It’s an exciting week around here – and we haven’t even hit Thanksgiving yet!! In case you missed it, yesterday I announced the #MoveHappy Challenge. It’s a free challenge with some awesome prizes given away every week in December. Make sure you check it out and sign up!
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Picking up right where I left off in my first competition recap, let’s get straight to the day of the competition.
Saturday Morning
Saturday morning came bright and early! I slept terribly on Friday night, waking up several times and having a hard time falling back asleep. I remember this happening before my first Ironman race, so I shouldn’t have been surprised. When the alarm went off just after 6, I was tired. Good thing someone else was doing most of the work to get me ready for the stage!
One of my friends from work does hair & makeup, so I jumped at the chance for her to take over for the day. Since she lives nearby, she came to my house to get me ready. I didn’t even look at myself until she was completely finished and it looked AWESOME! Stage makeup is so heavy, but it looks so good in all the bright lights. A bit like a dragqueen in normal light, I know.
Did I mention we dined on pancakes, non-dairy butter, and maple syrup for breakfast. Once you get to the night before the show, food is delicious and interesting again!
When we arrived at the venue, the place was already crazy! The area below the stage for competitors was a madhouse – people and their belongings everywhere. It reminded me of my dance days back in high school, actually. I got in line for my tanning topcoat and started texting friends to get updates of where we were in the lineup. I was early for my tanning appointment, but the line was incredibly long and I worried that I wouldn’t make it through it time. I quickly learned that the show was running very behind and I had plenty of time.
It was really helpful knowing several people backstage: Laura & Lisa (who flew from Atlanta to compete in my first show!), Amanda & Alysha (from my posing classes – in the picture above), and Ashley (my trainer). I can’t imagine doing this show without them — I would have been lost!
Right before I went on stage, I ate a big rice cake topped with almond butter & raw chocolate. It was SO good, but also seemed like so much food when I was so nervous! We were originally scheduled to hit the stage at 10:30AM, but it was after 12PM when we lined up with our class. It was probably another 30 minutes before we actually walked on stage for the first time.
When we finally got onstage, the process was very different than what we practiced (and I expected). They took half our group (Novice A; 5’1.5” and under) and we walked on stage in a straight line. We posed to the front, then to the back, then walked us offstage.
Immediately after both groups posed front & back, they called out the top 15 and the rest of us were done. Just like that, I was out of the top 15! It was so fast and not what I expected – I just stood there a bit shocked! Luckily, Lisa was already lined up backstage and came over to talk with me. That helped so much! I was told to stay backstage, since I was also competing in the Open division, so I just stood around (awkwardly) and tried to watch my friends.
A while later, they lined us back up for my second division (Open A; 5’1” and under). This time we did more of what I expected and were brought onstage to line up in two diagonals. Anyone who hadn’t done their routine (not in the top 15 in another category) was able to pose this time around. Yay!
My second time on the stage, I was much less nervous and enjoyed my short appearance. It was nice to show what I had been practicing and I felt confident. I could hear Laura in the audience yelling for me and I could see Kirk sitting up in the audience taking pictures (he did a great job with his camera phone!).
When they didn’t call my number for first or second callouts, I admit I was disappointed. My goal for this show was to enjoy the experience and see what it was all about. I came to prove to myself that I could walk around onstage in 5 inch heels and a tiny bikini and feel comfortable. I accomplished that goal!
After finishing this second round, I finally had a chance to talk with my trainer (they wouldn’t let her backstage earlier) and she was so encouraging. She showed me the first pictures of what I looked like onstage and that was pretty exciting! My posing was exactly what we wanted it to be and we talked about why I didn’t place this time. I need to work on building my shoulders and glutes before the next show, so I have more symmetry – and there will be a next show.
After pre-judging was over for me, I headed out to the audience to watch the rest of my friends. Everyone looked so amazing on the stage – I was so proud to be one of them!
The event was running extremely behind, so Laura didn’t even get on stage for the first time until around 4:30PM. The night show was supposed to start at that time, so you can see how behind things were. There was no way to get that many participants through the events in the time allotted – it just wasn’t possible. The volunteers and staff were all incredibly nice and tried their best, but it was an uncomfortable experience for most everyone involved.
With the event running so late, I always felt rushed backstage. They never updated the timeline for each group, so that competitors (and spectators) could plan their day. I know Kirk didn’t eat much all day, as he was so afraid he would miss me! Had I not competed in Open, I wouldn’t have even posed in pre-judging!
The evening show flew by for me, especially since I already knew I hadn’t placed. We did our posing routines the first time we stepped onstage that evening. The announcers were flying through intros and most girls didn’t get a chance to finish their short posing routines. I was a bit stubborn here and insisted on finishing my entire routine (we’re talking an extra 15 seconds). This is not a cheap sport for me as a participant or my husband as the spectator, so I thought that was fair. 🙂
So how did I rank? I didn’t rank in Novice (only the top 15 are ranked) and in Open I got 12 out of 13 . The competitive side in me is a little bummed, but the realistic side knows I rocked it & I will only get better next time! Several of the judges offered to provide feedback online and I’ve already gotten notes with their perspectives. I love feedback!
Will I do another show?
I think you’ve already figured this out, but YES!!! I loved the experience of training & the experience onstage. Will I do another show by the same group? Probably not. I was disappointed with the organization and can’t believe there was no apology for the lack of organization. There’s one other NPC show in Colorado that is run by a different group that I am looking at. And WBFF is coming to Colorado for the first time in 2014, so I have my eye on that as well.
So my tentative plan? Short distance running & duathlon in the spring; 1-2 bikini competitions in the summer; and short distance running & duathlon in the fall. My final plans are still in progress, but that’s the basic idea!
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Questions for you:
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Do you like feedback? Be honest (not everyone does!).
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Have you ever considered a fitness/physique competition like this?
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What’s one crazy goal you have for 2014?
