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Just 1 more day until the the Ironman!!!!  We packed the truck tonight for set up tomorrow.  It is all coming together fast!  Our sponsors sent so many wonderful samples for all of the athletes!  The guest performers arrive tomorrow.  BSN athletes will be at each location for the “meet & greet”.

Advance tickets will be on sale via internent until Friday noon.  Then everything will be moved to the venue Saturday morning.  You can purchase tickets at the door on a cash only basis.

Wa Ironman competitor, christian Pastor Ken Ralston will be on hand at check in Friday from 6:00 - 8:00pm for anyone that would like individual prayer.

I am so excited that we will have Rhonda who works with Maresa, as our make up artist.  Rhonda and Maresa have worked together for several years doing make up for pageants, weddings and special events.  Rhonda will be doing basic stage make up for every girl complimentary from Craig Productions.  If you would like false eyelashes, this is extra, $20.00 which includes the application.  Rhonda also does hair so if you would like an updo for the evening for your tiara to look the best - yes I am looking at all of you girls as winners, she can schedule you in if you give her a call in advance.  206-251-0050.

Jan Tana’s crew arrived today and will be airbrushing athletes tomorrow.  If you aren’t already scheduled, go to Jantana.com and click on airbrushing to make sure you are able to get an appointment.

Mark Mason is the official photographer for our show.  He does the video and he also does individual athlete pictures.  You can reach him at 206-390-5970 to purchase a video and/or to schedule an photography appointment.

I have to get back to work!  See you all Saturday!!!!!!!!

The excitement for the show is building!  Dave Patterson had his seminar this Saturday with Northwest promoter Nic Younnis and they worked 4 hours with everyone!  They said they had a great group of athletes!  drbuff1954@comcast.net Don’t forget that Tanji Johnson is having a last chance posing class for figure and fitness at the Renton Gold’s at 7:00pm this Thursday evening.  Bring your suit and heels.  I believe the fee is $50.00,  When I confirm it with her I will post it or go to her site www.tanjijohnson.com

Brad & I were in Vegas this weekend for the the Olympia where we watched our own Tanji Johnson take 5th place in fitness!  She looked so good and her routine was awesome!  I think she was the crowd favorite because everytime she came out on stage the crowd yelled and screamed for her nonstip until she left the stage.  I didn’t see them do that for any other athlete.  I thought for sure she had Tracey Greenwood beat!  Dexter Jackson won first place in the men’s bodybuilding.  He looked phenomenal!  He is a great athlete and fantastic performer!

I put the Swarovski crystals on the tiaras yesterday.  I chose a beautiful ruby red and they came out absolutely gorgeous!  The overall is covered in red crystals.

We have 115 athletes entered as of today so it’s going to be a big show.  I’m excited to be back in Everett at the Everett Civic Auditorium.  This is the theatre where we put on our first bodybuilding show 28 years ago.  It  is a beautiful venue and it’s so fun to see all of the bodybuilders and lovers of physique take over a city!  All of the people who have never been exposed to our world are just in awe!

Tickets are selling fast now.  You can purchase them online on our site until Friday noon.  Then everything moves over to the venue on Saturday morning.  There will be tickets available at the door on a cash only basis.  You can call us at 425-949-7320 to purchase them over the phone by credit card until Friday noon.

Our title sponsor BSN is also sponsoring 3 “meet & greets” with BSN athletes Brandon Curry and Alicia Marie on Friday Oct.  3.  They will be at the Evergreen Health Pantry in Bellevue 425-746-4776 from 1:00 - 1:30pm then athe Mill Creek Gold’s Gym from 4:30 - 6:00pm then at the Arlington Gold’s Gym from 7:00 - 8:00pm.  They will be there to meet you and to answer questions you might have especially questions about BSN products.  My favorite is the Lean Dessert Cinnamon Roll Whey protein.  I mix that right in my oatmeal in the morning for a protein boost and let me tell you, it is yummy!!  They will also have product samples with them so you can see what I mean!

I talked with Merry Christine, famous posing suit designer and she said IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Toney Freeman will be at the Ironman.  Toney took 5th place at the Olympia this weekend.  I thought he was in the best shape of his life so it will be great to see Toney at the show.  I hope he brings his photos to sell and autograph!

Speaking of IFBB Pro Bodybuilders, I ran into our own Mark Dugdale and his lovely wife Christina and Mark said they will also be at the Ironman.  I’m hoping he brings his pictures and his training DVD to sell.  The DVD is packed with so much training information it really is a must have!

I will recap all the guests that you can meet at the Ironman.  You will see IFBB Pro’s Brandon Curry, Toney Freeman, Mark Dugdale, Tanji Johnson and Michele Mayberry (fitness pro who is also judging) and top National competitor Peter Putnam.  Plus walking around when she is not running the pump up room back stage, our Queen, top National bodybuilder Gerri Davis.  How exciting this weekend is going to be!!

That’s all for now.  I will update more tomorrow.

Each day gets more exciting and each day there is so much more to do!!!!  It will be a short writing tonight because it is 11:45pm and I still have a couple hours of work to do.  So much to say…….so little time!!

Seminars:  This Saturday Dave Patterson is holding one for bodybuilders at the Renton Gold’s at 1:00pm, $50.00 per person.  Let me say, this is a BARGAIN!!!!!  He is the posing guru of the Northwest!  email Dave at drbuff1954@comcast.nett to give him an idea of how many to expect.   Thursday Oct. 2 our hometown sweetheart IFBB Pro Tanji Johnson will be hosting one at the Renton Gold’s at 7:00pm for figure & fitness.  www.tanjijohnson.com It will be a last minute warm up before the show.  Thank you Mike for allowing us all to utilize the Renton Gold’s!!!!!

Hotel:  If you haven’t made your reservations at the Everett Holiday Inn 1-866-700-1188, do so immediately!!  Our block rate expires Saturday and there are only 25 rooms left in the hotel and there is no overflow hotel at this point!

Tickets:  Going fast right now.  On the main floor I am in row O in the center at this writing but I can get your family and friends in Row D on the side.  Online on the comment section have them indicate whether they would prefer to be in the center or closer up on the side.

Keep training hard.  You are close to the last phase — decarbing and carbing up!!  That is when the ultimate changes in your bodies happen!  I’m so excited for all of you!  It’s the “experience”!

Great clinic at the Renton Gold’s gym!!  It was so much fun!!  One male bodybuilder was the recipient of Dave and Nic’s expertise for 1 1/2 hours of personal time because no other guy showed up!!  “One lucky guy”.

We had 6 figure girls and 1 fitness girl.  I was going to have Michele work with them and I would work with the bodybuilders but we had none so Michele and I worked with all of the girls.  We worked on 1/4 turns, line ups, comparisons, 1/2 turns, walking………wow!  so much to write - but sorry I am a “talker” not a writer.

I can’t wait for the Ironman!!!  It is soooo exciting when it all comes together…and it is!!!

I had so much fun at Tanji’s seminar this past Saturday.  She has a wonderful group of girls with so much potential!

Nic Younis, owner of the Fit Stop in Olympia and Promoter of the Northwest Championships in Olympia & I have decided to put on a seminar for anyone interested in competing or who is going to compete in the upcoming Ironman or the NW Championships.  It is free to everyone.  It will be this Saturday, Sept. 20th at 1:00.  We will be hosting it at the Gold’s Gym in Renton, WA.  The address is 10728 SE Carr Rd, Renton, WA  98055.  (425)793-5457.  The focus will be on getting ready for your show and posing.  We will be teaching quarter turns for Fitness, Figure and Bodybuilding and mandatory poses for bodybuilders.  It is open to both men and women.  We will teach the posing at the end so that the figure/fitness girls don’t have to stay while the bodybuilders pose.  So bring your questions with you and figure/fitness girls - your heels.  If you don’t want to wear your posing suit yet, make sure you have shorts and girls - a half shirt.  I know it is last minute but the following weekend we will be at the Olympia in Las Vegas.  If you are planning to come, please shoot me an email at emeraldcup@aol.com or give me a call at 425-949-7320 just so I can get an idea of how many to expect.  I talked with Dave Patterson and he is planning on coming by.  He is a posing guru so I am excited that he will be there.  Dave just had a hip replacement and knee surgery so he won’t be on stage for awhile but he is doing great recovering from this.  If you are coming from the North, plan a bit more time in getting there because of the Puyallup Fair.  I experienced that this weekend trying to get to Tanji’s seminar.  It took me an hour from Seattle.  So plan accordingly.  We will start promptly at !:00pm.  See you there!

Well, after quite a few months I am back to posting on this blog.  I lost my password but my webmaster has me all set up again!  I have so much to post but the pressing talk is about IFBB pro Fitness competitor Tanji Johnson’s seminar this Saturday, September 13th!  Tanji is an expert in her field and she will be going over everything for figure competitors and fitness quarter turns.  It starts at right on time at noon at Gold’s Gym in Renton.  Make sure you bring your heels as she will be teaching you how to walk in them - very important!  The cost is $50.00 which is a real bargain considering the teacher!  She has asked me to stop by to meet everyone and add my two cents worth.  I’ll wear my heels - I’ve practiced so that I know what you girls go through!  I’m bringing something else - it’s a surprise courtesy of BSN.  Let her know you will be there!  email her at excellentspirit@hotmail.com I’ll see everyone on Saturday!

This year’s host hotel for the WA Ironman is the Holiday Inn Downtown Everett located at 3105 Pine Street, Everett, WA 98201.

They have a show special rate of $90 per night which you can reserve by calling the hotel directly at 425-789-5715 and using the booking code “NPC”. Or booking online.

Those of you that used to read our 2008 forums know that Shannon Gill and I were having on online training partner discussion/accountability with each other from January until April. Those were fun times! Now that we have switched to a blog you are all subject to my progress only at this time, (sorry. ) To fill you in: I started back after a 2 year layoff in January. I am 5′10″ and weighed 178lbs. I hadn’t worked out for two years (yeah, I know…) but the key is I decided to take my body back! I thought I would keep this blog up since the forums are down because hopefully it will inspire some of you and also it will keep me accountable as I am training by myself right now. If you go on our web site and read the page “About Us” it will give you my background. Since competition days, I have raised a son (he’s 20 now), and has been working out since he was 13. He is looking pretty buffed now(I’m mom), all natural of course. I feel he is a testimony for kids to start training light at 13 and then very consistantly when they turn 16. At 18 I have witnessed that the natural growth hormone and testosterone really kicks in so the key phrase is “be consistant with your training, sleep, and diet.” Of course you must know how to train correctly. Not very many people do. My son’s major gains have been made from 18 - 20 but my experience has taught me that he will be in high gear up to 25. Some men 30. We shall see. Okay back to me! I have been personal training clients now for 30 years - way before it was in vogue. I just love it. I have been out of the loop for the last four years because our shows just got to be too much work to do both. Crunch time for a show means I can’t do anything else but the show, the week of the show and that hurts my clients. I want to go back to personal training so I have to figure a way to balance the time. I’m not raising any children right now (just a husband!) so I know I can do it. Tonight’s workout was AWESOME because my husband Brad was there at the same time so I had someone to spot me. Having a good spotter is key when you are benching and doing behind the neck presses. I have not been able to go up in weight this past month because the only amount of weight I trust my wrists to lift off on my own or bench is 115 lbs. Since Brad was there I was able to bench 145lbs. He gives me the lift off and then I bench the weight and ask him for a spot on the last 2. I got 8 on my own for the first set and 6 the next. He spotted me for 2 more on each set. So I am feeling pretty good tonight. Oh yes, on behind the neck press I could do the bar for 10. I haven’t done a freeweight bar for shoulders because I feel you must have a spotter because it is so easy to hurt yourself. Then I did bi’s and tri’s. Day off from cardio. Great workout tonight! I will be back to talk -with the new blog format it is your choice whether or not you want to read it! I am really loving this!

Wow! We really had a great showing of our Northwest Strongmen & Women. Click on the links below to see what I mean. Great going everyone!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/photogalleries/photography2004464614/

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/flatpages/local/womencompeteinstrongcontest.html