I’ve been remiss in keeping my blog up to date. No excuse other than I’ve been crazy busy and had to put it on the back burner while I focused on work.
Masters Nationals was an amazing adventure. I was one of 12 Oddo’s Angels competing. Unfortunately, our trainer, Kim Oddo, had to be in Connecticut the same weekend as Masters Nationals because the pro Angels were competing that weekend. He has never missed a Masters Nationals competition so I know it was very hard for him to be away.
It was also hard for me. I have never competed without Kim there in person to guide me, manage my food, and keep me calm. He stayed in contact with phone and text so I sent him photos the morning of the show and he called me to tell me what to eat and when.
I had been warned by other competitors that Masters Nationals was in another league from the local and regional competitions I had competed in. Boy were they right. The minute I went to the athletes check in to register and saw the cameras rolling, interviews happening, and agents talking with people, I knew this was the big time.
There were almost 500 competitors and the hotel was wonderful. The furniture in the lobby and common areas were draped with sheets so tanned athletes could sit without fear of ruining the furniture. They had old sheets and towels from past year’s competitions that competitors could use if they had not brought their own, again saving the hotel’s linens and towels from the dreaded Jan Tana. The hotel restaurant set up a special buffet with bodybuilding foods that was available all day long.
I found out my hair and make-up appointments were for 3:30 am Saturday morning. Ugh. Although I do generally prefer to have my hair and make up completed before the athletes meeting (typically at 7:30 or 8:00 am), a 3:30 am appointment is crazy early! I was done by 5 am and went back to my room to sit in a chair and rest until the meeting. (Couldn’t lay down cuz it would’ve ruined my hair.) On the plus side of having to get up so early, I tend to look fuller and do better the more food I can get into me on the day of the show. Getting up at 3:30 am meant I was getting at least one more meal into than I would’ve had I gotten up at, say, 6 am. (See how I was looking at the positives? 
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Although all the prep work went well – meaning hair, tan, and make up – and I had my pep talk with Kim, something happened to me when prejudging began. I was off. I felt off. I felt overwhelmed, almost like it was my first time on stage. I chalk it up to it being my first Masters Nationals. I tanked. I was in the 3rd call outs. Yuck.
The bottom line – I was 9th. Not horrible by any means for my first Masters Nationals. But not as good as I would’ve liked. That’s okay. I will kick butt next year. My conditioning was great. I looked good. It was my stage presence and posing that sunk me. No matter. Those are easy things to work on. Onward to 2011!!
