"Professional athletes are in many ways our culture’s holy men: 

They give themselves over to a pursuit, endure great privation and pain, to actualize themselves at it and enjoy a relationship to perfection that we admire, reward and love to watch. 

Even though we have no desire to walk that road ourselves…." ~David Foster Wallace

While many of us that train in a specific practice, aren't professional athletes, we can bare witness and revel in the time, pursuit, pain and disciplines that lead up to that rewarding glory that takes place in just those magnificent few seconds of success.

Last year, I wrote about how "it's that moment right before the curtain opens, before the action takes place, that is the most humbling and strengthening all at the same time.

...the split second before the gunshot or before you even put your hands on the barbell, that truly sets the pace for what will happen next." The true moment of greatness.

Yesterday, behind the camera, I got to get up close and see these moments happen, but experience more of the atmosphere surrounding the athlete, prior to them even walking up to their curtain call.

It was humbling, witnessing the power of support, confidence in solidarity, humility in both success and failure, and knowing that whether these athletes left with a medal or just their pride in personal achievements, they'll still wake up tomorrow and continue to train and apply discipline to their practice.

People always ask me, "why weightlifting?", and while there are other sports I love and will add to my training regimen, there's something about the grit and focus surrounding moving something incredibly heavy, that is gratifying, freeing, confidence driving and in many ways stands as a metaphor for succeeding in many other things in life.  Ultimately.. not being lazy haha. AND IT'S FUN

More important than the practice itself, what I admire most is the dedication and progress that some people make, and how a few them, seem to make the impossible quite possible.

These are a few of my favorite photos from yesterday, I'll upload the rest soon enough. Ahh the joyful pains of having too many to sort through :)

Like the poptarts last year, this year more sweetness magically appeared with some amazing chocolate chip cookies.

Happy Sunday.

Featured in the photos
Fortius Weightlifting
Squat More Weightlifting