Hey everyone,

I found out two years ago this month that I was HIV-Positive, and like many others, thought my life was over.

Since then, I have had a number of great people rally around me in support, and I can see all the positives (and the Positives!) in my life.

For the past two years, I have also been working to help raise money so that others may attend this event. The teamwork paid off, and the Opening Ceremonies was PACKED! I was so happy to see people from every state and over 30 foreign countries!

Today, I participated in Power Lifting, and completed all of required lifts. My goal was to successfully participate in the competition, following the rules and regulations. Much to my surprise, I qualified for a gold medal!

I really enjoyed working with my friends from San Francisco today, and I am happy that I found a sport which suits me. I encourage everyone to find a sport or activity which works best for their health & sero-status. Many of the more popular sports are great, but make it harder to earn medals, because there are SO many participants.

Ultimately, the Gay Games is about Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best. I hope each of you have a great week in Chicago, and that you were able to realize a personal best in some way this week as well!

Warmest regards (literally, at 100 degrees today, and figuratively).

Ross Hayduk
Team San Francisco