Figure athlete reporting in!

Well i did it! I finally realised my dream of becoming a Figure Athlete on Saturday night, and boy oh boy, what a buzz! It was everything and nothing i expected.
Where do i start...
The day began with what felt like xmas...steak and 60g of lollies for breakfast. I kid you not. The night before i realised very quickly that my carb load of white potatoe was bloating me. After sending an emergency text, with picture of said bloated belly, to my coaches, i got an emergency phonecall at 11pm telling me to STOPPPPPPPP the potato and move onto plan B...operation starburst rattlesnake lollies. So the day started off well and just continued to get better and better! I spent most of the morning chilling and getting 'glam' and that was due in large, to mrs makeup extrodinaire Kate! Wow, what an amazing job - thanku hon. Then before i knew it - me, hubby, glenn and corina were in the car headed to Glen Eira stadium. As we jostled our way through the hoards i realised it was going to be time for me to get out on stage with the other girls to open the show. So i threw on my sports wear and headed nervously out on stage with 30 odd other beautiful glamazons. Ummm, i was packin it! I was so nervous by this stage that i just wanted to get in the car and go home! Im not sure why - this was the moment i had been training for for 16 weeks!!! I needed to collect myself so i could show off all my hard work.
Fortunatly, a short stint sitting int he audience with hubby, support crew (thanks girls!!) and corina, settled my nerves, and then it was time...
Glenn and Corina bustled me backstage and into a sea of fake tan, fake hair, fake nails, lots of makeup, sparkling bikinis and a table loaded with every sugary delight you can think of. We were packed like sardines, it was hot (thankgod, because i was so sick of being freezing!)and everyone was madly applying their last coat of tan for the stage. So i stood still whilst glenn and corina squirted and rubbed handfuls of the so called 'dream' tan onto me, until i looked like a little golden emmy statue. All of a sudden, a very official looking person burst through the doors and yelled out 'Novice figure short, your up in 15 , we have moved your group forward'. What the?! There i was standing in my beautiful bikini - with less than half my tan applied. When i saw the panic in glenns eyes, i started to get nervous all over again. Needent have worried however, as what seemed like 30 seconds later the tall offical man wandered back in and told us we had more time due to lengthening the intermission. Phew!
So finally tanned up, olive oiled, and with a tim tam in the belly, i was ready. I began to move down the hallway and before i could say one final word to glenn or corina, i had found myself behind the curtain on stage with 5 other girls!
As the nervous tension grew, we all chatted mindlessly and practised our routines.
And of course - i was up first...there it was, my name being called out...
'And please welcome Lauren Badman, representing Unique Fitness Studio, from Tasmania'.... Ummmmm WTF??!! Tasmania?!! That really threw me! However off i treked in my stripper heels trying to look confident, not fall over and rememebr the poses.
On stage I felt nervous but strong but the minute they called forward 3 girls to compare i knew i had not placed and so i started to relax and just enjoyed it.
And then it was over - i had placed 4th, and for me, i felt like the may as well have called me first, i felt like a winner. It was a very strong lineup, and the girls that placed deserved too, like me, their journey had paid off.
So there you have it, i achieved something that seemed so impossible many months ago. I had transformed my body, learnt many nutritional lessons, learnt alot about myself and about who i can count on to support me (and who i cannot), and conquered some demons along the way...
Today i spent the day relaxing, reliving the special moments of saturday night and catching up with some blog girls...oh yes, and eating! My poor belly! My bestie left with her hubby after a chow down on some chocolate pizza on sunday, and so now im left with photos, a medal and many many memories...
Im so forever grateful to my coaches glenn and corina who, without them, this would not have been possible. Those guys along with ASN supported me the whole way. It goes without saying that the special man in my life who i adore is the reason i stepped up on that stage. And finally to Liz, kate, and jess who came to the show to yell and scream and cheer for me,you guys are the best. Thanku to all the other wonderful clients that called me, or left me gifts and cards or just thought about me on the day - it meant so much to have your support. Thanku to all the clients that came to the afterparty, what a great time!
A lot of people have been asking me...so now what Lauren? What happens now? Well, i have decided id like to do the October Melbourne Comp. Im off to chat to my coaches tomorrow about plans for this. Yes people, im addicted!
Ill leave you now with some pics...
Remember, train hard, eat clean and ANYTHING is possible xxoo