Inspiring a Dream

My whole life I've thought I was fairly athletic. I played sports in high school and can pretty much do anything I try. I've trained for an run over 6 half-marathons and one 23 mile race over a mountain. There have even been times, where I would have considered my self pretty "hard core." Well, at least that's what I thought....

April 3, 2010- The Northern Colorado competition doors opened at 8:30a. I walked in nervous and practically sick for my sister who was competing in the Fitness portion of the show. Just 14 short hours before which she had been laying in a hotel room bed, trying to warm up, which is difficult to do with under 10% body fat.

Courtney started her training back in November and for 6 long months had dedicated herself to 2 hours of cardio each day, heavy lifting, and an extremely strict diet. On several occasions I had joked with friends that I'd lost my sister to the gym. I observed the highs and lows of her training; how her social life was all but lost, how exhausted she was all the time, and the toll that working 12 hours a day and dedicating time to training took on her.

So, as I entered the Boulder Theatre, that bright Saturday morning, I was nervous. Nervous, and pretty sure any and everyone competing in the show was crazy. Maybe they had fallen prey to a desire to look the way society says, "beautiful people" look. Maybe they didn't have anything else worthwhile to fill their time with, maybe they lacked friends. My list of 'maybe's' went on for miles, and ended with the inevitable punch line that something was fundamentally wrong with the competitors.

9:00a rolled around, Courtney was the first person on the stage during pre-judging to do her fitness routine. She had selected a compilation of "Fighter" songs, you know, Rocky...etc. I watched her intently through the 1:45 sec. routine, and was amazed. Who knew muscles that strong and cut could actually be athletic, flexible, and feminine?

The fitness competitors all finished their routines and then several other classes of competitors came out, first the bikini pre-judging, then the figure classes. When the Figure Masters (anyone 45 yrs. old or over) walked out onto stage, my mindset was beginning to change. Seeing women in their 50's with body's that rock hard and so well taken care of, it was inspiring. I found myself thinking, "I hope that's what I look like when I'm their age!"

Eventually the pre-judging started for the fitness competitors posing round. As Courntey walked out onto stage in a bikini, I realized how difficult this competition really was. I mean for the short 25 years of my life to date, I have absolutely avoided any and all pictures in a bikini, let alone being in 5 inch heals walking in front of a crowd.

Flawlessly Courtney endured 1/4 turn after 1/4 turn for the judges to scrutinize her body. A body that she had transformed over the course of 6 months, a body that had lost 30 pounds, a body that was now under 10% body fat.

Courtney took third in the competition, and as she was awarded for her accomplishment I realized how wrong I had been about everything. I had been "bitten" by the bug to compete. My dream to dedicate myself to extreme training, for extreme success was born.