Surprise number one - the line of competitors on registration afternoon (the same afternoon for non-competitors to pick up their tickets) was crazy long. I mean, Bend is a small town and the show was at a high school. We're not talking the MGM Grand Arena, folks. Nonetheless, it was a gray and rainy day, and there were lots of people there.
Most of those people were in the very lightest clothing, including silk pajamas. As I stood in line, the lady in front of me was talking to the lady behind me about carb ratios, etc., and how cold it was, and how long they were going to have to wait in line. I interjected that I was only there to pick up tickets, which prompted Lady #1 to say, "Girl, you'll be here forever! We have to be weighed and measured in there, so you just get in there and get your tickets. I hold your place in line in case!" So I did (pushing past some rather large people), and went back to her, tickets in hand, to give her a big high five and wish her luck. If I had been wearing a jacket, I'd have given it to her.
So prejudging was Saturday morning. This is where all the competitors take the stage, and where apparently the judges pretty much make up their minds as to who the winner is going to be. There is some winnowing, though, so there's more than just awards handed out in the evening.
Here is the Masters Women's Physique category, the one I hope to enter next year:
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| That's my gym-mate on the left. She didn't used to be blonde. |
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| The woman in the center was awesome. |
I watched the Men's Novice competition also, mainly because the Women's Masters Fitness category was after that - these guys are over 50:
Then came the Women's Masters Fitness category, which is supposed to be slightly less muscled than Physique, but there were some repeat performers, including my gym mate:
By the way - see that slightly balding man in the audience above? That's Trainer Tom.
So here's another surprise from the prejudging: The people in the audience, at least those around me, just talked and talked, and chatted on their phones, and generally paid little to no attention to anyone up there unless it was the one person they came to see. I found this appalling. Also, the coaches and/or trainers (I assumed - I suppose it could have been just some jerks) were shouting up to the contestants, things like "Spread those wings!" during the lat spreads, and other such "encouragements." Weird.
Since there were no women bodybuilders entered (although the 66 year old lady I posted a photo of last blog was in the audience), and I'm not interested in the bikini category, I left.
When I returned for the evening finals, there were even more surprises in store. That place was PACKED to the rafters! This was a high school auditorium - picture a large movie theater with a stage. I figure it seated about five hundred, and they were selling standing room only tickets as well. Every seat was full, and there were people standing along the side walls two and three deep. I snagged a good seat and began to watch the people coming in. Women were wearing dresses! Men in nice shirts and some even ties! Trainer Tom and his wife looked like they were going out to a nice dinner!
The lady next to me had never been to a muscle show before either, and she and I were just amazed. Right along with the nicely dressed there were people in workout clothes, like they were just coming from the gym, but freshly showered - go figure. The people with muscles were showing them (sun's out, guns out) so some men and women were rather skimpily dressed (I didn't dare take pictures of these folks). People brought babies. The competitors from categories not on stage (i.e., the bikini competitors) were walking around in flip flops and kimonos. It was amazing.
Before the finals started, there was a fitness competitor visiting some people near me, and she and I started chatting. This was her first show, and when she stared with longing at a beverage one guy had (another surprise - signs all over the auditorium saying "PLEASE NO FOOD OR DRINK" and people were eating and drinking to beat the band. They were SELLING food in the foyer.). I asked her if she needed a drink of water, and she told me that her trainer wouldn't let her have anything to drink, NOT EVEN WATER, until after the show. The only thing she had eaten that day was rice cakes with honey with nothing to drink. Whoa - can you imagine eating a rice cake with nothing to wash that dry crap down?
So the finals start, and there's an emcee for Pete's sake! A lady singing the national anthem! This was a real sporting event, by gosh - surprise, surprise! There was considerably less chatter in the audience for the finals, a pleasant surprise.
I didn't take a lot of pics at the final, because as you can see from the photos at the prejudging, the lighting on that stage was crap for pictures. Suffice it to say, since there were only three entries for Masters Women's Physique, my gym mate got a trophy. For some reason the winner of the Fitness category got a trophy and a sword. I don't know what that's about.
There was also a guest "poser" (that's what they're called - hilarious!) at the finals - an IBCC professional in the Physique category and she was flat out amazing. I didn't take any photos of her, but here's one from her website:
Overall, I was really inspired. So much so that I've quit Nutrisystem (the carbs were messing me up and I wasn't reacting well to all the processed stuff - and the sugar!), and am going back to focusing on my protein, carbs and sometimes fat. Those bodies were no joke - those people worked hard for them. Harder than I have been doing. Sure, I've got some great muscle but it's still hard to see.
I've got some hard work in front of me.
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