This is a continuation of the other days…. A history in my lifting life…..
Very short recap – I found the free weight section, started trying to lift following videos and online tips/workouts. (my favorites were trainer Josh and Jim Stoppani).
For once I felt like I was truly pushing myself, for a short history; during this time I was still being tested to see what my body was doing. This was the 2 year investigative stage where you think you are going crazy, you know something is wrong is your body but doctors cannot find what it is; it’s an incredibly difficult, stressful and disheartening time.
I was living in Chicago and commuting back to St Louis on the weekends, during a weekend trip I was at my home gym talking to a friend who was gushing about her powerlifting, and I was completely enthralled.
I jumped in.
Met my coach the next weekend I was home, did a test run with him; we had a great time. He then started training me remotely, so I was fully competing with myself; The Lab Gym would update my sheets and I would focus on beating the weights that they had written down. I started training in September with D and signed up for my 1st competition within 2 weeks, for November.
Gosh, the feeling – the adrenaline – the power!
I won 1st place in my weight division in my 1st competition; and I made some of the closest bonds with the most amazing women I have ever met.
My life changed on that day. My downtime became the gym, the weights, me…. There was no longer JJ who was sitting around thinking about her illness. There was a me who lifted, no matter what. In between this compeition and my next competition I was fully diagnosed with Lupus.
The diagnosis was a relief, I no longer felt like I was crazy – and I understood why I was always sick. If I walked by someone with a cold, I would get it. That year alone I had strep, 11 times!
My mistake – thinking that it would not get worse and not arming myself with information. I went home from the doctor and went to the gym. I told my family about the diagnosis, and that was it….. I was sick, but I didn’t know how sick or how bad it could it get or where I would be in a few short years from that initial day.
My other mistake – not being open with those around me about my illness, looking back now I will admit I hid it. I feel weak because of it. Talking about it now, only really the last 6 months; has come with an outpour of amazing support I could have never imagined. I never thought people would be inspired by my story, activities, or just me!