Chapter 4 - ANB Asia Pacific Championships!

Shannon collected me and my 5987 pieces of luggage from Lynsday's and off we went down the coast. We had to stop into somewhere for our Dream Tan - with all the instructions given to us, do you think we could find it? Bubble-brain moment #1. After a few phone calls, a few times up and down the same street we got there. Once there, it was a matter of urgency to use the loo.

Onto our motel in Surfers. Picture a big line-up of cars in the drop-off area. We have no idea where to park, so Shannon stops the car so I can run into reception and ask where the motel parking is. Weird stares once inside, (hello people, it's perfectly NORMAL to have a black body and a white head!) and I got the info. Ran out to the car, opened the door and waffled off the information as I jumped in.... only to look over and see a very unamused, shocked middle-aged male staring back at me. OOPS, ummm... wrong car!! Apologised and look one car behind to see Shannon cracking up laughing saying "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?". Bubble-brain moment #2. In my defence, both cars were silver!

Checked in, ate and weren't quite happy with the room. Asked to see a different one. Had major issues working out the lifts, two towers had 2 separate lifts but they were all marked the same. We kepts getting in the wrong ones... we just looked at each other and I said "do you feel like just crying right now"? We were that OVER everything! Checked out room 2, decided to swap to it. Went back to original room just to check, couldn't be bothered moving all the luggage, decided to stay in room 1. Went down lift to give key back, receptionist asked if room 2 was better, said no we're staying in room 1, only to say right then and there 'OK, we'll go to room 2'. Then couldn't decide... asked to think about it. Decisions were just toooo hard. (For the record we stayed in room 1 as the effort required to move was just tooooooo much).

Off to register. Caught up with Ferny and Jadey at registration and seeing them was a bit of pick-me-up for both of us! I realised I'd forgotten my routine music at the motel, in fact, I remember taking it OUT of my handbag to go to rego. Bubble brain moment #3. We had to drive back to motel to pick it us... once we drove back there I thought, I've got my back-up copy in my suitcase, I'll just grab that. My suitcase was.... IN THE CAR.... which was AT REGISTRATION WITH US!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bubble brain moment #4. Poor Shannon, I thought she'd kill me. (but I owed her that from the indecisiveness of choosing the rooms!! hee hee).

We did our grocery shop, ate our rations and then totally teased ourselves by shopping for our treats the next day...

Totally didn't go overboard! Did our final tanning up, forgot the windows were open in our 31st floor room and pranced around naked posing. Would have been a sight to see had anyone had binoculars... Finally we started getting excited...

Next day, up early, breakfast and outta there for hair and make-up at Aria on Broadbeach!

To the venue - I'm on first today so we get me tanned up and ready to go. Here's me pumping up backstage.

And practising... c'mon abba-dabbas, you can do it!

I entered into Figure Short division. ANB only had Novice and Figure Short and Figure Tall. I was advised to enter into the Open division as there were roughly 20 Novices (didn't end up being that many) plus the fact I'd already done a few shows. I knew the standard of girls I'd be up against, but after my first comp, I was simply there to get up and CELEBRATE all my hard work and just HAVE FUN with it!! I went out with that attitude, and I was told it showed!

I was alot happier with how I looked at the second comp - I had comments like "what did you do this week!? You look heaps better!" (thanks Yann) and "wow, you've come in tighter this week" (thanks Lindy!). My tan helped too, we nailed it. I had heaps of time to pump up as well. I was a bit pale and rushed for the first comp. I knew I'd done the best I could, so I was a very happy chappy.

Some stage pics (thanks Kristen, Leanne, Hanni!):





I had a great time up on stage - really worked on that 'bendy back' ;). From pre-judging I already knew I wasn't in the Top 5 but I really didn't care. I was heaps happy with how I looked, loved my make-up, loved my hair, I felt beautiful! ;)

I was glad to be done early as I could help Shannon (the star) prep and and watch her shine in Figure Tall. And she was a STAND-OUT!!! I was sooo soo sooooo happy for her, as I knew all she'd been through just to get up on stage.

We had a short intermission break - COFFEE - and a bit of routine practise back at our motel. Then time for the night show!

Routine time! I wasn't nervous. The girl before me went onstage and my music started... I thought "oh crap, that's my music... then she started her routine" It hit me - OMG, we had the SAME music. It totally threw me off. Breathe. Breathe. My turn - same tune, different dance. What are the chances of that - of all the songs out there for two people in the same show to have the same song, and even worse - the person DIRECTLY before me. It isn't even a latest release. Hook 'n' Sling - The Best Thing (see, I bet half of you haven' t heard of it!!) At least she had good taste ;) I got through mine with only one minor error which no one would have picked up.

How perfect is the timing of this pic Leanne took during my routine - in line with the picture on the backdrop!! I always knew I was angelic! ;)


The Winners were announced and that was it for me! Comp seasion 2010, done! Finished perfectly with the most divine banana bread muffin with cream cheese icing. THANKS KRISTEN!! Girl to my left in black and white was the winner, lady in tiger stripes on my other side was 5th and Markeeta in purple came in 2nd. (Markeeta and I are from the same town and have planned for aaages to meet for coffe - never happens! - so it was awesome to 'meet' her for the first time on stage. She's always been one of my 'heroes' ;) )

Backstage hanging with Shannon before she was due on. Hours later in fact!

Shannon won her division - she was sen-freaking-sational. We then hung around for her to go in Overalls - which she won as well!!! I'll save all that for another post. ;) It was a late night - a huge day for the competitors - especially those who made it to the end. Me, I was done by 8.30pm and had a belly full of junk! ;) Poor Shannon was back on stage at 11.30pm, and we didn't get back to our motel and out for our craved-for pizza till 12.30pm. By then nothing was open, but we found some pizza! Not the gourmet stuff, but pizza all the same.

Very late night with both of us buzzing... but what an experience for me. That was my first ANB show and what a show it was!!!

Chapter 3 - The Week Between

Also known as - the week from hell!!

I struggled so so soooo bad the week between comps. Although it WAS only a week, it felt like a lifetime - it was the toughest week of all my prep. Ever :) Sounds a bit dramatic doesn't it! I described it like I was a naughty kid who'd been given their Christmas gifts, then had them taken away the next day. I guess it was because I'd only set my goal for the 22nd May, although I was keen for the ANB comp, I was so focused on the first one, I couldn't look past date.

So to have my 'glory', then celebrate it at din-dins with friends, only to have to forget the excitement and buzz of the first comp and re-focus and go straight back into prep diet the next day, was a bit hard on the old head. I pulled the pin on the ANB comp about three times that week...

I had the bestest hosts in Lyndsay and her hubby and their gorgeous kids. They were so understanding (reminder to always stay with past competitors in final week prep!!) and patient and knew exactly what how I was feeling. We trained three days at Goodlife gym in the Valley. I love experiencing different gyms - it was MASSIVE (to me!). Shannon joined us on the Tuesday and we did our work-out together - seeing her put some spark back in my step. It was that day I was ready to pull the pin... seeing that she looked as crap as me, felt as crap as me and was speaking to Ferny on the phone who was feeling exactly the same sealed the deal for me. I was DEFINITELY NOT pulling the pin now! I wasn't the only one going through it - SUCK IT UP PRINCESS!! I was just the only one fighting it. No more being a brat - then and there I changed my attitooood.

Some Training Pics courtesy of Lyndsay

Thursday of that week, we decided to make a start on my routine. Yes, ooops, Little Miss Control Freak hadn't even started it. Lynds edited my music way back, it was time for us to put some moves to it. After many attempts, nearly a few tears (not a tantrum, just extreme frustration and tiredness!!) I GOT IT!!! Not a bad effort whipping one up two days before the event. Thank goodness for Lyndsay and Steven!

Friday was the day the tanning started all over again. Shannon joined us at lunchtime then we were on the road to the Goldie.

A huge hazard: two girls driving to the GC tired and hungry... ;)

Chapter 2 - INBA Brisbane Titles - 22nd May 2010

I typed a quick post previously, but here's some pics and a bit more on my first comp this year.

I flew out on the Friday and I was sooo tired and soooo OVER IT and pretty muchly burst into tears at Brisbane airport when I was wasn't allowed to pick up my hire car. License expired early May. Ooops. I do remember that now... I was certain I renewed by mail but as I had no proof, of course I was denied access to a car. Turns out I never did renew - blaming final month comp brain for that one. So I was an unlicenced driver for the month... oooopsy.

Finally got it sorted and perfect timing that Lyndsay called me amidst my upseted-ness (new word) so that got me focused and excited again. That and running my hands down my flat and rock-hard day-before-comp-belly to feel my abs. Funny how that makes everything better. LOL! ;) Haha - hey if you only get them for a few days a year, gotta make the most of them!! Did my groceries and registered and we were rocking. Lyndsay and Shannon came to my motel and helped me tan and we practised posing...

Me in my orange body-suit and Shannon at one week out...

Next day was hair appointment and all the fiddly stuff before arriving at Chandler. I had a little entourage so really wanted to do them proud!

Getting ready back stage - how beautiful is the costume Jo designed!!

First 'appearance' on the day was the new Figure International Category. This one is judged on Symmetry round only. Being a new division, no one really knew what to expect, but the promoter told me the more muscular Open division girls probably won't compete as the look will be a bit softer and therefore if I came in really hard (I didn't) not to tense toooo much, try to keep relaxed. I was keen to give it a go; having done all the hard work, why not celebrate it twice over!

As it was such a big line up we were split into Tall and Short. No surprises that I was in short. 6 girls were called from my line-up for comparisons with three going through to the "final".

Pic below is me in the middle with two of the gals from my line-up who made it to the final six. I promise I'm doing the "tits-and-ass" thing, but I just don't have a bendy back!! I want (and NEED!) a bendy back to look better - like those two!!!!!!!!!! I had no call-outs, no further comparsions. No probs.

All the girls looked really good. The winner of Figure International was the girl who also won Figure Open. Second place went to the girl who came second in Figure Open, and third place went to the girl who won Figure Intermediate (the girl in purple above).

After that division, I got to watch 30mins of the show before heading backstage to start all over again!

Me and my entourage (I love saying that, makes me feel cool! haha)

Practising and pumping up backstage.

Blue Jelly Snake... MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmm

Time for what I was really there for - Figure Intermediate! Seven goooood chickies in the line-up. I'm third from the right in the pic below. Where's that bendy back?!?! ;) We did our symmetry rounds were then shuffled around. Myself and the girl in the middle beside me were put to the left hand side of the stage and not looked at again. (I'm not saying that in a spoilt-sport way, just saying how it was :) ) Everyone was called-out and compared except for us two. I'm used to being the call-out queen so that was a bit hard to take! ;) (Edit: upon re-reading that line I don't want that taken the wrong way. By call-out queen I mean that in my past 2 comps I was worked to the bone with comparisons. The DVD sees me panting and huffing and puffing - it's hard work! :) ). I'm not at all sour, I believe the girls who won deserved to; I was just disappointed in having worked SO damn hard and I did all they wanted me too (leaner and more balanced) only to not even be glanced at twice from the moment I walked on stage- it's like I just never caught their eye. It's hard to keep smiling and posing when you see the head judge point to you, tell you to be moved to the side and shake his head saying "nah". I'm going to ask for feedback as to what was the reason that I wasn't even a consideration from the first minute. I can only grow and get better from that feedback!

Winner was girl in purple on right, second was Kylie in blue and third was girl second from right in dark brown. The standard was pretty damn good!

Back View

Onstage pose-down pic from Professional Photographer.

This is where the fun began - running rank with the backstage goodies!!!

After the show a group of us went to Groove Train for tea. Soooo good, but I felt a lil bit off. Poor body didn't know what was going into it! I was on such a high - regardless of placings etc, shows are such a buzz and you're pumped all night. Needless to say - I didn't sleep!!

Had a YUMMO breakfast the next day then I was dropped to Lyndsay's house to stay for the week before the next comp - ANB Asia Pacifics!

The worst author ever

I was coming on here to write Chapter 2, but blogger is too busy tonite to let me load photos :( Night time is the only chance I let myself 'play' (as we all know too well how much time can be wasted during the day on things like... facebook and blogs!), but it won't play nice with me tonite.

Thanks guys for all the compliments on my professional pics. It's muchly appreciated, especially now on the down-side of comp when I'm feeling like a beached whale. And looking like it. Yup, I haven't yet got the post-comp side of things under control. I can't stop eating!! It's not an easy road, I thought I was better prepared than last year, but still struggling, and I know I'm not the only one. It's only been 2 weeks since comp, so not beating myself up too much in finding the balance again. It just sux that it takes foreverrrrrrrrrrr to get into tip-top shape, only to lose it so quick!

Anyway.... enough on that..............

I'm looking forward to tomorrow - Shannon is flying up for the day just for us both to HANG!!!!!!!! We usually have to train/eat/rush around etc when we're in the same city, so it will be nice just to..... do nothing! I'm taking her to my fave coffee shop (hope it's up to her expectations... she's very choosy with her coffee!!!) and we'll have a nice lunch somewhere, hopefully with a glass of vino. No dieting for us this time!

Hope everyone's training hard and eating well - for yourself and do some extra for me ;)

And some 'fun' ones...

I was playing around and the photographer just kept on snapping! These kind of pics make the best ones!

This next pic got me all excited at how I was looking two weeks out from comp!! :)

Don't ask me what I was trying to do here!!! Smack that booty!!

And we played around with lighting to achieve different looks...

It was heaps of fun being a supermodel for three hours! What a job!

I only half half of the pics so far, so no doubt there'll be more for me to post up once I get the rest (should be this week)... if you can stand it! hee hee

Pics...

Here's a few of me being a little poser :) Thanks to the girls at my local Lorna Jane - I was able to borrow all of the clothing for the shoot. I had to hold myself back from purchasing it ALL once I was done though!

Chapter 1

Comp Prep Wrap-Up and Photo Shoot

This will be a few installments so I may as well start at the beginning!!

So I prepped myself this time, basing it on what I learnt from last year. As I've mentioned heaps of times previously, Lyndsay and Shannon were my life-lines and I'm sure they don't realise how much their support got me through my 'dark' times.

There weren't too many of those though! I had this comp goal since stepping off stage last July - to come back in 2010 leaner and better! I was so focused, I was on auto-pilot. I had only a few psycho moments, but when you're in them, it's hard to see the bright light. It was always external stressors which triggered them, so as long as I kept it controlled and BREATHED, I seemed to be OK.

I love love LOVED my early morning walks and walk/jogs. I live 20mins jog from the beach so would run or power walk there, spend 20 mins on the beach as the sun rose and then travelled the 20mins back! I loved this cardio and I always mixed it up so it stayed enjoyable. There's not one day I missed my morning cardio once I'd set myself to do it. Wake-up texts either from or to Shan to keep us accountable helped heaps!

I had my skins done weekly and a weekly PT Session with the owner of the gym I train at up here. He just hurts me. In the final 2 weeks, I just didn't have the mental strength to keep it up... I burst into tears in a session with him as I was just so tired, and OVER it. I found that when the finish line was closing in, it got tougher and tougher mentally to stay in the game... when it should have been the opposite - excited and pumped that it was finally here!

My weekly skin measurements was the big thing that kept me motivated. Each week (bar one where some went up?!?) they all dropped, some minor, some major. I'll list them out in a separate post at some point.

Last year the feedback I received was: come in approximately 2kgs leaner and build up the upper body as my legs are overpowering. My progress pics in comparison to last year showed that I did both of those. I'll post comparisons up one day too (if you're really keen to see, keep bugging me - I'm a slack blogger!).

A few days prior to comp, I weighed in 2kgs lighter than last year's lowest weight. WOOP! Goal achieved! I know scales aren't the 'everything' but that's MY way of knowing I'm headed in the right direction. Progress pics show my lil bubby shoulders did grow a bit! So I was stoked that I'd bettered myself from last year and that was all that mattered :) The show now was my opportunity to strut my stuff and celebrate all I'd achieved.

Two weeks prior to comp, I did a studio photo shoot with a photographer I used for a shoot in 2006. Had heaps of fun, as you do!

Sooooo pics to come.... :)

I'm Home!

After almost two weeks in Brisbane/Gold Coast, I get my own bed tonite :)

So much fun had - lots to say, lots to show.

I'll be back!!!!!!!!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :)