My new goals

This year I won' t be attending the Olympia - as it is just not a good time of year for me to keep taking off 3 to 5 days to attend these events. Perhaps it will be best to save the Olympia as an event I will attend for first time if I managed to get my pro card, and then a bid to go to the Olympia as an IFBB Pro Fitness Athlete.

As you are all aware I have decided to go for my IFBB Pro card. I did compete in the CBBF Fitness Nationals again this year, placing 3rd. I had placed 5th in the previous CBBF Fitness Nationals so my ranking is going in the right direction. I had competed for CBBF in 1999 and 2000 but there were so many girls back then (figure did not exist yet), that I kinda got lost in the mix. I would like to say that I am somehow coming full circle as I am returning to the organization I originally started with.

I am choosing this past as I feel that my time with the other federations have been wonderful but I am looking for a new challenge. I have had a fantastic time with Fitness America, FAME, World Natural Sports, Ms. Fitness, Neutron Sports, Women's Tri-Fitness, and Fitness Universe. I am learned so much from all my competitions, and loved meeting the other competitors.

I knew I would always return to CBBF, but I did not know how difficult it would be in Canada to win the Pro card. Having only one pro card being offered at one show per year, can make the process very long to finally hit the Pro stage. If you had asked me a few years ago if I was ready to be an IFBB Pro I would have said yes, but now I am more than ready to be a Pro and compete with the other fitness gals. I mean, I know most of them as we have been competitors in other federations as well. So I am ready and excited to keep pursing the IFBB Pro card.

So from now on I am competing in only CBBF and NPC events until I can win my pro card. I will be up against some very tough competition, but I am ready and willing to work hard to get it. I am learning new skills, and trying to come up with a routine that is killer. Physique wise, I am always working to get better. I hope I never arrive as then I will have nothing to strive towards. (or will have to retire).

So I am still training, still working, still with Slimquick Extreme - life is very good right now.

I love the fall anyways so maybe it is the weather that is putting me in a good mood.

A.

Beyond Fitness Cover - Sept08

So cool. I shot these photos with Cathy Chatterton back in June 08. Great to see that Beyond Fitness selected two of my images. Here's the shots:

Where does the time go?

(me, and Thao from Slimquick Extreme)

It has been about a month since my last posting. I think about this blog when I am working out and have oodles of ideas, and then seemingly time gets away from me and I am unable to 'find the time' to sit down and write.

August flew by with various family events, some quick 2-3 day excursions, and some down time before school started.

Luckily this year at school - (I am a high school math teacher) - I decided quite some time ago to take less than 100% workload. I am 50% workload this year, which means I work 2 half days, and then get a day off. I choose to do this (and luckily can afford to), for a variety of reasons.

Last year I would get out of bed, and dread going to school. It was my first full year of teaching since having my son. The transition was not easy, and vowed not to do it like that this year. I found myself losing patience with son when I got home at night. I was giving away all my patience to my students, and not having enough when I got home. Plus, the new programs that are being implemented require much more time than a person is able to give. I felt as though I was giving 70% effort into all my projects in order to just keep up with all the work required of me. It was not benefiting my students, or my family life.

It has been a month since I have been back at school and well I am loving it. I finally can track my students the way a teacher should, keep on top of them, have clarity of mind when teaching and have lots of patience for my son when I get home at night. I am much less stressed, and look forward to each new day. I have benefited from taking more time for myself, and thus being able to give more back to those around me.

This does mean that I will have more time to train, if needed. And be able to rest more as well which is invaluable when you are in that last 3 weeks before a show.

September has been a great month and we are not done yet. I was privileged to attend the Ms. Fitness World and Ms. Fitness USA in Las Vegas from September 9th to 11th. I was there representing Slimquick Extreme the title sponsor of the event. I was there for the company and not competing. But I hung out backstage so often that I felt as though I was competing. Here are a few pics of the event. This is a wonderful event, well organized, the girls are treated like stars, they are friendly and even though it is a competition it is still very relaxed.

You will see a broadcast of the event on FoxSports Net starting in January of 2009.

Here are some pictures of the event.



















Me, at the Slimquick Booth















Wally Boyko, Thao, Meshelle, and myself