The Chronicles of “B”

I know it’s not even October yet and there are still a few months left in 2009 but with the last 2 contest of my  5 contest tour fast approaching I’ve been looking back at the past year and marveled at what an amazing ride it’s been.

At the beginning of 2009 I was pretty chubby coming off of a Holiday season where I showed little restraint when it came to eating.  I was still lifting but it was kind of here and there and without my normal intensity.  I mean it was winter and the two biggest holidays for food consumption was here and since my first contest of 2009 was over 4 months away I felt there was no need to worry.  Well looking back I’m thinking I should have shown a little more self control because I got pretty chunky and just a little lazy.

January of 2009 saw me usher in the New Year at a rotund 230!  YIKES!!  I had my first contest coming up at the end of March so if I was going to get in contest shape I had my work cut out for me.  It really helped that at the beginning of the year MuscleTech started their big transformation contest.  The chance of winning a huge cash prize gave me even more incentive to get contest ready.  I didn’t win anything in the MuscleTech contest but the lure of cash made me work even harder and when I stepped onto the stage for the first time at the Toledo Glass Scepter I came away with the top prize for Men’s Masters! A pretty good start to the year if I do say so myself. 

Next up, and being pretty full of myself at this point, was a midsummer contest in Ann Arbor Michigan.  The contest didn’t offer a Masters Class but I decided to really put myself to the test and compete in the Open Class against kids 20 to 30 years younger than me.   I finished 4^th and was a little disappointed but I felt that I had made a good showing and when all the Judges praised me for the changes I made since the Toledo contest I felt a little better about myself. 

Then came August and the Steel Valley Classic.  After pre-judge I felt I was a safe and solid second and waiting for the evening show and the announcement of the placing I was confident that I would be bringing home the 2^nd place trophy.  Well not so fast my friend!!!  LOL When the announcement was made I had finished 3^rd behind a guy who had a pouch and man boobs.  I was stunned.  Later I found out that the guy was a close personal friend of the promoter and actually trained in his gym.  Hmmmmm what’s wrong with this picture? 

That slap in the face has been a blessing and a wakeup call to me though.  It taught me to never leave anything to chance.  Obviously the judges felt that this guy and myself were close enough that if they gave it to the other guy there would not be too much squawking.  That left a bitter taste in my mouth and has been the driving force in my prep for the 2 remaining contest. 

In  15 days I step onstage for the 4^th time this year in Flint Michigan.  If you look at my progress pics you can clearly see the transformation I’ve made from the beginning of the year.  In the pics I posted in January for the MuscleTech contest you see me at a chubby 230 and now just before my 4^th contest of 2009 you see me at a lean and muscular 180.  I fully expect to bring home the 1^st place trophy from Flint but no matter the outcome I’ve already had a pretty amazing year and I know it’s only going to get better. 

A week after Flint comes a big NGA Contest in Buffalo and a good finish there will really set the stage for what I hope will be an even bigger year in 2010.  More on that later………….

To be continued……….

I have been a member of the BodySpace Community now for over two years and in that time I have often spoke of the power of BodySpace……how it literally turned my life around and took me from a fat 250 lb slob of a couch potato to a lean 180 pound competitive bodybuilder.
I have also spoken often of the many friends I have made over the past 2 years and how they have been instrumental in my success none more so then the friendship I have formed with Susan, BodySpace username Susan Beth. 
When I came across Susan’s profile a little over a year ago she was preparing for her first contest and due to lack of support from friends and family she was struggling to keep it all together.  I was suffering from the latest in a long line of injuries that had kept me from being able to train and was probably at the lowest point I had been in a long time.  Actually I was considering giving up bodybuilding and was thinking of running a marathon again.  I had even written a blog on that very thought just before I met Susan. 
The very first time Susan and I spoke on BodySpace via comments and PM’s we clicked.  We logged on every morning and talked about bodybuilding till it was time for us to go to work.  I helped her find her confidence and she kept me from losing site of my dream of someday stepping onto that bodybuilding stage.  We just fed off of each other’s energy.  It was really an amazing thing. 
Eventually we exchanged cell phone numbers and began texting throughout the day, always about bodybuilding, and also long conversations about our favorite subject.  Since we only lived a couple of hours apart we decided it was time to meet and picked a spot that was just a short hour away for us both.  We thought it best to meet in a public place on the off chance that one of us was a serial killer attempting to lure the other to their death. LoL 
We met in a coffee shop and spent an entire afternoon drinking tea and getting to really know each other.  We instantly clicked just as we had online and I’m happy to report that neither of us was a serial killer and no hacking of body parts took place.   
Susan voiced her concerns to me about not having anyone to help her backstage at her upcoming contest and asked if I would be interested.  Even though I knew very little about contest prep at that time I readily accepted her invitation.   It was a decision that would change my life.
Being backstage that day renewed my fever for getting on stage myself.  It was amazing being behind the scenes and seeing the hustle and bustle and the energy that goes into getting ready to step out there on that stage in front of all those people. 
Susan took first place that day and when she came off stage that night with her trophy I was there to greet her and she literally jumped for joy right into my arms.  It was an awesome feeling and one of the most memorable moments of my life all made possible through the power of BodySpace. 
Fast forward to today…..Susan and I have been friends now for over a year.  I competed in the very contest I helped her in last year and with her as my backstage help I took home the first place trophy.  I have become close with her kids and have had several outings with them and Susan.  They have become part of Susan and I’s team helping us with our prep and together this summer we have taken the stage twice and are about to compete in 2 more contest together before we take some time off. 
We went to the Arnold together this past spring where we had a fantastic bodybuilding day and also got to meet several other members of the BodySpace family. 
Susan and I have begun to form Team BS Fitness looking to offer personal training by appointment and perhaps online and long term have also discussed the possibility of someday owning our own gym together.  It amazes me that all this came about thanks to a chance meeting on a little social network called BodySpace.  Pretty cool huh??     

As you may or may not know the IronMan/BodySpace contest is in full swing and the voting has started.  If you’re not aware of what I’m talking about please go to News and just follow the links.  Anyway I have entered the contest and I’m making it my personal mission this year to call attention to Masters bodybuilding.  I like to consider myself an evangelist for the older lifter and I’ve tried to lead by example. 

Thanks to bodybuilding I’ve turned my life around and lost over 70 lbs in the past year and I’m about to compete in my 4th contest this year.  I love seeing the reaction people have when they hear that and when they hear that I’m 52 years old and really didn’t start bodybuilding till I was 50.  I would love for others to know that feeling and to get off their butts up off the couch and start lifting and to know that it is never to late to take back your health. Winning this contest would give me the platform to do just that.

I would just like to ask that when you cast your vote this year give it some thought please and consider why you are voting for that person.  Is it because they are your friend or maybe you just think they are cute?  Consider if they would actually be a good spokesperson for this sport that we all love and if they would promote the sport in a positive way. Not because they are hot and have a nice smile. 

I would like to modestly ask that you cast your vote for me and help me on my mission to bring attention to the over 40 lifter.  This is something IronMan has always done…that’s why I read it.  They have many features on the over 40 lifter and it has helped me quit a bit in the last year with info I’ve taken in from reading those articles.   If you feel I would not make a good spokesperson then by all means you should not cast your vote for me but I would like to ask that you do consider why you are voting and if you can then please cast that vote for an older lifter if you feel they would do a good job.  At any rate thank you for your consideration.