The NABBA Nationals.  Our first nationals, and again, like wide eyed kids on our first day at school, looking around at what is happening, taking it all in, learning, learning, learning!

It started with the weight in on the Saturday night - which means eating bugger all as the day progresses so you don't come in heavy - as a few competitors did.  Fortunately, we were sweet and flew through, wearing track pants and tee shirts even.

Then it was back to the motor camp where we were staying and some steak and kumara - Real food after the rice crackers and honey all day - Along with the 50 gallons of coffee!

Then Sunday dawned, and off to the comp, and the action started from there.  Nervous?  Not really, there is not enough time to be nervous I have found in my vast experience of two competitions.  Perhaps having played a few seasons of NPC rugby in the distant past has helped me out there.  Although to be honest, there were more nerves this time out - it WAS the nationals after all, and there had been some expectations built up after the Wellington competition, but overall, not too many nerves.

The biggest problem being a time keeper from way back, is the fluid time that you are on stage - you have the backstage helpers coming in and saying "20 minutes", "10 minutes", "20 minutes", and so on, and then next second you are on stage!  I don't think I have got my morning show pump right yet, never enough time - perhaps if I spent less time eating snickers, and more time curling dumbbells it would help...  It's certainly not like a game of rugby, where you know the kick-off time, and you can get yourself mentally prepared for the start!

Anyway, morning show came and went in a blur, There was just one other bloke in the Novice Tall Athletic, another of Teresa Edward's team CoroFizex, Dean, so were were lumped in with all the short.  Vanessa's 35+ Figure section had four, and it was a tough lineup.

Back to the motor camp for a bit of a snooze and some tucker, and then the night show.  We got back to the venue and were asked "where were you for the couples"?  We had miss-read the bloody programme!  There had been a 'evening show only', or 'night show only' after one of the events, and we had thought that was for the rest of the events too!  Fortunately after a bit of a panic we were allowed to compete.  Which was lucky, as two other couples were no shows, and that would have left just one couple competing - not great for a nationals - you don't want to win a title by default now do you!  I know I would not want to anyway.

Mixed pairs - that's the champs on the left in case you don't recognise us!

The night show came and went, once again a few errors in the posing routine, thank heavens that is not judged, as an ex hooker with two left feet would be unfairly handicapped!  Vanessa also cocked up a little - although I did not notice, and I fouled up in our pairs routine.  But it mattered not, as we took the couples title, and took the Novice tall, and Vanessa was placed second in the 35+.  I was gutted, that's two silvers for her so far, it won't be long before she cracks the gold though!

That left the overall titles, and getting on stage with the 'big boys' of the athletic section (or division, or whatever you call it, I'll pick up the lingo soon no doubt).  This went by in a complete blur.  And the worst thing is, you can't see what anyone else looks like, so you just get up there and do your thing as well as you can, and hope for the best.  Well, the best was good enough this time out, and I managed to snare the overall Mr New Zealand Athletic title.  "What a dag" I thought as my name and number was called out - never thought I would be here when I started training back in April, a long way in a short time, for both 'Ness and myself.

So National Champions, where to from here?  Go up into the physique with the 'Mr Incredibles'?  Or keep the weight down and try and defend a national title?  Decision, decisions!

These photos from the nationals, thanks to http://www.muscleimaging.com/ - for the best photos in town!