I really should have put some post show thoughts here sooner. I wanted to do it. I was just caught up in trying to regroup and get my head back in the game. So first, an update on the show itself. I brought home a 4th place finish for this one. And as much as I wanted this show to be the one I won, I put a 4th place package on stage. So I really can’t be too surprised. There were two things that stood out as issues. 1-conditioning. It wasn’t there. I wasn’t lean enough. 2-my legs. The last three weeks going into this show we pulled hard to try to get the conditioning. And it seems like I lost some size in my legs when doing so. They simple weren’t full enough. Oh, and my hair. There was so much that it looked like it might come to life and take over. So while it was a disappointing finish, the good news is what needed to be fixed could be fixed. I went into Jr. USAs thinking Jr. Nationals would be the plan B show. That would have given me three weeks to make some improvements. But Kenny Wallach told me I should do Universe. Honestly, I had forgotten that was an option. That gave me six weeks to get better. Kenny, you’re a genius! (That’s in additions to your wizard posing genius abilities!!!) So it was decided. Universe would be plan B.

We drove to SC so Benji and I had a lot of time on the way home to analyze and discuss. He proposed adding some carbs back in and doing carb cycling. We wanted to have higher days on leg days to see if we could fill them back out enough. I ran it by coach Shane and was 100% on board with it. So we had a plan and we had time. Six weeks to get it together and do some damage.

Then came the first week back at it. For me, the time between the first and second show is the hardest. It’s harder than prep for the first show. Even though I had motivation and determination I was tired. And I felt like I had already hit the deadline from the first show. It always takes me at least a week to get my mind right and get back to where I need to be. This year was no different. I was doing my cardio and training and eating my meals. But I wasn’t giving it 100% of what I had at first. If something had come up that prevented me from being able to compete at Universe I would have been ok not going.

Then I had the dream. I had a dream one night that I placed third at Universe. I woke up PISSED. At USAs last year I placed third…first and second took home the title of IFBB Pro. I missed it by one. Universe is the same. I DO NOT want to feel that disappointment again. Luckily that day was leg day. I trained with intensity than I hadn’t had in a very long time. Later I had two conversations with two of my #TeamHeugly teammates. We met at this show and I am soooooo grateful to have them in my lives. They gave me the pep talk I was needing.

For the past few weeks I’ve been back to 100% and giving it 100%. I’m pushing harder than I thought I could and I’m ready to bring it At this point we’re three weeks out. And honestly, I can’t wait to see what we bring to the stage this time.