#134 Class C

What a weekend.
I feel like I have a hangover and I haven't even drank...yet...keyword yet.  I woke up Saturday morning feeling great.  I wasn't stiff, sore, bloated, tired, pissed off (it was early, give it time), or remotely apprehensive about the day.  I enjoyed about 3 oz. of coffee as I put on my fake lashes and thick coats of makeup.  I was going for the prostitute-look.  Check.  I woke Ryan up at 5:45 to put one last coat of tanner on my back...he was thrilled.  Actually, he never complained...probably because I was naked, I get it.  Anyway, I was out the door by 7:15 and on my way to check-in.  Walking into the theater was truly exciting, and it honestly felt like 5 years flew by.  Months of work for just one day.  We had our athlete meeting, got our numbers, and then headed to dressing rooms to get ready and wait until it was our turn for pre-judging.  Waiting around is tough because you have to time your food correctly.  You're hardly eating anything that day, and the carbs that you are eating need to be just enough to give you a slight pump without "spilling over" and looking flat.  I'm pretty sure Quaker's stock went up with all the rice cakes that were eaten that day backstage.

By 10:15 they call us upstairs to start pumping up and to get oiled down.  I can already tell at this point that I should have packed some potassium pills.  I was cramping like hell.  I pushed through about 15 minutes of weights backstage (already sweating like a dog), and headed over to get oiled up.  I don't care who you are, having PAM rubbed on your inner thigh is a little awkward....so what do I do?  I make inappropriate comments to keep the guy laughing so its not so weird.  Looking back, I may not have helped the situation.  O-well, I tried...

So it wasn't until that point that you all line up backstage that you're able to get a good look at the ladies in your height class.  I got in my numerical position, looked down the line, and laughed.  In all the competitions I've been in at the state level, this was by far the most competitive group of women.  Every single person was stage-ready.  This would be tough.  Very tough.  I was amazed at how "hard" the women were though...very vascular, striated shoulders, and pretty darn big....and yet, at the pro-level the look is getting a little softer with smooth lines/shape.  So it just boiled down to what the judges were looking for that day.

They filed us out there in a single line across the stage and we went straight into quarter turns.  I flexed a little too hard the first 2 and shook a little bit.  Back on target for the rest.  I honestly was not sure how the judging would fall.  But I did know that if they did not lean more towards a smoother look, I would not do well.

After prejudging, I had about 4 hours to kill before meeting back for the night show....so Ryan and I went to a couple of local stores to knock around for a bit.  I smelled horrible.  Between the paint, PAM, and not showering in over a day, I could clear a room in a heartbeat.  I was highly flammable as well.  I'm sure people were wondering where in the world Ryan found a hooker on a Saturday afternoon.  Not busting on hookers that work afternoons...happy hour has to start at some point.  I was exhausted...dehydrated, hungry, and in much need of a shower.  BUT, the show rolls on.  I was back at the theater by 4:30 and gearing up for the show at 6pm.

For the record, these shows are EXTREMELY long, so again, timing my food and what not was very hard.  Long story short, I didn't actually go on stage until around 10:15 or so.  Talk about a long day.  From about 8:00 Friday night until 11:00 Saturday night I had about 10 oz. of water and 700 calories.  By that point I was beyond hungry and just wanted to chug water like it was my job...didn't need that over-priced Fiji crap, it could be bath water, I didn't care...

So that was my day in a nutshell...now down to business.  I can say with confidence that I felt great going into Saturday and I would not change a thing about my preparation up until that point.  The only thing I expected was to bring my best that day, and I did.  It was an incredibly competitive group, and I did not place.  At the moment I was bummed, but I was not disappointed in myself.  I did everything I'd expected of myself, and that's all you can do in a subjective sport.  The judges clearly wanted a harder look.  That was not me.  To give you an idea, I took the stage at a solid 130 pounds (not exactly tiny for someone barely over 5'4"), and the winner was 5'5" and pushing 145.  First time I've looked small in awhile.  Ironically, the photographers and a few other promoters there loved what I brought to the stage and advised me not to change.  So that certainly leaves me with a few choices to make before the next show.  Oh the dilemma...

I felt good on the way home that night.  I was ready to sleep, eat some m&m's, and then hit the weights hard today.  I think my perspective on the entire day was a world of difference from 5 years ago, and I am pleased with my own work and strides along the way.  No time for disappointment and what ifs,...pick up and move on.  I still plan to do another show in the fall.  I want to put on a little more muscle in my shoulders and arms, and then be a tad more conditioned.  BUT, I also want to enjoy my summer and have beer with friends...or a beer with my one friend...and act like I have somewhat of a normal social life...

I was so blown away by the number of texts, emails, and facebook messages I received Saturday.  You people rock my world.  There I was exhausted, alone in a sea of Protan and PAM, eating rice cakes like it was manna, and one after another you contacted me to wish me luck and say you were thinking of me.  I was beyond touched.  I tried to respond as promptly as possible...even though a couple of times my fingers stuck to my phone because I was in the process of gluing my suit down with bikini-bite.  Its a glue stick for your ass.  I had glue in places one should never have glue....but those places already had paint, so what was a little glue to top it off?  Anyway, I am truly grateful...thank you...dearly...

So I'm sure you're wondering what I ate yesterday.  Ha, I knew it.  I honestly wasn't too hungry, but if I wanted something, anything, I ate it.  I had some honey roasted peanuts, a tortilla soft shell with peanut butter (its called a sex wrap), m &m's, and about 3 bowls of cereal for dinner.  I was sugar drunk.  It was great.

Holy crap, have a written a book yet?!  Pretty soon Blogger is going to throw out a pop-up that says "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP TYPING"...stupid computer.  On that note, let's talk about today.  HA.  I was absolutely THRILLED to get back in the gym.  My chest is going to be so sore tomorrow...I can't wait.  I want every inch of these A-cups to be in pain baby.  I hit chest and shoulders hard...sets of 8, very heavy.  Then, I did cardio...and actually didn't mind it.  I must still be sugar drunk.  Kidding...I was just eager to get moving again...

Well, I think that is all for now.  I am tired.  Legs tomorrow boys and girls...going heavy...can't take it anymore.  And I have a good Target story coming as well....that store will most likely be the death of me...