Brad’s BodyBlog

The day started bright and early at 4:00am. I took my first dose of supplements which was 99mg of potassium with as little water as I could manage. I was all packed and ready to go with the exception of my vegetables which I would be eating all day. I had them all split up into steamer bags made by Glad so I cooked them all up and stuck them in one of my little coolers. I ate my first meal at 5:00am and we were on the road at 5:45am.

Our first stop was at one of my clients home. Jamie was going to finish shaving her up, paint her, and do her hair. The plan was to do her makeup at the show while the guys were registering, but Jamie forgot one critical component, the makeup. So right after I ate again at 6:00am I was heading back home to get her makeup kit.  Once I returned, we painted me up and Jamie did Diannas hair.  I got in another meal and we were on the road at 8:00am. We had just over an hour drive ahead of us and check in time was 9:15am. We cut it close, but we arrived right on time.

Once inside the Cal-Neva Hotel we met up with my good friend Ken and his wife Sandy who were both competing as well. Once the Blah, Blah, Blah the INBA reps put on at the beginning of every check in process the guys lined up and we started splitting into groups. The group of 10 guys was unusual in that there were no real tall guys. There were only 2 guys that were greater than 5′9" and one of them was Ken. Low in behold who was standing next to me but a multiple time champion by the name of "Mr. Peka" At first they split us up and I was in the medium class with Mr. Peka. However, they asked me if I wanted to be in the tall class as I had taken my shoes off.  Taking into consideration I was standing next to Peka, panic set in and I said,"Well I certainly don’t want to stand next to him." This left me in the tall class, for the first time ever, competeing against my good freind Ken.

Once registration was over we went back stage to get ready for prejudging to take place at noon. We found a little dressing room with lots of lights for heat and took it over. It was cool we had our own room all to ourselves. At about 12:30 prejudging got rolling and I ate some of my home made potato chips, had some water and VP2 and started pumping up. I had a dull head ache for about an hour and took some Advil at about 11:00am, but now it was really setting in. I could barely pump up as the pain would come in waves. The heat from the bright lights intensified the pain so I had to keep stepping out of our room into the hall. At times I thought I would puke, but I was able to hold what little food was in my stomach down. The pain was alleviated quite a bit just moments before we went on stage. We did all of our mandatories with me in the middle, Ken on my right, and a rookie competitor on my left. Prejudging went fast and that was OK with me as my headache started to return. However I would not get off so easlily as Ken told the judges to keep working us. I am glad he did now as I needed the extra work, but at the time I was ready to kick him.

Pre juding for us was over and now it was time for me to focus on Dianna. She was primped and painted and ready to go. We got her pumped up and ready when just as she was ready to head on stage the judges called for a 5 minute break. Figures, her first competition, she is ready to go, and now they want a break. She was the only female body builder at this show so it was not a big deal, but I felt for her none the less. I made sure she kept warming up and when I was sure she was OK with everything. I headed out front to get some pics and video of her. She did great as all the practice we put her through paid off.  Once she was done, Dianna and her husband Scott headed up to thier room while we stayed and watched Sandy in the figure division.  She had 2 rounds to compete in so we were there for a little while to support her.

Once prejudging was over, I had a little more food and we split up.  I headed up to Diannas room a got in a good hour nap.  Ken, Sandy and Jamie went to Safeway for some sushi and salad.  After sleeping hard for about an hour, I felt like a million bucks.  Every one showed up at Diannas room at about 2:00pm and we all had our meals.  We all hung out and talked for quite a while and at 4:00pm I had my second steak meal.  We headed back down stairs for the evening show at 5:30pm.

We were able to get our changing room back again and we settled in.  Our impression after prejudging was that I would win the tall class beating out my buddy Ken and the other competitor.  So I took my time getting ready as it appeared that I would be going against Peka and the winner of the short class for the overall.  I went down to watch Dianna do her routine and see her win the novice division for womens bodybuilding.  She did very well and I could tell she was enjoying the moment.  However, I could also tell she was eager to get dressed and back out front to watch the rest of the show. 

 

I headed back to our room and waited as long as I could to get my carbs and water in, then started pumping up about 7:30pm or so.  Sure enough Mr. Peka would win the medium class and it was our turn on stage.  Ken and I did our 90 second individual routines and we all went back on stage for the pose down and for them to announce the winner of the tall class.  It was fun posing with Ken and I think we put on a good show.  As predicted I would win the tall class, but the excitement was only about to begin. 

As we walked off stage, with a huge rush of emotion Ken looked back at me and said with passion, “Dude I sh&t you not, I am harder than Peka, you can do this, YOU CAN BEAT HIM!!”  Suddenly a rush of energy surged over me and I got a huge tingle down my spine.  “Keep telling me that Ken” I said.  “You have to keep telling me that.”  He was really pumping me up and as Mr. Peka, the winner of the short class and I walked out on stage, I felt like a million bucks.

The judges worked us hard.  We were up there for a solid 15 minutes or so.  The judges started asking us to do poses I had never done before.  Practiced yes, but never actually done on stage.  3/4 back poses, flexing and rotating both quads, hamstrings, 3 or 4 back poses, they worked us for what seemed like another 30 minutes.  Every pose I would flex every muscle in my body as hard as I could.  My quads, hamstrings, and glutes felt they would cramp at times, but I just kept cranking my muscles as hard as I could and held them there.  I could here Ken coaching me off stage.  “Legs together Brad!!.  Hold that pose, you got em covered from the back” he would say.  On one of the turns I looked and all of the athletes had gathered off stage to watch.  It seemed as though, being the under dog, they were pulling for me.  I was no where near as massive, but everyone kept telling me, I was much harder and define than Peka.  Finally the judges called for the pose down, they had made thier decision.  I was in my own world at first, just posing away doing what ever I felt like.  Then I started matching poses with Peka.  Trying to make the comparisons entertaining.  He was massive, but at times looked soft.  I felt stupid at first, but was gaining confidence with every turn.  I really got jazzed when I saw Peka walk away and stand on the other side of the short competitor.  I felt like there was me…..and no one else, just me.

Finally they had us stop and I held my front relaxed pose.  Peka was exhausted.  He looked as though he would callapse in a pool of his own sweat.  It pumped me up even more.  The M.C. took her time announcing the winner as always and as I stood on the end with Peka between me and the short class winner, I kept telling myself that I had it, even though in my heart, I did not believe it.  Finally the moment of truth came, “The winner of the 2008 Mr. and Mrs Millenium Overall Mens Natural Bodybuilding Championship is ………………..contestent…………â€
¦number 25, Brad Loomis!  I heard my number and I was in disbelief, my eyes were as big as saucers as I raised my hands in victory.  I looked at Jamie and saw that she was overcome with emotion, jumping around with her hands in the air as well.  For just a brief moment I was not sure if I had won as I had heard my number called, but with the rush of emotion I had not heard my name.  But the short class winner and Mr. Peka came over to shake my hand and it was confirmed in my mind, I had won, I took this whole damn show, I HAD BEATEN PEKA!  I was so happy I was literally jumping on the stage.  My left foot is still sore as I was stomping and jumping so hard.  MAN what a way to spend fathers day weekend.

Every one was congratulating me, the underdog had won.  It seemed like a popular win with both the athletes and the audience as Mr. Peka was heavily favored.  He was just coming off a huge win a few months ago at the Iron Gladiator.  The Overall winner of that show failed the drug test and Peka being second, was announced the Iron Gladiator Overall Champ.  But tonight I was “The peoples Champ” it would seem.  Every one kept telling me I was harder and more cut than him and that I had a chance to beat him.  I guess they were right.

No rest for the wicked.  Jamie and I took our time coming home.  We hit the safeway she had stopped at earlier that day and got some Sushi.  We got home about midnight or so and collapsed in bed.  I slept in the next day, but was back in the gym by noon, training back and doing nearly 400lb deadlifts.  I have an even bigger show in 4 weeks and with this kind of momentum, I want to carry it all the way through that show as well.