So here’s the good news: I made it through vacation with only a couple of pounds gained. Not bad considering the sheer volume of burgers, buns, and ice cream consumed. I didn’t do measurements right before I left, but overall I felt like I held the line better than I have on past trips. Win.
I gave myself the weekend to recover from travel—and then, with heroic resolve and a belly full of protein, I marched into Week 1, Phase 1 of my Fit by 50 Recomp on Monday.
Let me rephrase that.
I tried to march into Week 1.
Instead, I was ambushed. By the desert.
The Dry Air Deception
Monday started off strong: gym session, walk with the dogs, mobility work, hydration on point. But there was this… dry scratchiness. My throat felt off. Not painful exactly, just dry. I figured it was from going from the sticky Michigan air to the vacuum-sealed atmosphere of Las Vegas.
By the afternoon, it felt like someone had poured sand in my sinuses and lined my skull with cotton. Still, I was stubborn enough to hit KickFit that evening and sweat out approximately half my body weight.
By bedtime, the truth hit me like a fist full of Kleenex:
This wasn’t dry air. This was a full-blown virus.
The Unraveling of the Master Plan
I barely slept Monday night. My nose was a brick wall, and my brain had been replaced with packing material. Tuesday? A cotton-stuffed fever fog. I skipped my run—something I rarely do—because even I knew that was a terrible idea.
Wednesday: Fever still lurking, throat like broken glass, no appetite, and zero desire to pretend I was a functioning human. I got a bit more sleep, but not enough to count. Thursday brought a little relief—less pressure, throat easing, fever gone—but still no hunger. I barely ate but did finally sleep like a rock.
Plot Twist: Starting Over, Again
And now it’s Friday. I’m about 85% human again. Not quite full Jedi, but I can breathe and form sentences, so we’ll call it progress.
Tomorrow, I’ll take my Day 0 measurements and—cue dramatic music—begin Week 1, Phase 1… again.
How’s the saying go?
“See it again, for the first time.”
It’s starting to feel more and more like something out of Star Wars. Maybe The Phantom Recomp. Or A New Hope (Again).
Either way, I’m back. Hydrated. Mildly recovered. And ready to re-reboot the mission.
The Recomp Chronicles 