so special? I talked to my therapist about this, since I'm still having a really hard time accepting this kind of attention (P.S.- he teared up when saw the video too!), and he told me that people look up to me because I have mental fortitude. Most people would have quit when they broke their wrist, and I didn't. I modified. I kept going. Sometimes I wonder what made me stay during the whole wrist ordeal. I for sure would've quit, but something changed in me. I  thank God everyday that I didn't quit, because who knows where I would be now- probably very unhappy. 

While I can't say that I'm in the best shape of my life, I can say that I have the tools and so many incredible people around me to push me way further than I would ever push myself, and for that I am eternally grateful. Complete strangers told me they are on my side & can't wait to follow along with my progress. If that doesn't show how positive the CrossFit community is, then I don't know what does. 

As defined by Google (because I can't find my paper dictionary/Google knows everything): 

com·mu·ni·ty/ kəˈmyo͞onitē/

1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

"Rhode Island's Japanese community"
synonyms: group, body, set, circle, clique, faction;
2.a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
"the sense of community that organized religion can provide"

Some people call us a "cult." I am so glad I decided to join this cult, and don't plan on ever leaving. I don't think I ever could! 

Shameless shout-out: If you want to keep up with my crossfit life, I'll be posting most of them on my fan page (um, how weird is that? I have a fan page)! here: https://www.facebook.com/RUthatcrossfitgirlAA?ref=hl

You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter: @ama2414

To see more great pics from the competition, check out Meg Ellery Photography- she caught some great shots of all the hot  guys I couldn't fully ogle because I was nervous!;)  http://elleryphotography.smugmug.com/Battle-of-the-South-Shore-Boxe/

Thrusters...GROSS.

I could look at this picture a million times, and still tear up and be over the moon happy every time.