My First Pro Trip

Winning my BNBF pro card was an incredible feeling, I spent the next couple of weeks grinning every time I thought of it, and still have to remind myself that it actually happened!

Unfortunately there was a tiny weeny downside – the diet went on! For another 5 weeks! I was a little worried as last year my body struggled to hold condition at the end of a long diet and I had softened significantly by the BNBF finals; this year however, I used some fairly significant carb loading each weekend to boost my metabolism and my condition held over those extra weeks.

So, Lee and I set off for Heathrow early on the Wednesday morning, proudly wearing our BNBF jackets (thank you Vicky!), and armed with nine meals to sustain me. It would be at least 15 hours before we arrived at the hotel, and then we’d have to go food and microwave shopping before more food would be available.

The journey was straightforward, except for a 2 hour queue for immigration with no water in sight. I had to keep pushing my way out of the queue and drinking from the tap in the ladies loo – yuk, but I was trying to get 10 litres down me and had run out at the end of the flight.

As we came through Nigel, Sheena and Andrew were waiting for us, all looking very important in those tops! We’d seen Heather and Darren join the immigration queue behind us and it wasn’t long before they came through, although poor Darren wasn’t happy to have lost his bananas and sweet spuds to their food import regs! Apparently once cooked it’s ok, but they don’t like raw produce in any form.

A shuttle service took us to our hotel in Bowie just outside Washington and by the time we arrived we were all pretty shattered. Luckily the hotel was on a retail park so we headed over to Target in search of water, chicken, potatoes and a microwave! Bit of a limited selection so the competitors headed back to the hotel and Nigel, Sheena and Andrew headed off by taxi to a bigger store. It wasn’t long before the Scottish contingent arrived and we all got together in Andrew and Kerry’s room before heading off to bed – I’d been awake for about 28 hours and it had been a long day.

Thursday

I was still depleting so headed down to the “newly extended fitness centre” for some fasted cardio. Goodness knows how big it was before they extended it! It was tiny but the equipment was brand new and there was a tv so I settled onto the cross trainer with Forrest Gump. Lee headed down to the breakfast buffet and I went up to Kerry and Andrew’s room to cook my porridge. Once everyone was fed and watered we met in Nigel’s room for a posing session. We took it in turns to puff and pant and sweat while Nigel instructed us in how to pose “properly”. That first session was incredibly tough but turned out to be invaluable, we were looking better already! Our polygraphs were booked for 1.30, so with a couple of hours to spare Darren and Heather headed off to Gold’s Gym while a few of us got a cab to Safeway for a food shop. It was pouring with rain and freezing cold but the aisles of goodies soon cheered me up and I set about filling a trolley with treats to take home as well as everything I needed for carb loading. We called a cab to come and get us and waited..... and waited ...... and got cold, and waited! After about an hour it turned out that we hadn’t been dropped at Safeway as requested, we were at Giant (no wonder our return taxi wasn’t there!) Poor Raymond was overdue a meal and I think he was the coldest of us all. Taxis turned out to be the most unreliable form of transport in Washington – it was amazing how long it took, even when the hotel called for us we ended up waiting at least 30 mins every time.

We eventually got back just in time for our polygraph, which was pretty much like the test we’re used to at the BNBF finals. Not sure what the polygrapher thought when Darren fell asleep halfway through his test! Next was registration (luckily all at our hotel) where we were given goody bags and t shirts. Then back for more torture posing practice at 5pm.

Vicky, Guy, Andy, Nigel and Sheena headed out for dinner and the final posing session of the day was set for 9pm. We all headed back to our rooms to relax. I started carb loading – yummy yummy – Lee ordered room service (I have to say I would never have been tempted so close to a show, but the food was fantastic!) the room was warm, we’d eaten and we were so chilled out and the bed was so big and comfy that we fell asleep! I woke in a panic at 9.30pm and flew out of the room to find the other 4 competitors sitting on the floor outside Nigel’s door waiting for the gang to return. We waited til 10pm when we were falling asleep and headed off to bed. 10.30pm and the phone woke me “c’mon Annie, posing time!!”. Dragged myself out of bed again and put my bikini on the right way round I think! Vicky later told us that in the past she’d also done her fair share of posing on demand, night and day!

Ben Tennyson and his figure pro wife, Chipper, had now arrived to support the team and sat in on our posing session (no pressure eh?)

Friday

No cardio today – carb loading. Lee headed down to the breakfast buffet and left me with my oats. Then more posing practice – it was getting easier for all of us by now, with less comments and a few more nods (praise indeed!). Then those who weren’t competing (and Heather) headed off to Washington DC for some sightseeing (shopping) while the rest of us had to stay behind and relax.

After lunch (a delicious smelling take away from Bob Evans Diner!) Lee put a layer of tan on Kerry, Raymond and me, and then we headed back for another bout of posing at 4pm, no one could twist their side poses like Nigel Exorcist Davies but we were certainly making improvements and the tans looked good.

Lee applied another layer of Jan Tana to everyone, then the gang headed off to a local diner, and invited Lee to join them. I relaxed in my room and kept posing hard. I’d stopped water by now and the air conditioning was making me incredibly thirsty – oh well, hopefully it would help to dry me out!

Our final posing session and Heather was put through her paces with the T Walk. She suffered all our comments and opinions well, and kept smiling throughout, although she must have walked a mile in those heels!

Lee added another coat of tan to me and the boys, and I went over to help Darren and Heather with their dream tan, we chatted for a bit then everyone went to their rooms in search of a good night’s sleep.

Saturday – show day

I’d set the alarm for 6.30 but was awake just after 5 so we got up and were just applying a final layer of tan when Kerry called to see if we were up. He and Raymond came down and got their tans on. The boys looked great, dry and hard with dark dark tans. I went across to Darren and Heather who were busy with their dream tan again and was amazed how tight and drawn Darren looked; it was going to be a great show. Heather was starving, she wasn’t sure what to eat and both were waiting for Guy to come and give them a bit of advice. I think the lure of breakfast had momentarily distracted him but they were both looking good.

Heather did my make up for me and Sheena put the finishing touches to my hair (I hadn’t done a great job!!) then it was off to the venue for a 8.30 competitor meeting. Luckily Ben and Chipper Tennyson had a hire car and very kindly made a couple of journies to ferry us to the venue – those local taxis hadn’t turned up again!

The venue was really nice, bright and airy with a good sized auditorium and stage. They ran through the structure of the day, and demonstrated the quarter turns, compulsories and some additional poses which may be required – “hand over head right intercostals” or “right hamstring” (which meant balancing on one leg and flexing the hamstring) and “rotate right/left thigh”. They also required side chest and side triceps to be demonstrated on both sides, not easy if you’ve always posed your chest from one side!!

The show got started and Heather, Darren and I settled down backstage to relax. Lee put another coat of tan on Raymond who then went to watch the show. Most of the male competitors were incredibly chatty and friendly, wanting to take photos with us and exchange email addresses, but the girls kept their distance. Lee was busy with the dream tan – but didn’t have enough hands so Heather and I got busy on Darren while Lee glazed the rest of us. Heather’s class was first, then my class was called and I stood in the wings watching the last few callouts of the figure pro, Heather held her composure beautifully and certainly held her own among the American girls.

Then I was on stage! The crowd and atmosphere was great and I really enjoyed myself. A couple of the girls were incredibly hard, with striated glutes and phenomenal abs. It was over too quickly and 21 pro men were standing in the wings waiting to go on. I flew out to the auditorium, Lee had a seat near the front but I found Heather perched on the edge of the stage and joined her in cheering on our boys.

Kerry was in the first set of call outs and got moved around a fair bit, he must have been up there for a good 20 mins. All the time Darren stood firm in his “relaxed but NOT relaxed” pose at the back of the stage while everyone else relaxed completely. The head judge had instructed competitors not to bother posing if they weren’t in a call out, but Darren was determined to stick to Nigel’s instructions! Finally, Darren was called to the front, and Raymond shortly after, and they worked their socks off! The crowd were really responsive and Heather and I kept shouting at them every time we saw a muscle which needed attention! Darren stayed up there til the end of the class and I reckon they were on stage for about an hour, luckily there was water in the wings!

We all rushed backstage, excited and proud of ourselves. Chipper was kind enough to ferry us back to the hotel. We’d been told that the judging was over, the evening show would consist of routines only, which were only being judged for the presentation awards. So Lee, Kerry and myself headed over to MacDonalds for a little treat! I’m not sure whether the assistant was surprised by Kerry’s order for 20 chicken nuggets and 4 apple pies, but he still went back for another 4! Lee and I were really surprised to be told by Kerry that he didn’t intend going back for the evening show, but we felt sure he’d change his mind.

We went back to our room and chilled out with Heather and Darren (who was looking tighter and more drawn by the hour). Suddenly the phone rang and apparently the rest of the gang were in reception waiting for us! We hadn’t been told what time we were returning to the venue, so it was a bit of a panic to grab our stuff and fly downstairs. This time our cab turned up, and proceeded to take the “scenic/expensive” route back to the venue, hmm – I guess it’s the same throughout the world!)

True to his word Kerry wasn’t coming which was a huge shame for the rest of us, I also felt rather sad for him that the prejudging had deflated him so much that he wasn’t going to finish the day on stage and get his medal. We didn’t actually see him again for the rest of the trip but I hope he’s recovered his confidence.

Anyway, the pro classes were at the end of the evening show, but it all ran really quickly and before we knew it Heather was called for her T walk (the figure girls don’t do a routine). She hadn’t placed top 5 but was happy enough. Then my turn, again not top 5 but I certainly hadn’t expected to. Finally, the pro men. Darren was named in the top 5 and as the guys stood on stage I was still in the wings watching with everything crossed.

They named the 5th place (not Darren – yippee!) then 4th (all good, it meant Darren was top 3 and in the prize money!), Darren looked amazed when they announced 3rd place – he was in the top 2 and knew that he couldn’t beat the local favourite. Incredibly enough he wasn’t 2nd either – Darren had won his first pro show!! I was jumping up and down in the wings, I could see Lee and Heather in the front row screaming and hugging!

When Darren came off stage the whole crew came back and we took some photos – everyone was congratulating Darren, it really was the ultimate end to a great day.

Lee, Heather and I waited backstage while Darren had some water and tried to pee. Andy told us everyone was waiting in the foyer because there was an after party at a restaurant down the road. Half an hour later lee went out to find out exactly where it was but they’d gone! Darren finally managed to do the deed and we headed off to find a cab. Luckily, the guy who placed 2nd to him very kindly offered us (and the giant trophy!) a lift, and the gang had saved us a table so we were soon ordering an array of food………. Lots of people kept coming up and congratulating Darren and we basked in his glory! Sully, the head judge, made a point of coming over to say hello, and congratulated Heather on her T walk – he had her in the first place for that round and said he thought the American girls should take note, he liked her elegance and her poses! Woo hoo! Well done Heather!

The day was catching up with us so the 4 of us decided to leave with the others and take our food back to the hotel but there wasn’t room for everyone in their car so we ordered a taxi and waited, and waited! We called a few more times but after 45 mins with the restaurant closing Heather asked if any of the staff would be able to give us a ride! She certainly isn’t shy! Luckily about 20 mins later one of the staff took us back to the hotel (our cab pulled into the car park as we left – typical!).

We all piled into our room and Raymond came and joined us, we finished our dinners and shared our goodies, and downloaded photos onto our laptops. About 4am we threw everyone out and got a couple of hours sleep, before getting up at 6.30 to pack.

The 5 of us met up at breakfast (with the trophy!) and again Darren was the star of the show – everyone wanted pictures of him! Sadly it was time to say goodbye as Lee and I were heading into Washington DC for a few days sightseeing, Darren and Heather were off back to Manchester and the rest of the gang were heading up to New York for a few days. Darren, Heather, Lee and I in particular felt very sad saying goodbye, we’d become very close in the past few days and helped each other through quite an emotional experience.

All in all, I had a fantastic trip, I loved travelling with the team, made a couple of great new friends and started my Pro career. I am inspired by the women I saw on stage, and determined to be more competitive next year to try and crack that top 5. Thank you to the BNBF for paying for my trip, to Nigel for the posing lessons, to Vicky for organising everything in the first place and to everyone else who helped make it a great 4 days. Congratulations to Heather for being the first BNBF Figure Pro, it wasn’t easy for her – the American girls are much harder than in the UK and their style of figure walk is quite different too. She rose to the occasion and wasn’t panicked in any way. Also, of course, huge congratulations to Darren for his victory, and to Raymond for his placing – no mean feat considering the quality and size of the line up.

I’m sorry this is so so long, I hope it’s interesting to people, and inspires some of you to want to compete with the BNBF team in the future. If anyone has any particular questions just post or PM me, I could talk all day about it!!!