February 2010

2010 as I’ve already been saying is going to be a truly great year for myself and my husband. We’re both so focussed on our health and fitness now that we have a majority of the worst behind us in regards to the passing of both my parents. Still to this day it’s surreal knowing that my parents are no longer here with me. So anyway, this year’s competition journey is going to be a very personal and emotional one for me.I’m going to compete in honour of their memory and I have absolutely no doubt that when I step back on that stage I’ll be fighting back the tears.

I made my decision in the second half of 2009. I was healing both psychologically and physically and felt that the time was right for me to compete again in 2010. More importantly, my mind body and spirit were where they needed to be for me to forge ahead with this health and fitness goal. It was my time and I knew I was ready, so the journey began. I’d been keeping it under wraps except for a very select few as I didn’t feel the need to go public with my decision to compete. It’s really not that big of a deal. I mean, I’ve done this before seven times so I know exactly what I’m in for. I also didn’t want and still don’t want the added pressure of other peoples expectations on me. This journey is personal and it’s about me, no-one else. It’s not even about being competitive this year, it’s about undoing what I’d done to myself and my body and getting my health and fitness back to an athletes level once again. Only this time healthily and happily. And it’s also very much about final closure on my home soil in Victoria. I couldn’t care less who I’m up against because when I’m up on stage as far as I’m concerned it’ll just be me and my thoughts of Mum & Dad.

So I’d obviously started this journey back to the stage last year and have been doing so ever since. I’m not paying for professional help this year. Instead I’m flying solo, but in saying that I have also tapped into my great support network. Lindy Olsen bless her kind heart is mentoring me through this process, it doesn’t get better than that for a figure comeptitor. Like I said before, this isn’t about a competition for me it’s a personal journey and finalising closure on this chapter of my life. But in saying that I have a goal of what I want to achieve and it’s also realistic, I’ll compete against myself and ensure I equal or better what I presented on stage at my best comp at the 2006 INBA Victorian Titles. This is the photo I have on the inside of my training folder when I’m at the gym. That’s what motivates me.

I’m also having bodyolgy done along the way to ensure I have scientific evidence that what I’m doing it working for me and for my body. No more second guessing for me. I had my nutrition, supplements, water and training all planned at by the end of last year. Of course, my training has changed due to the recent opportunity to work more closely with Eric Cressey. It wasn’t a problem and being flexible helps at times like these. My life isn’t all about competing and I’m living my life exactly the way I want to now. My most challenging goal is actually after I finish competing this year of maintaining a self-disciplined off-season. Which shouldn’t be difficult because something HUGE is happen for me at the end of this year but it’s not my place to reveal what just yet. Yes I know aren’t I full of surprises this year. Trust me, this one wasn’t foreseen but it’s definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and when I was presented with it I couldn’t say no. So yes, I knew that this year was going to be great for me and it continues to be going by last month.

Everything in life happens for a reason and it appears that things are happening for me with minimum effort this year. I’m certainly not lucky by any sense of the word, it’s just my time that’s all. So my comp trolley is stocked, packed and ready to go. Jo Rogers at Style on Stage has already made my posing costume and at the moment she’d decorating it with bling, lots and lots of bling. Everything’s organised, are you even surprised? LOL!! All I have to do now is eat, drink, train and sleep. Talk about easy peasy. Well no not really but so far it hasn’t been to much of an imposition on my time. It really does come down to self-discipline and good time management. And I have both of those this year down pat.

Well I think that pretty much sums it all up. It’s time for me to go, have a great day!

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And in other news, Eric Cressey emailed me on the weekend with news of the Guinea Pig Training Program. Standard protocol was to get all the logistics done and out of the way ready for all the good stuff. 15th February it all kicks off and I’m so excited, so very very excited. I’m a human sponge so I’ll be soaking up everything I can through out this whole entire experience and I can’t wait to get started. But unfortunately, I’m not allowed to discuss it here on my blog. So you’ll have to wait until after the four months to hear all the details.

This is a short but sweet post today. Until tomorrow….