Adversity

Over the weekend, I had the great opportunity of competing with some of the best that CrossFit has to offer. The likes of James Hobart, Austin Malleolo, Deric Maruquin and Chris Spealler were on hand trying a new sport, Olympic Lifting. I was excited to just be in the same room with all these great athletes and a sort of “who’s who” of the CrossFit community. While it didn’t end quite how I wanted, the experience was well worth it. I started my lifting session hitting my first snatch at 85 kilos, then proceeded to miss (barely) 90 kilos twice. I started my clean and jerk and was able to hit my first 2 lifts easily. After my 2nd lift, I knew I had qualified for National Collegiates (USA-W), but I decided to one up my PR and go for 120 kilos. I stepped up to the platform, just as I had 100 times before. Everything changed when I got under that bar. I heard a crackling in my knee and still tried to jerk, but felt no power coming out of my leg.

It was disheartening, I considered attempting the triplet, but my knee immediately started tightening up. I laid there, saddened by my inability to overcome the pain I felt and compete with my team. I felt I had let everyone down, myself included.

Leaving Colorado, I was happy. I had spoken to my family, and my girlfriend Alex and felt optimistic. Then came the dreaded visit to the doctor. His diagnosis was a torn ACL. My MRI appointment is coming soon, and I’ll know then what my future holds. If my ACL is torn, I will do my best to rehabilitate as quickly as possible. I’ll do this with the support and motivation from my family. I woke up feeling the world was crumbling around me, worried about being ready for Sectionals, Regionals, and my end goal The Games. Then, I remembered the story of my sister; Suffering with lupus for many years, she didn’t give up hope and she fought, and even competed this weekend alongside myself and best friend, Javier Guzman. Just so you know, “Hope’s not giving up”!

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