FIFTH PLACE - Palm Beach Pro Figure!

I did it! I did it! I finally cracked the top five! And not, like, out of ten, either - but out of twenty-six!

The Palm Beach Pro Figure & Fitness took place over the weekend. Though it was only a forty minute drive for me, I was a bit on the fence about competing in this show. I had my daughter's birthday, my birthday, plus a family trip to Disney during the month of September. Also, I knew I would be working the Olympia the week prior and did not want to be dieting or doing cardio while in Vegas. (I wanted to do Vegas the way Vegas should be done!)

So, in all honesty, I didn't really spend much time preparing for this show. Fortunately, I hadn't fallen too far off the diet wagon after the Europa, and was able to pull it together during the last week.

This was such a good way to end the year. Plus, it was the last show for two of my closest friends, Mavis Tozzi (www.mavistozzi.com) and Tara Scotti (www.tarascotti.com ), as they are both retiring their figure suits & heels. Also calling it a night, is first place winner, Amber Littlejohn. She and I turned pro together in 2003 at the National Figure Championships in NY.

Good luck and best wishes, girls!

Something I would also like to do - that I should have done a while ago - is extend a huge THANK YOU to Rick Lohre (www.lohrecreative.com) , for taking over my site when I was in a bind. Great work and many thanks. And an even bigger shout out to wife, Julie Lohre (www.julielohre.com), for placing third this weekend and qualifying for 2007 Olympia.

Now, I am done for this year. I will be working the Florida Gold Cup/Zena Collins Fitness & Figure next month in West Palm Beach. Stop by and say hello if you're there!