Playing Catch Up

A blog post from Halloween was the last I was on here and that seems like soo long ago. Way too much has happened over the past couple months and I will do my best to update yall on everything that has happened. The NW Championships was on November 19th in Shelton and I had been training my butt off all the while juggling grad school and everything else. It was one of the toughest things I have done thus far and I have never felt defeated like I did at points along the way. However, I made it to the stage and... well I did it! I was in a large class and I won it. There was tough competition and I even had a team mate standing beside me on stage. When I found out about winning the class, I rushed off to pump up for the overall. I gave it all I had and.... I won the overall!! It was such a rush when they announced my name in the finals and I can not explain the sense of accomplishment I felt after. To work for something that you want so bad and for it to pay off is by far one of the greatest feelings. I took a couple weeks off from the gym. Well, I had too!! I had to play catch up in all my classes and make sure I made the grades in order to continue on into next quarter. I worked countless hours on a 40min presentation, which I had to give on my birthday! I had final exams, final papers, and grades to submit for my classes. I can not tell you how many hours I spent in the library that final week, but I would like that time back please! Finally, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and handed in a 22 page final paper, many tears later. (You bet I am still a crier! LOL) With it all said and done, I reached a huge goal of not only re-qualifying for Nationals but also winning an overall and I managed to pass my first quarter of Graduate school with two A's and two B's!

I have been home for the past couple weeks enjoying time with my family, catching up with old friends and mentally preparing for another quarter. I am back in the gym training as I have entered my first real "off season." This is the first time in over a year that I will have more than a couple months with out a competition in site. I am spending the time to eat and train heavy in order to come full force in July. There are a few competitions I have in mind and I have to keep in mind that this is something I want. Not only do I want it, I will do anything to get it. I have been struggling with staying motivated because the competitions are a ways out, but I have to keep telling myself over and over again that my competitor is in the gym. She is not slacking off nor is she missing a workout. She may be cheating on her diet, but I will be in the back ground watching her every move in order stay stay 2 steps ahead! Happy Holidays to all of you!

Ciao for now,     J