Be Like Shane and Thank You

“DG” 
Complete as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:
8 Toes to bar
35 pound Dumbbell thruster, 8 reps
35 pound Dumbbell walking lunge, 12 steps 
U.S. Air Force Major Walter David Gray, 38, of Conyers, Georgia, assigned to the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, based in Fort Carson, Colorado, died on August 8, 2012 from injuries suffered during a suicide bomb attack in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife Heather, daughters Nyah and Ava, and son Garrett.
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Be like Shane.
Be like Shane.

It’s hard to believe that a short eight months ago, Shane was lying in a hospital bed with a very uncertain future. The road back was not easy, to say the least, and is something we will never fully comprehend without experiencing it ourselves.
Many of you witnessed Shane’s initial transition back to normal. His time in a wheelchair became slow steps across the gym to the aerodyne, with a cane. This transitioned to squatting to a box target with PVC pipe, trying vigorously to get his heel to reach to the floor. After a few months, Shane’s hard earned rehabilitation efforts made it such that, without knowing of his accident, you would not think anything different of him as an athlete standing next to you in class.
But that’s on the outside.
On Monday of last week, Ali came over to me and said how she was about to judge Shane for 16.4. She mentioned how Shane wasn’t too excited about it. The workout had deadlifts which are still (post accident) somewhat tricky for him at heavier loads and wallballs can prove challenging at times. But he did it, just like he did all of The Open workouts.
Shane’s Open was filled with highs and lows, just like everyone’s. His 16.3 was a high – getting many bar muscle-ups. His 16.4 was frustrating. Prior to doing 16.5 he mentioned how he thought it would take him 30+ minutes – but he did it in 24 minutes (Shane if you want to redo on Monday and try and go sub 20, let me know, I’ll count for you;)!
One could see why Shane would not want to sign-up for The Open this year. Knowing fully that this year would not compare to any of his past Open performances, and that the workouts could include movements or loading that he might not be able to do, it would be hard to put yourself out there, in front of your peers and the athletes you coach each day.
Many people can cite instances in their life where they have been held captive by ego, pride, and fear. I don’t know what was going on in Shane’s head throughout the workouts this season, but I believe he set all of those things aside. Backed by a community of athletes and coaches that want to see him succeed just as much as he wants to see improvement in himself, and a clear understanding that moving forward is better than standing still, Shane turned in one impressive Open season.
Shane – Eric, me, and the entire coaching staff are super proud of what you accomplished this past five weeks.  
And, we also want to say a very big THANK YOU to Shane for managing another fantastic Open season at Roots!


 

7 Responses
  1. <3 Shane is such a humble and hard working person. I've seen it in how he set up for the Open, his smile welcoming when you cross his path. I've watched him come back from the brink, to hit milestones in his recovery, with grace and gratitude. Very inspiring. We all love you, Shane!

  2. Eric Christensen

    Shane- thanks for another great open! Its a testament to your hard work that it is so easy to forget how far you’ve come. You’re doing great, keep pushing.
    E

  3. Yes, thank you Shane, for all the hard work, as it benefits in so many areas: the Open is just the obvious one. But witnessing your own (tremendous) recovery through hard work and logical application of CrossFit’s principles is an inspiration to all of us on our own paths. Thank you! And now you and Ali have to get started planning Harvest Hoedown ’16! 😉

  4. Shane Upchurch

    Thanks Roots! It could have been a much different recovery without all of the support and care from our community. Coach Glassman stated that CrossFit prepares you for the unknown and unknowable, and I’m not so sure he understood the scope of that statement, but I can attest that he is correct. I’ve never been so prepared to get hit by a truck :), but seriously, this shit works!

  5. wendy ball

    …and wallballs can prove challenging at times…
    That is an amazing understatement!
    Motivating and awesome.
    Thanks Shane for being so inspirational…

  6. K-Dub

    Thanks Shane for all that you do! You are an inspiration and give me great gratitude for life. So happy to see you at Roots so determined and functional after everything you have been through. You truly are our teacher. Just because shit gets really (REALLY) difficult, there is always hope and we can still climb out from under it.