A Co Armagh school teacher who took up weightlifting to help combat depression caused by menopause is flying to South Africa on Monday to represent Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships.
The musician has been sharing her love of music with pupils at Brownlow Integrated College in Lurgan for more than 20 years.
After school, she moves to a different beat at a nearby gym.
Ruth Norton took up weightlifting four years ago when struggling with depression as a result of menopause.
"I was going through perimenopause and just thought I was losing my mind, depressed, anxious, didn't know what was happening, on anti-depressants," she explained.
"The anti-depressants helped get me out of that hole, but I wanted me back, so I went to the gym."
She was encouraged to keep training and persuaded to switch to powerlifting after a chance encounter with a former pupil who is now a personal trainer and powerlifting coach.
"Ruth taught me music for my five years at Brownlow and I thought I recognised her when she was training, but had to take a couple of glances to make sure it was her," said Dean Gracey.
"We started chatting and I could see she enjoyed the training and I gave her a bit of direction and vision to keep her involved and it just sort of sparked off from there."
Ruth Norton still cannot quite believe that that chance encounter set her on a journey to Sun City in South Africa in search of a Commonwealth medal.
She is part of a 44-strong Northern Ireland powerlifting team and will compete in two categories in the Masters section, the bench lift and classic event, which involves squats, bench lift and deadlift.
From initially practising with an empty bar, she has bench pressed more than 42kg, squatted 85kg and deadlifted 115kg, but is giving nothing away about her current stats.
"Those figures would all have improved in recent weeks so we'll just have to see what happens," she said.
"It's a bit overwhelming to think that I've gone from an empty bar to the Commonwealth Games and I want to make the most of it. But as someone said to me in the gym not too long ago, you either win or you learn, so either way it's a good thing."
Dean Gracey is now pupil turned teacher as he has helped Ruth to train over the past four years.
He is also a friend and fan and will be watching on TV and cheering her on as she competes in two categories in the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships.
"It took a while for her being selected for the team to sink in," he said.
"I'm hopeful, but the thing is, and I've said it to her time and time again, it's you versus you, if you have a good day for yourself, then that's the win.
"You don't focus on any other opponents, you don't have to focus on who you are up against. If you just do the work that you set out to do it will turn into something good."
Ruth believes taking up regular exercise could help some women struggling to cope with symptoms of menopause.
"I need to do it every week, it really helps me maintain a nice head space," she said.
"The hardest part is taking the first step. If there's anything that I can pass on from this moment, take the first step, it could lead you somewhere really amazing.
"And yes, it's natural to doubt yourself, so don't worry, but if you exercise it will turn down the volume of that doubt, that's what's happened to me."
She hopes to be in the hunt for a medal, but said the fact that she is even in the team is a victory.
When asked which was toughest between teaching children and powerlifting, Ruth replied: "What I would say is that lifting weights is really relaxing and therapeutic and teaching children is really energizing and exhausting."
"It can be very challenging some days but that's teenagers and I was one, too. My mum says it's payback."
