Powerful, Fast, Strong, Masculine, Warrior.  These were things I wanted to be when I was younger.  I had always been an athlete but my body was frail, my physique nothing to write home about (130 lbs soaking wet graduating from high school), and my coordination was all over the place.  I had competed as a lightweight rower all through high school, competing at youth nationals twice, but it still left much to be desired.

Then, I met the iron. 

The war began.