Tuesday, May 8, 2018

The Stars Aligned

It has been four years since I competed in my last figure competition.  I had a lot of fun doing it and knew that I wanted to continue to compete.  Life had other plans for me.

I suffered some injuries from various things, the big one was IT Band Syndrome after a half marathon.  It set me back big time, our family was going through some struggle, there seemed to be chaos all around me and I let it get to me.  For almost two years I wasn't as consistent with my training and I found myself looking at someone I didn't know and realized something had to change.


My husband had accepted a job as the GM for a gym, Kosama Cedar Rapids and I began to get more involved.  The end result, as we know, was Kyle and I accepting the amazing offer to take over the gym.  In 2016 I really started to get myself back on track.  I was reminded how good it felt to be consistent in the gym and I was learning new things by training with kettle bells and TRX.  Kyle and I were just so thrilled and possibly not fully realizing what it truly meant to take over.  Thankfully we have had the guidance and support of the amazing people who gave us this opportunity, Matt and Heidi.


We hit some bumps along the way, learning who we couldn't truly trust in our business, that there were people who would try to take advantage.  Last year was our most challenging year and honestly there were days I didn't know how to push through.  Myself working a separate full-time job, taking on a position as the Treasurer for a non-profit, trying to become more involved at the gym while also making sure our daughter wasn't feeling left out, keeping up with things at home, and dealing with major personal challenges from a dryer fire in our home to major stressors at work due to uncontrollable changes to finding out I would have to have my right thyroid removed and have nodules tested for cancer and my mom dealing with her own major health issues.  I almost broke.

After getting through the surgery and finding out I did not have thyroid cancer, taking off the time I needed to recover I was ready to get back at it.  One of our new members at the gym talked to Kyle about figure competing.  It was a bucket list goal for her and she asked if he could train her for a May competition.  I met with her so I could fill her in a bit on what it would take to compete.  We instantly bonded and have been training partners ever since.  Traci came into my life when at just the right moment, I was really ready to get serious about weight training again and she was ready to train with someone that would push her.  I set my own goal to compete again in October.


Traci was looking for a posing coach and was referred to a woman that I knew of, Chris Goodman.  I knew she was an NANBF judge and a pro bodybuilder herself.  The first posing practice when we met was awesome, the three of us just clicked.  We decided that the focus would be on Traci for her May competition and then I would get coaching for my October competition.  Traci has come leaps and bounds from where she started and Chris is just phenomenal in how she coaches.  Her cues are spot on and easy to follow, she is so much fun and she is honest.

This past Saturday was Traci's final posing session before her competition this coming Saturday.  Chris and I were chatting about my competition in October and she offered to sponsor me.........I was shocked!!!  Kyle and I did my preps before, he will still be training me but Chris is taking over my nutrition and cardio.  To hand that over to someone else is kind of freeing for me and I am so pumped for this journey with Chris.


I am truly honored and blessed to have this opportunity, thank you to Chris for believing in me and bringing me onto team GPS Coaching!  Now for the hard work and FUN ahead of me.  I have been weight training for 18 years and it is something I truly love, competing is just the icing on the cake for me.  It truly is hard work and takes dedication which is why I had to take the time off that I did.  I am ready and I have the full support of my family, especially my daughter, my friends, and so many who believe in me.



20 comments:

  1. I truly believe things happen for a reason! Looking forward to following you as you train for your comeback!

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    1. I also believe that things happen for a reason and this year so far is truly proving that belief to me. Thank you Wendy, I am so excited for everything ahead of me!

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  2. Looks like lots of fun events coming up for you! Look forward to hearing about your training

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    1. Thanks Deborah! I had planned on getting some running in this year but due to the changes running has been cut out, I still have a couple of mud races but shorter distances thankfully :)

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  3. You seem strong, inside and out ! Good job making a comeback! Goodluck!

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    1. Thank you so much! Believe me there were so many days when I did not feel strong inside but man does it feel good to be back in a good place mentally and physically!

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  4. I’m glad you’re getting to do what you love to do again!

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  5. Amazing. You haven't gone through all of that for nothing! The stars TRULY aligned for you!!! What a bonus to have such supportive people in your life as well. Rock on! You are going to do GREAT! Best of luck to Traci as well!

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    1. Oh thank you so much!!! Traci will do amazing this weekend, it has been wonderful to help coach her through the process. I am so excited to share my journey with everyone, now to stay healthy and enjoy myself :)

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  6. This is so exciting!!! I've probably said this before, but I need to venture over to CR and find you! Will you be doing any races amid your training? Good luck with everything! ;-)

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    1. It would be so awesome to be able to actually meet up in person :) I am actually running the Gladiator Assault Challenge in Boone on May 19th. I haven't ran much so I'm nervous for it but I've been weight training and kickboxing for months so hopefully that helps! The only other race I'm already signed up for is the Spartan Sprint in Chicago in June. I chose to keep sand volleyball on my schedule for cardio rather than running as much.

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  7. Yay! I'm super excited for you! <3 Best of luck!

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  8. Fantastic! Figure competitions are no joke. I went to my first back in November and was very impressed with all of the competitors. I don't think I could ever be that disciplined! I'm very excited to follow your journey!

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    1. Thank you Andrea! The prep is certainly something that you have be extremely disciplined with and the final weeks are pretty tough but I truly do enjoy it :)

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  9. this is an amazing story of struggle and redemption! You are going to be amazing, an you will come through all of this stronger than ever! I look forward to hearing marabout your journey to your competition!

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    1. Thank you so much! It will be a fun journey and I am super excited to step on stage again in October!

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  10. I think setbacks like this really help us to appreciate the fact that we can get up every day and have a good workout. I've had a few myself and it's a good reminder not to take things for granted. Looking forward to continuing to follow you :)

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    1. Thank you Stephanie and you are absolutely right, setbacks are a good reminder of what we can really do and sometimes they remind us of just how fortunate we are!

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