December SLAMer of the Month – Amanda

When I first met Amanda, she was on maternity leave trying out a class. She said she was getting out of the Army and she’d be back—I didn’t believe her, but come back she did. From knowing no one to establishing awesome friendships with the gals, to running races, to becoming the best version of herself, to hosting gatherings, to supporting every single mama with so much encouragement and support, Amanda has become such an integral member to our sweet circle here in the Pines. We are pained to see her leave in January, but it is bittersweet in that she will have a new SLAMily waiting for her in San Antonio. Here’s her SLAM story:

Hi! I’m Amanda and I’ve been SLAMing with Southern Pines since last February when I left Active Duty. I am married to Jacob who is an AD Critical Care RN and we have one child, Adelyn who is 18 months. I credit SLAM for making my transition out of the Army seamless. After nine years in the Army, I was accustomed to the comradery and active lifestyle of the military. I attended my first class while I was on maternity leave, knowing I needed to find something that filled my need for community and fitness. Brittany was so welcoming and inclusive. When I told her I’d be back after I completed my transition out, I’m sure she didn’t expect to see me ever again. Butttttttt to her surprise I came back and the rest is history!

The first few months were brutal. I easily had gained 60+ pounds during my pregnancy and I was in the worst shape of my life. If I was honest; the need for a routine and socialization was what usually got me out the door but each day got a little easier….each day I got a little stronger. Then one day I had the brilliant idea of setting a goal to run the Army 10-miler (because who doesn’t decide to finally run when they get out of the military?!?….my husband and I still joke about that). I mentioned the idea to a fellow SLAM sister and to my surprise she immediately said…”Sure, I’m in!” So the next few months I attended SLAM classes regularly while we started to train. Before we knew it, race day was here! It was so surreal, a year prior I had been standing on the sidelines with our 6 month old wearing a shirt “Run none of the miles, watch all of the kids” but this year I did just the opposite. I ran ALL the miles. And I have SLAM Southern Pines to thank.

I know we all have heard this many times before, but SLAM isn’t just about the work outs (although they are killer), it’s so much more than that. It’s a family who shows up for each other daily. Shortly after joining SLAM my husband received orders to deploy. I don’t think I could’ve stayed sane without my SLAMily. The constant support and help I have received is unreal. As our time in Southern Pines comes to an end I am so thankful that this community extends. I had the privilege of spending two weeks in San Antonio this past summer (where we will be moving this winter) with the wonderful ladies of SLAM Antonio. I look forward to continuing this SLAMtastic journey!