As a kid I was a soccer/basketball junkie. Couldn't get enough of either. In middle school I gave up basketball [my weaker sport] in hopes of becoming good enough at soccer to play in college. Alas, 9th grade came in 2004 and so began the demise of my "sports" era with ACL tear #1. Never did play soccer in college like I had hoped but I did manage to play on the UVA women's rugby team for a couple seasons. Amazingly fun sport but definitely not one of my smartest decisions given my ability to attract injury like a magnet. Fast forward to September 2014 where the sports injury tally stood (and remains) at 4 ACL tears & reconstructions, 2 broken collar bones, 1 broken toe and a dislocated thumb. Needless to say, after ACL surgery #4 I decided it was best I hang up the cleats.
While my desire to take chances and risk injury to play "just one more season" has subsided, my desire to compete has not. I've always liked competition. I have actually been interested in bikini competitions for a few years now, not only for competition's sake but because I thought I'd enjoy the structure and discipline that comes along with preparing to compete. So far, I love it!! Preparing for things with an "end game" is fun to me. That goes for aspects outside of sports as well: school, work, etc. I like working to reach a goal & then moving on to the next goal. I think my relationship with competition is a healthy one, but I'm sure there are some who may disagree **cough my boyfriend cough**.
For those of you that don't know and would like an overly simplified definition, a "bikini competition" refers to the bikini division within a physique competition. Competitors are judged on their balance, shape and physical appearance while posing in a bikini and heels. I'll talk more about specifics in a later post, but that's it in a nutshell (a very tiny nutshell). I like schedules, routine and organization and bikini prep is all of that and then some! I am however continuing to learn that life rarely goes as planned most of the time."Going with the flow" and adapting has been and will continue to be my biggest challenge throughout this journey. I'm getting there!
I always thought I'd wait until after I finished graduate school to prep and compete in a competition. I changed my mind though when I decided I wanted to make a lifestyle change sooner rather than later. A change that would help me grow not only physically, but mentally. I wanted a challenge and I knew I wanted it this year. My schedule is relatively crazy with 3 jobs and my final year of grad school but it's been harder before. For that reason and others I'm under the impression I can balance school, work AND bikini prep well enough to compete in my first competition in November. Let's hope my body can handle the ride it's in for this time around!
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