"Women's Tall Class, line up!" the stage manager called.

There they were. The words I'd been working twelve years to hear. I was going to compete in a bodybuilding contest! It was two days before my 39th birthday, and I had finally achieved the physical condition that would allow me to compete in a natural bodybuilding show. I picked the ANBC Tampa Bay Natural being held at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

I am a very dedicated wife, mother and volunteer. I spend most of my time making other people happy. However, bodybuilding is the one thing that I decided to do for myself. I became interested in the sport a little over twelve years ago when I happened to see, then Ms. Olympia, Cory Everson on a weekly television exercise program. I admired her lean, muscular physique and knew that I wanted that for myself.

I purchased a weight bench and dumbbells to get started, and set up a basic home gym in a spare bedroom. I worked diligently on my program. I read everything I could get my hands on, watched television fitness shows, and attended local competitions. Whenever I watched the women compete, I would get this feeling of awe and pride. I knew that someday, I would be up on that stage with them. I would lie in bed every night, and before I would fall asleep, I would envision myself on the stage, performing my posing routine in a bright red posing suit. Over and over I would practice in my mind until the vision seemed as if I was actually doing it. Over the years we moved from place to place when my husband would be transferred with his job. The one thing that remained constant through it all was my love for my training and my commitment to someday compete.

Three years ago, we settled in Florida for what I knew would be at least seven years, until both of our children graduated high school. Once again, I set up my home gym. Only this time, we purchased "real" equipment. The kind you see in a real gym. The reason for this was that we decided to put our gym, complete with mirrors, in the room that was meant to be the formal living room. It was so exciting to me to have this great facility right in my own home. I was ready to go.

I hired a personal trainer and told him, "I want to be a competitive bodybuilder." I trained with him until I felt that he had given all he was capable of. I was getting closer to my ideal but felt that I needed more. I then hired my second personal trainer, Mici, a former Mr. Northern Germany, who had actually competed himself only the year before. With his help, I began lifting heavier weights and training more intensely than I ever had before in my whole experience. It was an incredible feeling to see just how strong I had become and to test the limits of my abilities. Every workout was better than the one before it, and I made amazing progress. I knew that I was on the verge of something really great and this confirmed my thoughts.

After training with Mici for approximately six months, I made the decision that I would compete in the ANBC Tampa Bay Natural in October, which was two months away. We began to modify my training accordingly.

As the contest drew closer, we worked on many different aspects of preparation in addition to the ones we had worked on previously. Diet became all-important and extra cardio sessions were added. We chose posing music and worked out the routine that would best show off my hard earned muscle. Once again, I visualized every day, just how I would look when I was on the stage in the bright red posing suit that I had made especially for the occasion.

I worked long; and I worked hard. I spent hours on the treadmill every week and hours in the tanning booth. The week prior to the contest, my husband helped me paint on the tanning product that would allow me to appear very tan even under the harsh stage lights. It was a tedious process and what I disliked most about the entire experience. By the time we reached this point, I was so tired and, with little body fat remaining, very cold most of the time. When my husband sprayed the product on my skin, it felt like liquid ice. I would have to remain unclothed for thirty minutes afterward to allow the product to dry.

The Friday night before the show, we went to the host hotel to check in and I received my number, 62. There would be seven women in my division, the Open Tall Class. I checked out the competition as I was waiting to take my polygraph test. Because the show was for natural bodybuilders, all competitors were required to take a polygraph test to make sure that they hadn't used banned substances in preparation for the show. Everyone looked just as tired and hungry as I felt. I passed my polygraph test and went home for one last application of the tanning product and some much needed sleep.

The day of the contest dawned and I was so excited! I was also very tired from the months of preparation and ready to finally compete. I had been preparing so long. I went and had my hair done because I am first and foremost a woman who takes great care with her appearance. I felt that if I were going to be on a stage for any purpose, I would have to look my best from top to toe. I was to report in at the competition venue at noon.

Carrying my gallon water jug, my bag full of sweet potatoes, rice cakes, and posing oil, I had my husband drop me off at the stage door. He wished me luck. I followed other bodybuilders to the dressing room area where we signed in and were briefed on what would occur that day. First our class would compete in the compulsory where the judges would compare us to each other, muscle for muscle, and rank us first to last. That evening, we would return to perform our free posing by ourselves on the stage. We were then told to make ourselves comfortable in the dressing room of our choice.

I chose a dressing room and settled in. Having never done a show before, I watched the other contestants to see what it was they did to get ready. I had brought posing oil, which my trainer helped me to apply, but was amazed to see the other women were using vegetable oil spray. What a great idea that was! I stored that little detail away for future use. I continued to watch as the women applied makeup and oil, flexed their muscles, and practiced poses. I was astonished when they unloaded jars of peanut butter and candy bars on the counter. Wow! After being on the contest diet for so long, the thought of having peanut butter or candy bars hadn't even crossed my mind. This was another fact to file away for future reference.

When it neared our time to compete, we were told we could go to the equipment room where we could use various weights to pump our muscles up. My trainer put me through some basic exercises to make me look good all over and then it was time to go.

"Women's Tall Class, line up!" the stage manager called.

I raced back to the dressing room for one more application of lipstick and took my place in line. We all filed backstage. We had to wait for about thirty seconds for the Women's Short Class to file off the stage. In that short amount of time, the enormity of what I was about to do finally hit me. The day that I had been working toward and visualizing for so long had arrived! I was nearly overcome with tears, but then they called us onto the stage, and the moment passed.

Out on the stage, the lights were bright and hot. Although my family was in the first row, I couldn't see them, but I could hear them. They yelled and cheered along with the rest of the crowd. I was so proud I thought I would burst.

As we performed our compulsory poses, I knew by the way they were moving the competitors around that I probably wouldn't place very well. I was so excited to be on that stage that I didn't care. I couldn't quit smiling. It was all so amazing. Finally, the judges were done and we were told to exit the stage.

I was free until the evening show. My trainer said we should go to lunch. We went to an Italian restaurant. I was pretty hungry, but so used to dieting that I ordered a Caesar Salad. When Mici saw what I was eating, he shoved the breadbasket toward me and told me to eat. He said that I needed the carbs to fill up my muscles for the night show. I ate the breadsticks, which were buttery and garlicky and tasted like manna from heaven.

After lunch we went back to the venue to prepare for the night show. I changed into my bright red posing suit - the one I had been dreaming about for 12 years and reapplied the posing oil. I touched up my makeup, pumped up, and once again, was ready to compete.

As each competitor took her turn, and my time drew closer, I became more excited. I handed the soundman my music and waited my turn. I tried not to watch the other competitors' routines so that I wouldn't forget my own.

Finally, they introduced me. As the music began, I raised my arms and eyes to the ceiling. I was overcome with the most extraordinary feeling. There I was, on a competitive bodybuilding stage in my red posing suit, and I was hitting all of my poses like I had practiced for so many months. The posing routine was a minute long, and it was one of the best minutes of my whole life. All the time, effort, and training that it had taken to get there was worth it for that one tiny moment of glory. I couldn't stop smiling. I was having the time of my life and it showed.

When the competition was over and the judging competed, I finished in last place. But in my opinion, I was the biggest winner of them all. Because all of the hard work I had done and sacrifices I had made paid off. Because this was my dream come true.

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