just to let you know that I had an article published in our company online magazine about my competition. In there I am asking people to become my guinea pigs for learning how to train people. In a few weeks time my training to become Personal Trainer will start and I will need practice, won't I?
So I had to get official permission from the gym board to do such a thing and they not only agreed, but asked me to provide a poster. Yay!
In doing so I have been digging through some pictures and I thought I share the outcome with you.
So firstly here is a proper picture of my trophy
Then there is me fat and frumpy in 2004, featuring a size 12 upper and 14-16 bottom
These jeans are rather fortunate, even, as they are very very stretchy thick fabric, keeping things in nicely in place
But first things first: I had fantastic feedback from the article and may have found two clients already, and in a good weeks time I am off to my dream holiday in Sumatra, which is a bit of a challenge in itself - spiders, insects... and such.
So see you then around mid July with updates on my training, the school and what else might crop up!
Oh my goodness me, what a day that was. So, during the 5th of June 2011, I actually was quite cool. We collected my fan club and made our way to Great Yarmouth, a one and a half hours, with two cars. The driving was fun and went well and leisurely dressed with a bag full of shoes, makeup, towels and bikini I arrived well in time before the show started.
yep, didn't forget to put the bikini on
After all the make-up tests I had decided to finish my face and hair but would leave the body untanned to avoid patches from clothes rubbing it off. The fake tan description said put it on an hour before, on arrival we were told: 'You can get into the changing room 20 minutes before, plenty of time!' Duh?
So my dear makeup girl Imola and I found ourselves in the freezing cold ladies toilet to paint a lady with something that looks like shoe polish.And then things went very quickly.
We were called into the wardrobe and it turned out that I was the only contestant in my category, as was the lady in the toned figure class. We were happy to find out that we knew each other from the gym I had been working out previously, and hence the atmosphere was rather chatty; still not nervous. Tan looked good, bikini got glued to the rear, and off we went back stage, me with Imola in tow who was holding my shoes.
With a quick run through I still was quite calm until the toned figure started her bit... Panic kicking in!
All of a sudden my name was called, and I felt moving like a robot, the music started, I remember the first few moves and then it all became a bit of an outer body experience. I thought I had messed it up, having trouble remembering what's next at least on three occasions.
Luckily my fan club as well as the video confirmed that this wasn't the case. Nevertheless, my first reaction when coming off stage: 'Never, ever again!' Whereas my toned show mate was all cheery and wanted to go back on stage instantly... hmmmm?!?
Despite lack of competitors I had to do the compulsory poses... in heels! Should have practiced that a bit. I love my heels and can walk them very well, but posing in heels I find a bit surreal and very wobbly.
However, I received my trophy from the lady who won last year and who I had feared so much. Gosh was I glad that I didn't have to compete with her, but it was nice that she did the presentation. Eventually I could relax a bit and I started to enjoy the show.
We all were a bit exhausted, so we didn't wait for the show to end and made our way home, but not without a stop-over at a restaurant. A bit of an after party was well deserved and after an entire day of plain rice and water the pasta dish was quite a treat.
Back at the changing room
Miss Toned and Miss Trained Figure
I stayed true to my 'Never, ever again!" exclamation until I had a closer look at the sheet of paper that goes with the trophy. An invite to the N.A.B.B.A (the official amateur association) Novice National Finals in November in Birmingham...
I mean, ... I am almost there... a lot of the work is done already... and 5 month time...
... and so the story goes on!
I will compete again. I will be more confident in my routine, and I eventually will have my legs!
Wish me luck, dear friends! I will need it! You all have been a wonderful support and encouragement. Only less then 48 hours to go and I am feeling in a weird state of nervousness, wanting to be on this stage, and wanting to get it done and over with. I have done everything I could do, the shape won't change anymore and I will have to live with those last wobbles, and I have practiced my posing as much as I could. I still see a thousand and one flaws in this last video, but I am hoping that Adrenalin will do the rest. So here are the last 5 takes of 'Thus spoke Zarathustra'... I have a hunch that after Sunday I do not wish to hear it ever again...
Autumn 2004 was my 1st turning point. I decided to take on some lifestyle changes involving food and sport, and in summer 2007 the Incredible Ladies Project was born. It evolved from a normal website into a series of blogs, which are all interlinked to accommodate the various facets of my life. For the best part of 2011 however, the blogs were almost asleep while I was living towards the 2nd turning point in October 2012; I separated from my husband. This first phase of soul searching in form of blogs turned out to be incredibly valuable, helping to get to the bottom of things and up again really rather smoothly. It felt inappropriate to put my, and his, life out there while we worked through things, but now that everything is good, the set of challenges I am facing are more than ever in my control and I am looking forward to write about it again. It is all about living a joyful present for a good future. Rika is back, and Incredible Ladies Project is more alive than ever.
Hi Dears,
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