I am strong

I've worked really hard to find movement that's fun for me and my body. I tried everything in high school from marching band, to racquet ball and cross-country. I LOVED weightlifting so much that when I had to drop Science of Science Fiction, I signed up for weightlifting a third time even though I "hated PE" and already had all my PE credits.

I don't remember my coach's name, but I do remember that he pronounced my name wrong. I helped teach him on the very first day of class, again on day two, and again the next week, and the tried all over again at the start of the 2nd semester. One time I gently corrected him, he told me I spelled my name wrong. Without skipping a beat I told him he could spell it however he liked in his book to remember how to pronounce it correctly. He didn't like that. I didn't like the dozen other times I tried to teach him.

I don't remember my coach's name, but I remember how he ignored me. May 17, 2004 was certainly not the first time I asked about getting a record on the board. I'm guessing it was the last day of class. I had been staring at the board hovering between 165 and hvy wts all year and asked him what I needed to do to officially land a record.

I don't remember my coach's name, but I remember telling my partner of my goal and she jumped right into action. I already had chest press in mind. I liked competing with the boys and was close to them on chest and coach never taught the girls how to do squats. I could've cleaned house on any.

HVY WTS. | CHEST PRESS | K. MENKE | 115 | 04

I don't remember my coach's name but I remember choosing 115 lbs and loading up the bar. I figured if I could nail that one then I could go up to 125 lbs and then get his attention to get on the board. I didn't get his attention but I pressed 115 with ease.

I don't remember my coach's name but I remember how strong I felt with smile to prove it. 

And I remember how strong I am.