The B Side

The comeback journey is well underway. However I feel like the B side of an old record - overshadowed by the A side. The side everyone cheers for, plays for hours, you watch it rise on the charts. It’s the popular side. The B side by contrast isn’t given much hope. It tries. Hangs around. Hopes that someone accidentally puts the record on upside down and it gets a chance to show what it’s made of. Every once in a while the B side becomes a hit, even overshadows the A side. My B side is an A side wanna be.

Honestly it has been harder than I thought it would be. In order to kick it into high gear I’ve had to say goodbye to some old friends. Some had drifted away while others have dug in and refused to go. Not to embarrass them but Mr. JellyDonut, Ms Snacksizecandybar, and the always in my face Mr. Pintof anykindoffullonhighfaticecream have yet to get the hint that it’s time for them to go. Maybe I’ve been too nice to them. I admit that more than once I’ve woken up with Ms Snacksizecandybar laying next to me. Don’t blame me, it was a fun size bag after all….

My workouts have been steady and fruitful. I’m back to lifting weights a couple days a week. Getting tone back in my once hard body is important to me and it’ll be nice to take the newspaper off the mirrors. Lifting has been a mental lift as well, a way to gauge my return in a way other than speed. Strength is coming back and I suspect the broader my shoulders become the smaller my center chub will appear.

Running is smiling at me again. Sharon has me on a strict diet of slow mileage. At first I scoffed at it, maybe stomped my feet once or twice, and pronounced to the team that I simply cannot run that slowly. Oops…after the reprimand and a refresher in the science of running (plus a reminder that I am not the runner I once was – ouch), I realized that she was right and I would concede. The past two weeks have been great. I am building my base and enjoying my road time. Today I rolled out 7 miles which included a nice hill and I felt great afterwards.

Stretching is now routine and my foam roller and I are getting reacquainted. I love the group I am running with and the support this group has for each other is something one doesn’t find just anywhere. I will complete my first Duathlon in June and who knows, maybe this guy has some speed left in him still. Lookout 5K age division leaders, the B side is coming back and sometimes just sometimes, they can be a hit….