You Tarzan.....Me Jane

Canyon Run
Mid way through my trip to LA I continued my exercising adventures out door with some canyon running  which was intense, up and down a path of about 3 inches wide with rough surface, uneven dusty ground, rocks and roots.  My knee did great, my health loved this dry heat and found myself super exhilarated.  Diet was hard to balance with frequency and type but I felt I came back fuller.  The shock of my twist in training also seems to have helped to further the LEAN but with a fuller body and less stress.
Once I hit the bottom of the canyon, before heading back up I decided to monkey about on the fallen trees!

Canyon Run

Climbing Trees

 

Of course the highlight of my trip......

Workout and Sightseeing
I spent some time doing the touristy thingy, kind of.  I went to train at LA Fitness......what a casino.....I don't know how anyone can train there.  No one puts weights away, there is an overload of members in there training at the same time, its just way to big for my britches.  Rather train with a band at my hotel but I did train there and had a hard time getting in my exercises efficiently due to curious spectators who wanted to kindly ask questions which I am very okay with!

 These pictures pretty much speak for themselves, a little bit of Hollywood BLVD.

Tigra and Purple Stain
Tigra, the lead singer for Purple Stain is also a talented specialist with nails and body.  She gave me my first manicure and it still looks amazing, although she may have created a monster because now I think I may do this regularly!!!!  I have always done my own nails but the pamper factor may have slightly sucked me in.

While she pampered my hands she invited me out to watch her on Monday night so I did!  I hit the House of Blues and caught some great shots of Tigra at her best!  The First few shots show a bit of the Parish Room where they performed.

 

 Thanks for a great time, great nails and the cool purple bead necklace!!!

Last Day
I went to a park and played.  It was a nice mellow way to catch some sun, contemplate my time away and watch the dogs play!  Monkey bars and swings can be a fun way to try new exercise ideas and play at the same time.
Thanks to Cindy Legare and her awesome Legare fitness clothes I was stylin in comfort!!

Training no matter what!

So here I am out in LA, last minute decision.  I needed a bit of a break from personal life so I hopped a plane and went away!
I love it here, very warm, my Mediterranean body loves this!  With more forethought I may have been able to set up some photo shoots but unfortunately did not but here are some shots of my time here so far.
I took a day or so off from diet and training but got right back at it yesterday with an hour bike, 45 weights for all body then later run up to the Hollywood sign and back, which was about 45 or an hour, to be honest I haven't been looking at time much, just going with the flow, no plans, no stress and its been great!!
Time with me, myself and I has been great for growth.  I have found things like fish n veggies at places which are cooked clean and have been eating nuts and such to keep me going.  Not exactly my diet but still doing well, I still show very lean, veins all out in my tummy and arms etc, I feel super skinny but buff and holding it well!
Comp is Aug 11 so I am going to get on practicing routine once I get back home in a few days as I took time off from that since June 30th but at this point I do know it well, lets hope the stage is kept clean of oil this time around and maybe at the night show us girls won't break our neck wobbling and slipping like at the night show for the BCS, which tweaked my knee.
Its better now, so much so  I can run a bit now.  YEAH BABY!!!!

Here are a few shots to take you through my lazy hazy dayz here, well a day lazy, I worked out the rest of them.  I found this on a walk, so beautiful!!  Bird of Paradise, thought those were only found so easily in Hawaii!

Here is a typical view, typical plants found here, so nice, but was overcast for first 2 days.....guess I brought it from Vanc!

This was a neat painting on a random wall for a restaurant I believe, cannot recall the name but loved the art!!

Again not sure of name of this bldg but loved the churchy look of it.

Here we have a park where they city has put in this bodyweight, kid parkesque type exercises pieces which were being used by many, very, very cool.  We need more of this in Vanc.

Here is some shots I took on my run up to the Hollywood sign, great workouts that day, an hour bike, hour weights then about an hour up and down here, and me at the top!

If you look carefully below in this shot you can see a CIA helicopter landing.

I had this girl in my head for months.....I had a canvas prepped for her and another one still in my head, finally able to relax enough to get a draft done of her ready to put her on canvas.  No pencils here so I used pen and sharpees to draft her up!  Now to get the other one done for the set!

So, ready to go out Friday but never did get to a club or anything......but hey the red dress looks great hey???

More later babes!!!

2012 Fitness Championships

Thank you

I wanted to start off with saying THANK YOU so kindly for all your support.
I was so busy Fri and up to now receiving blessings from all my clients, friends, family and fans.
My phone nearly screamed at me at one point as I had more texts and voice mail than ever ......and I loved all the well wishing calls and texts, even emails, my fitness gals keeping up on me and how I feel, you cannot buy that kind of caring and love!

Now to answer the most popular question I have been getting, how did I do?  
I placed 2nd.

Sorry for not dressing up for your for this pic, but I am so bagged and you know me, usually no make up anyway!  I barely slept the past few nights with nervous energy and you could see it on my face on stage.
Things ran a bit longer at night and by the time it was done I was ripping off my fake nails and eyelashes as I was leaving the theater!  Unlike most of the competitors back stage I had no thirst, no hunger nor low energy levels as I was up to 2 gallon water per day until Fri then I dropped to a gallon and had about a liter or so on show day.  I also was eating like it was a food marathon all week, up to 30 oz fish per day for protein, egg whites, rice cakes with pb and lots of them, lots of yams, green beans and asparagus.  I did not cut much carb through the whole process I just ate the right kinds.  I did not feel depleted at all!  I came in about 122 lbs and around 5%bf.

AM Show 

Thanks to David Aboody for the pix!

I am on the far left.

AM pre judging went well.  I got some candy curls put in my hair for physique round and Amy Ardizzone from Posingwear.com made me this custom 'Sicilian Godess' bikini.

My routine was adjusted very late in the game due to a knee injury 3 weeks before comp.  I had to make drastic changes in order to perform at all and was doing this up to 3 days before stage day.  When you see the routine you will notice I don't put much weight on my right leg nor do I use it much, I fake it well.  I did catch some technical mistakes in moves due to knee restriction but overall I pulled it off.  I had great response and the routine was much more appreciated than I imagined considering my normal dynamic routines with this one being so grounded and simplified.

The band on my arm is not so visible, it says RIP MJ in crystals.

PM Show
All the girls were feeling great, ready to get this done and we came out after some bodybuilders.  Unfortunately the stage was oily which affected the routine for 3 of us.  One girl hurt a knee, I tweaked mine and another girl slipped with hands and face planted a few times.  We all hope to be better for Nationals in 6 weeks.  It's not fun but its something that is hard to help with these types of shows since oil is present.

Overall the energy of the show and competitors backstage was very positive.  Lots of laughs, support, everyone helping each other prep.  I loved performing Michael Jackson even so I was unable to really 'give er'.  I have been a fan since age 12 and I felt this was the time to honor him.

Now its time to prep and heal for National Canadians which are here this year at the same theater on Aug 11, 2012.  I can work on polishing the routine as best my knee allows and make it cleaner!
In a couple weeks I am getting an MRI and then I will know if I need knee surgery but I can tell you right now, if this instability does not improve I want it fixed!  I need to jump again!!!!