"isn't it ironic... don'tcha think?'

this past weekend was my annual trip to ohio for the arnold classic. and while i had high hopes for it to be the adventure of all adventures i was sorely disappointed. unlike previous trips there were no 'fights, arguments, mis-understandings and/or hurt feelings'. but unfortunatley there wasn't the high level of fun and frivolity that i was counting on either. i was a bit disappointed about that but what i heard this morning help put sh!t all in perspective for me.

i heard that dayumm sentence again. i didn't want to hear it the first time and i definately didn't want to hear it the second time. after so many years of a clean bill of health i guess i thought my friend was out of the woods. today i heard... not so much.

i find it oddly ironic that i spent this past weekend with people who have happily ingested and inserted the very chemical that my friend has to take. however my friend is not happy about it... in fact my friend abhors this drug but knows that it's necessary to help in this fight. those same people load there bodies as well with anti estrogen's to help fight the side effects of the drug. as well, in the case of most if not all of the females they take it to supress their bodies natural secondary female characteristics. in the quest for bigger growth and leaner bodies. my friend is taking the anti estrogens as well... but actually for the reason that the drug was intended... to help the body in this fight.

now those drugs don't easily go into the body. in fact our bodies are machines that seem to perform best... in most cases when left to it's own devices. we have bodybuilders both professional and amateur getting sick and dropping dead from years of abuse. in fact i know of a bodybuilder who hasn't been in the game that long... but due to health issue present before the drug use and subsequent abuse could verily well drop dead long before reaching their goal.

friends trying to stay healthy, friends who don't care if they die. it's truly ironic. i understand the concept of doing whatever it takes to live your dreams. but if your life is not precious to you, what of the people you leave behind? the other part thats kind of hard to grasp... is what about people like my friend who KNOW how precious life really is?

i still love bodybuilding. i still understand why the drugs are in the sport. i still admire many of the bodies that are not natural. i am glad that we have the medical knowledge to use these drugs to help people, like my friend, get healthy again. i am relieved that the condition was caught early. i am continually amazed by the fortitude and strength that my friend has. you can't help but admire someone who never takes that 'why me' approach but rather just says 'ok, how do we fix this'.

without a doubt... the biggest, strongest person i know... is not a bodybuilder!!