Well, it is the day after my National debut in Atlanta, GA. As I sit here on the plane heading home to the OC, I find myself recapping the last 14 weeks of my prep and this last weekend where I took the stage and placed 6th in my first National show.  I have to say, there is absolutely NOTHING I would have done differently for this prep. I work with the best guru is the industry, Kim Oddo, and he has certainly done wonders with my physique since January 2010, which is when we first started working together. Early this year I placed 3rd at the Emerald Cup, which is one of the largest amateur competitions in the nation.  Since then I have improved my physique in all the right areas and just two weeks ago won my class at the San Francisco Championships.  Two short weeks later were Nationals. I was SO ready to get on stage in Atlanta and I had a BLAST! I met up with friends and made a lot of new ones. 

The night before I hit the stage in Atlanta my friend and fellow Oddo Angel, Mystra and I went to check out the bikini and men’s prejudging. There was also a small expo, with booths in the back of the ballroom.  We stopped by CJ’s booth, who makes figure and bikini suits.  One of the ladies working there, her name is Paula, came right up to me and asked, “You did the Emerald Cup, right?” I said, “Yeah” She said, “Class A? Blue suit?” I said, “Yeah” She said, “I judged you and I had you in first, you looked incredible.” This was seriously one of the best feelings I have ever felt, for a judge to not only remember me from a show back in April with hundreds of competitors, but to remember my Class and my suit color.  She truly made my evening and gave me a little confidence boost before stepping on stage the next morning, because I was very nervous.

My goal in Atlanta was to place in the top 5. I ALMOST had it, was I a little bummed at first, yeah, considering when you are in the 1st callout it usually means you are in the top 5. However, they called out 6 of us out of 22 amazing competitors.  I WAS ecstatic when they called my number.  They compared all six of us about 4 times, which made me feel like it was a pretty hard decision for the judges.  I am usually very relaxed after pre-judging, but not this time, because I had NO idea where I was in that top 6.  I was thinking 4, 5 or 6 and crossing my fingers for that 5 spot, at least.  The night show came, they announced every girl individually on stage and then we took the diagonal and waited to hear the top 5 in numerical order. Well, I was the second girl in the line up, so I knew if my number wasn’t called out first I would not be in the top 5.  We stood there on stage for what seemed like forever and then they announced the first number in the top 5, and sadly it was not my number.  So I knew right away, I was 6th. 

Every girl in the top 5 had placed 2nd, 3rd or 4th this year in a National Show, so looking back, I am very pleased with my placing and I am now ready to conquer the stage next year! It feels great to have broken the ice and to truly be a National Level Competitor and not just that, but to be a top 6 ranked National Level Competitor.  I have so many feelings and thoughts going through me, a lot of joy, feelings of accomplishment and excitement for what the future holds in my competitive career.  I have so much fun when I compete and I leave every competition feeling more motivated to improve and always beat myself, because in this sport that is all you can do.  There is so much subjectivity involved with the judging aspect that all I can control are all the hours of hard work in the gym and the kitchen. I have always given every prep 120% effort and I will continue to do so until my pro status is achieved.

Thanks,

Jessica Jordan