And before you know it, the countdown begins again. This time NABBA Wellington, this time 11 days out, this time, well, this time same old same old, just different dates.

But not really, heaps is different, with our new trainers Daryl ‘Max’ Payne and Tarren McCall have made life so much easier. Maybe not Mr Payne, as his name is very very apt, but just spelt wrong. But certainly we are eating much better, and more food. But the payoff is of course more cardio – but with the extra food we are also able to train harder on the weights, so the trade-off is more than worth it.

So eleven days out from Wellington, a return to our first competition. Three weeks between this and our first of the season at Whakatane, and we’ve changed immensely. It’s been a new experience, we were actually told to go and eat more, we were too lean after a week. To LEAN. Hell, after Wellington in 2009, I weighed in14 kilos heavier after about five days. A little case of water retention! And being our first contest, we had no idea it was going to be so extreme. Mind you, I did eat more rubbish and sugars in that day than most people would in a week of debauchery!

Anyway, we’ve been rocking along nicely, and are both much leaner than we were for the Whakatane BOP comp. Training is good, goal of course the NABBA Nationals, so still a little bit of experimentation going on for the Wellington comp’ as opposed to the BOP comp, just to see what works best, and then go down that road no holds barred for Nationals, and then the same again for the Phil-Asia Championships three weeks lateer.

My favourite subject right about now is usually food, and what to eat Saturday night. Well after the BOP experience, where we were very controlled as opposed to our earlier competitions, while I will be having what I want went I want it (Chocolate Pretzels top of the list, have not been able to find them for ages, and Pepsi Max, no idea why), but with Nationals 2 weeks away, the Sunday roast might be off the menu. Although that first year between Wellington and Nationals was 2 weeks, and 14 kilos…

Ness’s weakness has been, or rather, her ‘focus food’ has been a Cadbury Picnic. Fortunately at New World you can get five bars for four bucks at the moment. We spent eight dollars… It would be rude for me not to help Ness on this front Saturday night!

So there we are, or here we are 11 days out, Wellington beckoning, back to where it all began, I can’t wait. Mmmm, this is terrible, writing this just now, all of a sudden, good old fashioned Cadbury Diary Milk is calling my name, damn!