What's Next On The Agenda?!?!

If you're one of my friends on facebook, you may noticed that I posted something at the beginning of last week about getting back to work and being 14 weeks out. If you're not my friend on facebook or you missed this oh so important trivial status update, let me share with you what's next on the competition agenda!

I am now 13 weeks out from my next show! There has been a change in plans (AGAIN!) and I will not be competing in the Pacific USA show on August 13 as I was previously planning. I will now be competing at the NPC Border States in San Diego on October 29!!! I mentioned in my Hometown Glory! Part 2 post that two of my friends and I were talking about the possibility of doing a show together. Well, this is the show we're doing!! Reservations for the hotel have been taken care of (birthday gift courtesy of the hubs) and my registration form has been submitted!!  I'm also really excited about this show because it is held in conjunction with the IFBB Border States Pro Figure show!! I'm so excited about the possibility of running into a IFBB Pro...I may have to snap their picture like a paparazzo! :)


I wanted to take a moment to briefly talk about a comment that Lacey left because it's a question I've gotten quite a few times recently. But before I do, I want to tell you to check out Lacey's blog And Away She Goes. She is 9 weeks out from her first figure competition and I love reading what she has to say about prep, Bikram yoga, and just life in general!

Lacey said...

Tenecia you look so gorgeous up on that stage! I love seeing how often you do this!! How the heck do you keep doing show after show?! :)

My response is, "Thank you for the compliment - it's amazing what layers of MAC makeup can do for you!" and to the second part of her comment, "I don't know!"....LOL!!"

My body has been really good to me and has continued to respond to the rigor of working out and dieting. At times, my body has been slow to drop the weight and muscle mass but it has still done it. With that said, I don't anticipate knocking out 3 shows with about 13 weeks between each one again! The show in October will be my last for awhile - I need to take a break for "dieting" - my treadmill and I need to see other people :) I also have been able to do "show after show" this year because I have a great support system! My husband has been incredible as well as my family and his family! People often talk about this being a selfish sport and at times I think it might be but at other times, I feel like it takes a village to take care of and prepare a competitor for competition! I hope that answers your question, Lacey! If anyone else has any questions for me, please feel free to leave them in the comments or email me!

So, I'm coming off of the high of placing 2nd at my last show and looking realistically at what I need to do to walk away from my next show with a top placing. Operation Build-A-Back will be the focus of my training for the next 13 weeks. Tom has been talking about some of the workouts we'll be doing and I can already feel my back growing :) I also need to work on bringing down my legs and booty so the StairMill and I will be spending a ridiculous amount of time together.

There you have it....13 weeks out....I'm on to the next one....

I'm Proud!

The lovely Lisa over at Lisa's World wrote a beautiful post today about what she is a proud of. She entitled the post "I Am Proud" and I highly recommend you taking the time to read it. Following in her footsteps, I would like to talk about the things that I am proud of!

I am proud to make people say, "You're a librarian?? I wouldn't have expected that".

I'm proud to be the mom of the world's most beautiful, feisty, smart, funny, and lovable 10 year old.

I'm proud of the woman my sister Reecie has become! She's kind, generous, funny, and beautiful - I'm definitely a proud big sister!

I'm proud of my baby brother Jonathan for taking a chance and following his dreams even when that meant leaving home & risking it all!

I'm proud that these two people are my parents, my friends, my life.

I'm proud of my firefighter.

I'm proud to be "unconquerable"!

I'm proud that I was brave enough to rock a bald head!

And last but not least, I'm proud that I have these bad boys!

What about you? What are you proud of? 

Please share in the comments section!! I can't wait to read your responses!

Hometown Glory! Part 2

After the show ended, I was able to take some pictures with my friends and family. My friends Kayla and Jenny drove down from Phoenix to watch the show! Kayla previously competed in bikini but is switching to figure. Jenny just competed at Team Universe and has her sights on a couple of other shows before the year ends. The three of us are seriously considering taking a California show by storm later this year so stay tuned for more info on that!

After taking quite a few pictures, Tom and I went to eat lunch. Our first restaurant choice, Silver Saddle, wasn't open so we went to another restaurant that was nearby. The food was less than exciting but it got the job done. We headed home and took a nap until an hour before the athlete's meeting. I have to stop here and say that this is one of the great things about competing in your hometown - you know where food is and you can go home to nap in your own comfy bed between shows :)

Once the athlete's meeting was over, I hung out in the theatre and waited for Tom to arrive. We had a quick chat about when I should eat my carbs, pump up, and he reminded me to smile big. I went backstage, hung out, and was enjoying a game of Word Mole on my Blackberry when one of the expeditors walked down the hall and stated that the show was running about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. This meant that I needed to be ready like yesterday! I quickly got ready and next thing I knew, Felicia Romero (yes...IFBB Pro Felicia Romero was the MC for the night show!!!) was introducing me to the crowd. I walked out, smiled as big as I could, found Tom in the crowd, and posed for my life (I sort of stole that from RuPaul's Drag Race!).

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There was a short intermission and during this time, they post the top 5 for each class. They hang the listing of each class and highlight in yellow the names of the five individuals that will be awarded trophies. Let me just say that I've done two shows with this particular promoter and my name has NEVER been highlighted so you can understand why I squealed when I saw my name in yellow! After the intermission was over, they began the trophy presentation. When it was time for our class, we all lined and waited as they began awarding trophies starting with 5th place...my number wasn't called...4th place....my number wasn't called....3rd place...again my number wasn't called....2nd place....#24! ME!!!!!!AHHHHHHHHHH!!! I did it!!

As I stood there having my picture taken with the other women in my class, I felt such a sense of accomplishment. This prep was extremely difficult for me and there were times when I wasn't sure that I could stay the course. Yet, I had an incredible support system that kept encouraging me and reassuring me that I could do it. I wanted to place in the top 5 at this show but I really had no expectations of doing well. I just wanted my daughter to see me on stage and make her proud. I wanted my friends & family to see what I have been pouring my energy, sweat, and tears into. I was able to do that and I was able to walk with a top placing.

After the show was over, I was able to speak with one of the judges and receive some quality feedback about what kept me from 1st place and what improvements I need to make for my next show. The judge ended our conversation by telling me that I have made some serious improvements over the last year and that I'm headed in the right direction. He also commented that he could tell that I paid close attention to the small details such as my jewelry, makeup, etc and I should continue doing so. The conversation was very informative and the fact that it was such a positive interaction made me super happy as I headed off to the burger & booze that was waiting for me :)

I leave you with some pictures from the post-show celebration that I had with some of my closest friends including my favorite TFD wife & fellow blogger Chelsea and Tom's wonderful family! Also, you can find my pictures from the show's photographer here!

Thank you again for joining me on this particular journey and giving me your support! It means more to me than chocolate & carbs :)

New Release Tuesday

Eminem is incredible and when you add Bruno Mars to a track, you have music that you fall in love with and can't get out of your head.

Listen to this song and tell me that I'm wrong....but I bet you won't.... ;)

*warning - there is profanity in this song!

Hometown Glory! Part 1

That title is a slight exaggeration...lol...but I'm finally getting around to typing the show recap post I promised you guys a week ago!

My fake "I'm so happy it's my birthday" smile ;)

My lil family!

The waitress had everyone clap for her birthday - she loved it!

There has been a lot going since the show...I turned 31 on Monday (eek!)....also went back to work on Monday....The Princess turned 10 yesterday.....so you know that means lots of celebrating and LOTS of food!! I'm quite squishy right now...my weight is up several pounds...but you know what, I'm happy as can be!

So, let's talk show day! It was very interesting competing at home. There was no having to map out the drive to the venue....no trying to find restaurants for Tom to eat out at....no staying at a hotel...none of the madness that comes with competing out of town!

The Princess spent the night at my parents' house Friday night so Tommy & I hung out at the house & watched movies (I would not recommend "I Am Four"...not that you asked but I'm telling you anyway...lol).
I went to bed about 11:00 pm and slept pretty soundly which surprised me. Usually I have issuing falling asleep and staying asleep the night before a show but not this time! I got up around 5:30 am, got on facebook to send a message to the lovely ladies of Bikini or Bust, and then went to do a slow walk on the treadmill. As I walked, I read some portions of the book As A Man Thinketh by James Allan. I had been reading the book sporadically throughout this prep and it seemed like the perfect way to close this chapter. It is a great book about the power of positive thought - I will definitely blog more about it in the near future.

Representin' Tucson Fire and determined to "do the damn thang"!

It was nice to see a familiar face at the athlete's meeting. It was Ana's first of two back-to-back shows with the same promoter so I gave her some insight on how the show we were at (the NPC Terminator) would be different than her next show (the AZ Open). It was a small show - 72 competitors- there were only two figure classes - so despite usually being in class E at my shows, I was in Class B. I knew that the time would pass rather quickly so as soon as we got backstage I started doing the final touches...makeup, wig, etc. Time passed so fast that I was still putting on my glaze in the pump-up room when I heard, "24!! Competitor 24!!! We need you to line up!!" Yea....#24 was me! So I quickly threw on the rest of my glaze and ran over to where we were lining up. I had about 2 seconds to breathe and then it was time to hit the stage!!!

1st order of business backstage - take pictures!

2nd order of business - run out to the audience & take a picture with trainer aka The Boss #2!

As I started to walk out onto the stage, I realized I was looking at my feet. I have a tendency of doing that because I'm a klutz...lol...but I remembered the one thing that Tom would practically yell at me each time we would practice posing....he would always say, "Pick your damn head up, Tenecia. Walk out there with confidence and look the judges right in the eye". Instantly, I picked my head up, put a smile on my face, walked out there, and looked the judges right in the eye. I always try to make it a point to look into the audience for Tom and since my family was there, I looked right at them after looking at the judges. I can't describe the feeling that came over me when I looked over to see The Princess waving wildly at me with a GIANT grin on her face. I couldn't wave back but I did give her a wink which she told me, after pre-judging, was really cool.

My sister and parents at pre-judging!

The Princess and her baby were there too :)

There were six of us in the class and I was towards the middle when we initially lined up for our first round of quarter turns. They began to call numbers and move girls around...I kept saying to myself "Please let me stay in this spot. Please keep me here." I was saying this because the belief is the closer you are to the middle in the lineup, the more likely you are to be #1 or #2. They never moved me and when they began the next round of quarter turns, Ana and I were standing next to each other! They made us do a couple more rounds of posing and then thanked us. As we walked off the stage, Ana & I hugged each other and excitedly told one another that one of us was going home with 1st place later that night! I'm not going to lie - it felt incredible to stand there and know that I was one of the top physiques in the lineup!! It was a trying prep and if I could end it with a first or second place trophy in my hand, I was going to be a happy girl!!!

Since I still have quite a bit to say and this is starting to get long, I'm going to wrap for now. I will be back with part 2 within the next few days.

Thank you for reading my blog, following me on this journey, and supporting me even at the lowest points of prep. I am deeply grateful and touched.

New Release Tuesday

Yesterday was my 31st birthday and this was the song that was playing as I got into my car.

Can you say "perfect timing"???

The Moment of Truth

NPC Terminator  Tucson, AZ   July 16, 2011

 Class B - 2nd place!

That definitely tastes better than last place!!!!

I'll be back after my celebrations & food comas to 

update you guys in greater detail!!

Pre-Judging Is In The Books!!!

Ana & I did end up being placed in the same class!! 

We both were placed close to the middle of the lineup so that's a good sign!

Few more hours until finals and we'll know who placed where!!

There's Nothin' Like....

the smell of Pro Tan in the morning!! :)

Good morning, everyone! It's show day!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Athlete check-in went smoothly last night....the first person I ran into at the host hotel was Ana of Fit, Fun, and Delish!!! Based on the heights we were measured at, it looks like we're going to be competing in the same class!! She looked incredible just standing there so I can just imagine what she's going to look like when we hit the stage later this morning. She'll definitely be tough competition but that's what it's all about!

I will have Tom, my parents, my sister, and The Princess at the show cheering me on this morning - definitely one of the reasons I chose to compete in this particular show! I'm nervous but also very excited - there have been some definite changes to my physique between last show & now - I'm interested to see what the judges think.

Before I head off to get ready, I would like to send a H-U-G-E "good luck" to the following ladies who are also competing today -

Becca

Ana

Nini
 Carleena

And lastly, Debby who is one of the amazing BoBettes!

It's time for us to OWN that stage today.....LET'S GET IT!!!!!

Pack It In!

I'm working on packing my show bag (or should I say luggage?!?!) for Saturday....I usually pack more than I need but I believe it's better to have more than you need versus less!

I think what you take with you backstage really comes down to a matter of preference but here are some places you can go to view lists of what you need or see what other competitors bring with them.

• Siouxcountry's thread entitled "Packing List for Figure Competition" - what I love about this thread is that it's not a set list. The list has expanded over time as members of the board add to it!

• The Fabulous Becca over at A Blog?! Srsly?! is competing this weekend so she wrote her "Over-Packers Anonymous" post about what she takes with her backstage.

• One of my fave ladies Donloree of Bikini or Bust compiled her own list of must-haves in her "A Touch of OCD Never Hurt!" post

It looks like I'm going on a trip!

Here's some of what you will find in my backstage bag......

• Wig
• Extra set of yoga pants & jacket
• Dixie cups (to pee in!)
• Jewelry
• First aid kit (you never know when someone might need a band-aid or alcohol wipe!)
• Tampons
• Bobby pins
• Bikini Bite
• Jan Tana Hi Def glaze & hand towel 
• Safety pins
• ipod & headphones
• books & magazines
• E600 glue & baggie of extra stones
• Listerine 

I also take a yoga mat, pillow, and blanket so I can lay down and rest...it's nice to have a comfy place to rest while you're waiting for your turn on stage!!

With that said, I need to stop blogging & start packing! :)

Midpoint Check-In!!

I'm freaking out about how the show is thisclose to being here! The week is really flying by!!!!

On Saturday night, Tom & I wrote out a schedule for this week with what show stuff needed to be done on what particular day. Yesterday's schedule included a morning cardio session, full body workout, shaving, packing my show bag, and an evening cardio session. I was able to get everything done except the packing of my show bag....cross your fingers that it gets done tonight! If not, it will definitely need to happen tomorrow.

Yesterday's workout was a great one despite feeling really weak! Tommy always puts together the best workouts for me - I'm really lucky to be able to have him "throw something together" for me when needed!
And while I didn't lift as heavy as I would have liked, I still got a pretty awesome pump as you can see from the picture below. Holla if you like biceps & vascularity :)

I checked in with The Boss this morning to make sure that the changes that need to be taking place are actually happening. Laugh at me if you want to but I don't feel like I'm tightening up quite as much as I should...there's still a couple of days for the prep gods to transform my physique so keep your fingers crossed...lol!

The Boss emailed and said that everything is progressing nicely but I need make sure that I'm not flexing too tightly in my front pose when I hit the stage on Saturday. If you've been paying attention, A LOT of the girls that are getting top placings at shows do not have what might be considered "striated" legs. So I'm not going to flex as hard in my front pose so that I don't get marked down.

I have one more workout and one more cardio session today and then REST for the remainder of the week. Tanner application starts tonight....Tom's excited about that....me - not so much....lol!!!

Enjoy your hump day!!!