Six weeks out from the Nationals and I’m feeling better than ever. As my Coach Justin Dees reduces my carbs to near zero levels and pushes me to train harder in the gym and to do 2 hours of cardio per day, the changes to my body are coming daily and fast. The low carbs reduces my mental alertness to an “octave” above clinical depression. The fatigue in the gym leaves me wanting for energy to tear through my workout. Nothing is right and it’s all because I am nearing “Game Day” in Pittsburgh 20-24 July 2016.
In the past couple of weeks I’ve witnessed my body becoming much leaner, vascular, and more cut. It’s interesting to watch my skin become much thinner — seemingly right before my eyes. My coach says that we are “right on the money” with 6 weeks to go. I am learning to trust the process and to stop thinking. My whole effort is to follow instructions, work as hard as I can, eat as I am directed, and perform the requisite 2 hours per day of cardio assigned by Justin Dees. Ouch! My days are long and tiring and I miss zipping around performing my daily duties with ease.
I find it curious that as I get closer to the contest that I worry more and more about how I look. How my posing is coming. How much I am eating. I sleep less each night due to the ravages of anxiety. The mornings are very hard because often I did not sleep very well the night before and the sleep deficit follows me into the gym and it affects my training. I have a philosophy that says I should, “go to another place” as I train. So, I close my eyes while I work and often the workout goes by much more comfortably because I worked hard but I was absent in mind and spirit while the pain was experienced. Lately, when I close my eyes I find myself nearly falling asleep during training rather than just being absent. This is a problem and I have had to overcome it. Trust me! I’m better.
We have registered for the show in July. We have our room reserved. We are waiting on the plane tickets to be sure of when I should arrive at the venue in advance of the show. All is in place and plans have been laid. Now, I only have to continue to train and hone my body for the stage. This is the important time and it deserves all my attention.
I am looking forward to seeing all of my “muscle head friends” again this year. What a great time last year to get to know such great competitors and now friends. One of the guys I met was a retired Marine Corps veteran of 27 years. I absolutely loved the conversations with him prior to our heading for the stage. These relationships are really the bedrock of all the effort to compete.
This is a quick review of some of the things that are occurring and the thoughts that accompany them. I hope that giving you a little glimpse into the stages and occurrences of these last 6 weeks prior to the show is entertaining and helpful.
Until next time. This is “OUR TIME” and we dare not squander our best efforts to be great.
Douglas E. Graham, Lt Col, USAF, (ret), MHSM
Six Pack and Senior 