If you’re looking for additional 2008 Olympia coverage, check out my FitGems sites where we have some great Olympia content found no where else on the web.

For example, check out this FitGems exclusive interview with 2008 Ms. Fitness Olympia Jenny Hendershott:

http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2008/10/sharing-tenspot-with2008-fitness.html

FitGems Nation: 2008 Olympia Coverage
http://fitgemssite.wetpaint.com/page/2008+Olympia

C-Ray

So the first video is up:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008_olympia_video.htm#dalotajr

Let me know what ya’ll think.

Just a quick pic from Meet the Olympians…

But Dexter looked amazing, so it was well deserved.

What was even more shocking to me was that Jenny Lynn got 4th, when she took first the last two years. It was a huge drop.

New Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson!

Former Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler.

New Ms. Figure Olympia Jenn Gates!

Former Ms. Figure Olympia Jenny Lynn.

http://www.siouxcountry.com/showthread.php?t=166

2008 Ms Figure Olympia runner up, Gina Aliotti!………

http://www.siouxcountry.com/showthread.php?t=2078

Cathy LeFrancois placed 6th at the 2008 Ms Olympia!……..

http://www.siouxcountry.com/showthread.php?t=915

Up at the crack of dawn!  My body has decided to stick to EST, and I awaken to my belly crumbling.  I wonder what in the world will be open at 7 am Vegas time.  hmmm…  I dash through my morning rituals, I’m sure you don’t need make-up details here.  You can use your imagination.  And off I go in search of FOOD!  

The buffet was such a hit last night, and I’m thinking thats the way to go again.  I had heard a rumor while standing in-line the night before for at Meet the Olympians, that they will make custom omelets.  YES!  After being seated, I make a beeline for the omelet line.  I grab a plate and start to fill it full of veggies (you pick what you want and hand it over to the chief).  I’m hoping luck is on my side, and my new chief friend will be back again today.  No such luck!  I was yelled at in broken english, that I wasn’t supposed to use a plate for veggies, but only a small bowl.  I picked too much!  hmmm….  What to do, what to do.  I smiled and said I like veggies, please use them, and hold the oils, butter, and cheese please!  More smiling after that little speech.  Nope, he didn’t buy it.  More yelling at me, and telling me my omelet would be watery.  Okay, I smile some more (people are looking), and say "I’ll take it anyways".  Now I’m getting a little annoyed, and my belly is getting annoyed.  Obviously this man, has never dealt with a lady who is low carb.  My toe starts to tap, and I think I’m getting an eye twitch!  One more word and I’m jumping the counter and whacking him with his spatula.  Now I’m smiling for real!  So I finally get my omelet and somehow he ditched some of my veggies!  That meanie!  Ok…I’m going to be an adult (this once), and walk away.  The omelet was good actually.  And not watery!  Just sayin’!

Now I’m ready to hit the expo!  Off we go to hop on the shuttle.  Not hard to find.  Outside there was a big sign, with the times.  Bus leaves at 9:00.  Okay cool.  Shoot!  Its only 8 am.  Not to panic, we can shop.  Small problem, the only place to shop in the hotel is the gift shop!  WHAT!  That’s crazy!  Well, the nice bellman/ valet dude says go to the Forum at Caesars Palace.  Sure there open he says… 24 hrs/day.  And then you can walk the 1 block to the expo.  Cool!  This is great!  Were brilliant strategist!  So off we go in a taxi to the Forum.

After a nice drive and a little view of Vegas, were finally taking the escalator up to the Forum.  Wait a minute!  Its dark!  What!  There isn’t anything open!  Our bellman/ valet dude WAS SO WRONG!  The shops don’t open until 10 am!  grrrrr   But sure you can look around… in the dark.  I’ll pass thanks!  So fine, we’ll walk to the expo now and wait.  What?  The bellman/valet a$$whole dude was wrong again!  Its clear across town!  *palm to forehead*  Fine, another taxi please.

Finally after another little jaunt across Vegas (I got to see alot of side streets and construction so far), we arrive at the arena where the expo will be held.  As soon as we get there, we see the BSN team gathering outside.  Cool shirts guys!  We head for the doors, and get inline at the VIP entrance.  Arriving early worked out well and were like 6th in line.  So we chat with the peeps around us to pass time.  And stare like tourist as all the exhibitors start to file past.  Holy cow!  There is so and so, from such and such magazine!  I then spy the little sign that says so video inside.  Well… its gonna be another photo mission.  Then we find out, were gonna get in 30 minutes before the general ticket holders.  Woo-hoo!  We start to plan, and I’m gonna hit the bigger booths first, before the lines form.  

So off we go!  Small problem!  The vendors aren’t ready!  Crap!  So the 30 minute window was pretty much a waste.  After I did some wondering I headed back to get into the lines for meet and greats!

Jamie is soooo nice!  And Jamie, Julie says she and Rick will work on that catch phrase for you!  lol!  Now I’m off to meet Monica!  

Very friendly, and I picked up her tank about carbs I had been eyeing!  Then off for my bb.com tee.  Its one of my favs!  And there is Charles Glass!  

WOW!  bb.com has a fabulous booth!  Way to go!

Now off I go to hit a few more booths.  I’m pretty picky about my supps, so I pretty much know what I’ll use.  And one of the samples I want is Venom Hyperdrive.  I had a nice long chat with Cody from ALR.  Very nice peeps, and thanks for the samples!  I swing by see Adelea Garcia and grab a quick pic!  **No you don’t wanna see this pic, my eye look wonky**  WORD!  

WOW, time has flown by and its time for the ladies pre-judging, and I need to grab a seat.  No problem, plenty of back seats, fronts are all taken.  Rats!  

********************too be cont!  (I need to eat and do cardio!)

His calves, of course, are legendary - and for good reason:

I was able to get a video interview with his wife, Heather (”The Landlord” on BodySpace), which is among 150 such interviews we got last weekend, so check ‘em all out here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008_olympia_video.htm

Enjoy! 

If you saw or rode the bus, let us know! 

The ‘O’ was a blast - see you again next year! 

Up at a whoppin’ 4:10 am… what 4:10 am, OMG I over slept!!! ACK!  I was supposed to be on the road by now.  This realization was followed by a mad scramble out of the bed and to throw some clothes and make-up on.  Yes make-up!  I knew there be pictures okay?  geez!  So I throw all my bags into the car, kiss the dog good-bye and hit the road.  Damn!  The car is on empty!  Grrrr!  So a quick fill-up and I’m back on the road, for the 1.5 hr drive to the airport.  There may have been some speeding involved.  And all I kept thinking was, I wonder which state Ronnie Coleman works as cop?  

I made it to the airport in about an hour.  Shhhhh!  I know, I was speeding!  But missing the plane, would have been a disaster of epic proportion! As I walk to the terminal to wait to board, I look around an see some Olympia bound peeps (checking out their shirts is a big hint).  Since I’m sporting my figure team warm-ups, its pretty clear where I’m going!  Now seems like the perfect time to eat my protein muffins.  Yummy!  

Onto the plan we go to take off at 7:00 am.  As luck would have  it, I got an isle seat with a nice older couple, on their way to do a few days of gambling.  She was pretty curious about what I was doing in vegas and what my warm-up logo meant.  Well, I gave her the whole spiel on figure (by now I pretty much have this down after being asked so many times).  All this was followed by her fondling my bicep.  ummmm… okay.  So we settled in for a long flight.  After an hour of listening to the drunk guys from Mansfield, sitting behind me I was not so amused.  To appreciate their humor, you would have to be drunk with them at 7:30 am.  Which I was not.  Okay, I’m getting restless.  Not to mention the grand idea of getting a tan for the Olympia, was not a good one.  Which ended with me getting a burn in strategic places needed for sitting on a long flight!  Just sayin’!  And now I realize I didn’t pack anything to read or do.  DAMN!  Okay, not to panic I’ll read the airline mags.  Again.  And again.  Holy cow!  I’m going nuts!  And the drunks are drunker!  And I took my fat burner!  *palm to forehead*  And my a$$ is on fire.  How much farther to Vegas!!!!!

After landing at Vegas at 8:30 am (gotta love that time difference), and I’m starving!  And making a shake on the plane is not fun.  Using room temp water is NOT recommended for optimal shake taste!  I start mad texting everyone, while waiting for my friend’s plane to land.  After she arrives, we are on our way.  Sorta!  She met a friend who is going to give us a ride to the hotel.  Cool!  

Finally at the hotel!  WOW!  This place is BIG!  From the minute we walk in the door I start seeing bodybuilders and figure chicks.  This is my kind of place!  We check in and decide to drag our luggage with us to have brunch.  The cafe had a special menu, catering to our diets.  Can I move in here, and stay for my whole comp prep?  Mind you I’m really hungry.  And ordered an egg white omelet and chicken breast with lots of veggies.  Yummy!  I’m in heaven… until the bill came.  Ouch!$!$  

Dragging the luggage around is getting old, so off to the room we go.  Toss down the luggage and were off to pick up our Platinum Olympia package.  Then to meet Richard from bb.com to pick up my Olympia package.  We have got to rush, the press conference is in an hour.  

I gave my trainer IFBB Fitness Pro Julie Lohre a call, and off to her room we go, to hang out for awhile and chat.  She look fabulous!  She is getting ready to tan and I need to get to the press conference.  

Some how we were told to sit in a VIP box, and had great seats.  The Olympia guys are hamming it up, and are too funny.  On our way out of the press conference, we got talked into looking at the Olympia jackets for sale.  The next thing I know were modeling the Fitness and Figure winning jackets.  Holy Crap!  There is something about sporting the Figure Olympia jacket that makes you wanna do quarter turns.  Not that I did…okay I DID!  But you would too!!!!  Just sayin’!  Talk about a rush!  While still on that rush, I some how became the owner of my very own Olympia jacket.  Ummm…okay.

So while cheesing for the camera pretending I’m a Figure Olympian, Gina Aliotti walked by.  And stops to talk to us about our jackets.  We all have a good laugh.  She is super sweet!  I’m now a Gina fan!  Next we meet the chicks from Southern Muscle Magazine.  Super nice too.  And we had a long conversation.  Thanks for the encouragement gals!

Crap, its getting late, and I rush up stairs to log onto bb.com to make a quick post.  The internet here is super slow, so I keep it simple.  Now off to the room to get ready for Meet the Olympians!

After getting ready in record time, and making a mad dash to get in line with our fancy-smancy VIP passes.  Holy Crap!  The line wrapped around the darn building.  Okay, time to amuse ourselves and wait. I got to meet some really nice peeps.  Finally its our turn to go in.  WOW!  Thankfully the room is huge!  Quickly I make a plan on who all I want to meet and get pics with.  And off I go.  I rush to hug Julie and say “hi”, and see there is others waiting too, so I move on.  I then meet up with Gina, and got a pic this time, and chatted some more.

Now I’m off to meet Jen H.  Now this chick is so personable.  What a true champ should be.  I told her how excited I am to see her routines and how I missed the “Hooter” one, and she said she would try and get it onto her site!

As I start to make my way back to say bye to Rick & Julie, I see Kim Lyons.  She was so warm and friendly, and really takes an interest when people are chatting with her.  She is working on a TV show pilot which will focus on the concept Fitness 911, and helping people make changes!  I can’t wait to see that on TV!  Way to go Kim!  

I meet some not so nice Olympians too.  Which I no longer will be rooting for.  WORD!

By this time, its time to eat again.  So off to the buffet we go.  And yes, you can eat healthy on the buffet.  The chief making the stir-fries was so nice and offered to make me something using lemon juice.  I almost jumped the counter and gave him a big hug!

Now that my belly is full, its off to bed.  Tomorrow will be a long exciting day!

(Rest are tied for 18th.)

More ‘08 Olympia results will be posted here as they become available:

http://contest.bodybuilding.com/results/6432

http://webcast.bodybuilding.com/fitshow/2008olympia/webcast/sm/men_final_1.html

This is now the end of tonight..
Hope you enjoyed this year Olympia…

All the 2008 Olympia Winners are now being brought out onto the stage:  Dexter Jackson, David Henry, Jen Gates, Jenny Hendershott, and Iris Kyle!