April 17th 2016 – Comp Day.
The big date is getting closer. I’m nervous and excited at the same time!
Will there be loads of competitors? Am I going to stumble and lose balance? Will I be grumpy/tired/hungry/have a headache? And most importantly what will I eat and do post-comp?
Over the past few weeks (serious comp prep starts 6-12 weeks out) I have had to focus a lot more on my overall lifestyle in order to get ready for my comp. Apart from increasing training volume and introducing carb cycling, I had (and still have!) to pay more attention to how much sleep I get, my stress levels and staying injury-free.
This means no travelling since it can jeopardise my nutrition plan, not to mention getting sick, and not much socialising (again revolves around food) or active hobbies such as trekking which could potentially cause injuries. And although I miss all of these things, I know I have a bigger goal to work towards and it will all be worth it in the end.
After all I have been preparing for this comp for almost a year and putting in solid effort for the past 5-6 months. Really it would be a shame to stumble and fall just before the finish line.
At this stage every little thing matters, even an extra half an hour of sleep can make a difference! Since this is my first comp I’m yet to learn how my body reacts to all the different factors. However, I have already seen that sleep loss and high stress levels can eat away the muscle mass I have been working so hard to build.
The next 14 days will be tough, but will also be a huge learning curve as we experiment with different nutrition, water and training strategies. My mental game will also be tested, cake cravings of epic proportions are predicted 🙂
One thing I am sure of though is that this experience will make me better and stronger. I will learn a lot about my body and test my willpower and mental stamina both inside and outside the gym.
And then of course it will all come to an end. I’m definitely looking forward to a few cheat meals and good old healthy treats after the competition day. May be I’ll even throw in a yoga class and a dance session to feed the soul.
And then it’s back to the grind. There is no elevator to success – you have to take the stairs (and yes, you will pant, sweat and curse along the way…. The only way).
WW
Inspired by Miranda 