MUSCLE DRIVEN

When the Stage Meets the Street

Ten years ago, if someone asked where I would be in a decade, bodybuilding would not have crossed my mind, especially not in my 40s. But life has a way of putting the right people, places, and challenges in front of us at the exact moment we are ready to change. Sometimes those moments do not just shape our direction. They become our legacy.

In bodybuilding, every competitor has a story. Different methods, different struggles, different reasons for stepping on stage. What most of us share is a passion that grows the deeper we commit. For me, that passion has a name: MUSCLE DRIVEN, and it does not stop when I leave the gym.

When I am not training, I lean into my second passion: car culture. My husband and I build, modify, and show our cars together, and the car club family has become a big part of our lives. We have been members of the North Carolina chapter of the Head Turners Car Club since 2019. When we joined, I drove a 2019 Subaru WRX Performance Edition known as The Black Widow. In March 2021, my husband was passed the Vice President title, and as the Charlotte membership grew alongside the Triad area, we branched into the Charlotte Chapter of the NC Head Turners Car Club. My husband took the title of President, and I stepped in as an admin officer.

We stay active in benefit shows and car meets, and we also show up for parades and public events. Inside the club, we always make room for the moments that matter too: birthdays, holidays, and the kind of gatherings that turn great friends into family.

My husband owned a 2019 Mustang GT known as Pegasus. After attending the Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, I caught an itch for a Mustang of my own. I was not rushing the hunt, but I knew what I wanted: a V8, preferably black, definitely a manual transmission, and it had to sound right. Then I found the one in Kernersville, North Carolina, about an hour and a half away. I could not pass up the chance to at least see it.

The timing was wild because I had COVID and was home for two weeks. My husband never tested positive, so I sent him to Crossroads Ford in Kernersville with my Subaru to check it out. About an hour later he called with the words I was hoping to hear: flawless black leather interior, 6 speed manual, and it felt and sounded amazing. I expected him to pick it apart since it was a 2015 model, but he could not find a single thing wrong. I asked to run numbers immediately.

The selling point, beyond the condition, was the mileage. The prior owner only drove it on weekends. It was a done deal. A few hours later, after what felt like the longest wait of my life, she was in my driveway: my 2015 Roush Stage 2 Mustang GT, now known as The Black Widow II. Two days later a dealership courier brought my paperwork to my home and we handled the transaction right on the hood of his car.

I will not pretend I did not miss my Subaru. I loved that car. But I had driven it daily for three years and I knew the trade in value would not stay high forever. My only regret was not removing a few mods first, like my carbon fiber steering wheel, front splitter, shift knob, and rear diffuser. I knew there was a good chance the dealership would pull some of it anyway.

It took one day for me to fall completely in love with my Roush. Shortly after, I became a member of the Roush Road Crew. The timing worked out perfectly because it was still early enough in the season to attend shows before the year wrapped up, and I was on a break between competitions. By spring 2023, the opening season for car events was here, and I could not wait to show off my black beauty. It was going to be a season of solid muscle on muscle, both car and driver.

That same energy is what brought me to bodybuilding.

I found my passion at 40, and this is my story.

In June 2017, I had just earned my personal training certification and my 40th birthday was coming that fall. I wanted something new to celebrate, something that let me leave my 30s without surrendering to the idea that 40 had to feel middle aged. I decided to challenge myself by building my physique to a level I had never experienced before, enough to potentially compete.

I was already active in the gym, and meeting people or talking with staff was normal for me. I mentioned my goal to a staff member, and it just so happened he knew a competition coach and offered to reach out to her.

Two days later, I got a phone call from a woman who said she was referred by the staff member I spoke with. She was a competition coach named Karyn Guidry. I told her what I wanted, and I quickly decided to recruit her as my coach. Everything felt like it fell into place fast, and before I knew it, I was in full prep mode.

I knew absolutely nothing about the sport. I needed her to guide the entire journey from start to finish. Which show should I choose. Which division fit my goals. How do I pose. Where do I find a bikini. The questions were endless, and I knew I had a lot to learn.

I wanted more than tone. I wanted muscle mass while staying lean. Based on the look I was chasing, the Figure division was the right fit. So we started with the fundamentals: diet details and structured workouts.

I assumed coaching meant one on one training every day since we belonged to the same gym. I did not realize online coaching at my own pace could be so effective. In reality, I may have trained with her in person one time during the entire prep. Most of our communication happened through email and text. It turned out to be ideal because I could put in my earbuds, lock into my music, and get to work.

Every week she sent meal plans and training routines, and every week I checked in with updates, progress, and front and back photos. It did not take long for the routine to become my lifestyle. Days became weeks. Weeks became months.

Then it was time to choose a show.

Karyn explained the ideal training window is usually five to six months, and she pointed me to the NPC site for show dates and resources. I chose June 23, 2018: the NPC Victory Classic in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.

That is when I learned how big cardio is in bodybuilding. I started seeing changes fast, even noticing my workout leggings getting loose. I worried about losing muscle and told Karyn my concern. She hit me with a line that stuck with me: you are not losing muscle, your composition is changing.

Most of my cardio was on the stair master at level 10 for 25 to 30 minutes. Ten minutes in, I felt like collapsing. I did not believe I could ever reach 30 minutes, but the body adapts when the mind stays committed. I adapted quickly.

Someone at the gym noticed my determination. Before prep, I told him I planned to compete. He thought I was just thinking out loud. But once he watched the work stack up and the results show up, he told me it was real. That was the moment I realized how much strength and willpower I truly had.

Six days a week, I lifted and then finished with post cardio. As show day got closer, hunger grew, energy dropped, and every day felt harder than the day before. About six weeks out, I increased cardio again by adding early morning fasted cardio for 30 minutes before work. No coffee, no water, nothing on my stomach, just sweat and discipline. I started carrying a towel in my gym bag because I was sweating in ways I never had before. By then, my body was exhausted. Cardio before work. Lifting after work. Post cardio to finish. Six days a week. Hungry and drained. I got edgy. Everything felt like it irritated me. Prep was testing me, not just physically, but mentally.

Around that same time, it was time to buy my first bikini. The challenge was simple and stressful: how do you order a custom suit when your body is still changing. Karyn guided the sizing and the cut, and she taught me how important color choice is under stage lighting, especially with a dark bronze tan and warm lighting tones. Judges do not only evaluate the physique. They also evaluate the complete presentation: suit, tan, hair, makeup, and posing.

I ordered my first bikini from Saleyla Competition Bikinis in Las Vegas, mint green with rhinestone straps, custom made. It arrived earlier than expected. Shoes and jewelry came from Shoe Fairy. I must have researched my checklist a dozen times because I did not want to miss a single detail.

Then peak week arrived, and it was brutal in a way only competitors understand. The routine got extremely precise. Two gallons of water a day, then reduced water, removing salts, shifting training, daily posing photos, and micro adjustments that could change the look in a day or two. By Friday, water was limited, rest was mandatory, and the final steps moved fast: check in, competitor number, tanning, and the final countdown to stage time.

Show day was June 23, 2018.

My day started at 3 a.m. with hair and makeup, then my final bronzing tan. I was dark, very dark. The tanning process was not what I imagined, but it taught me quickly that this sport leaves no room for insecurity. Everyone is there for the same purpose, and you either focus or you fold.

Walking to the venue felt surreal. You could spot the competitors everywhere, bronze skin, sweatpants, black robes, flip flops. My heart was racing with anticipation and fear, but the instructions were clear, and once the athlete meeting was over, it became a waiting game. The Figure division was called after multiple classes, and backstage felt crowded and intense. Karyn told me to stay off my feet in heels as much as possible to keep my legs from swelling, and to live in flip flops during downtime.Then it was time.

Behind the curtain we pumped with resistance bands, got tan touch ups, oil, and suit adjustments. When I heard my number called, my heart started pounding. I reminded myself of the basics: smile, hold eye contact, follow the judges, and hit the quarter turns. I was terrified, especially about walking out alone for the initial presentation, but once I stepped onto the stage and moved through the poses, it was over before I could even process it.

I made a small mistake during group turns, staring at the judges when I should have been facing forward, and I did not realize it until I saw the photos later. Another lesson.

There was a long break between prejudging and finals. I stayed at the venue with my husband and daughter, trying to rest, trying not to think about how badly I wanted a shower, food, and water. By finals, I felt calmer. The first stage walk changed everything. I was more relaxed, more confident, and I remembered to face forward on that first quarter turn.

I placed third in my first show.

I was ecstatic. Medal on my neck, family photos, coach by my side, and my mind locked on one thing: carbs and a drink. My first meal was a shrimp po boy and a Fat Tire, and I swear that first bite made me emotional. It had been a long, exhausting day, and once I made it home and finally showered, I crashed hard.

But something inside me knew the truth.

This was only the beginning.

In May 2019, I competed at the NPC Palmetto Classic in Columbia, South Carolina, earning first place in both the open class and the 35 plus class, qualifying me for Nationals. The wins felt incredible, but the memories that stick are the moments between the moments: the rain that forced us to skip restaurants, the post show celebration meal, the laughter, the exhaustion, and that first shower where the tan runs off like a mud bath. It became tradition.

More regionals followed, and with each show I grew more confident. I learned little tricks, like the pre stage sugar boost some competitors use for fullness, and I learned the hard lessons too, like nearly missing lineup and forgetting the Reese’s Cup I waited months to eat. Prep teaches you to laugh at the chaos because perfection is rare and focus is everything.

Then came Nationals.

I chose NPC Universe Northeast in 2020, and the year tried to stop me at every turn. I threw my back out early in prep. Then the pandemic shut the gyms down. I refused to quit. I trained at home with everything I had, sent my equipment list to my coach, and made it work. When I needed heavier weight, an old gym friend opened a private gym and gave me access. That opportunity likely saved my season.

The show was moved and delayed, and my prep stretched to 11 straight months. Masks made training harder when gyms reopened, especially cardio, but I kept going. In November 2020, I competed in my first National and placed third in the top five.

At first, I felt disappointed because the pro card was the goal. Then someone changed my perspective. A men’s physique competitor told me if he placed third he would be celebrating like crazy. He reminded me that many athletes compete at Nationals multiple times and never place. That hit me hard. I realized what I accomplished was a big deal. I had earned my spot, and I had proven I belonged.

Not every season hits the same. In 2021, I had a show I did not feel great about, and the results reflected it. I learned that details matter, including the cut of a bikini and how much of the glutes are exposed in Figure. I learned that even when the medals are not what you want, the true reward is still the work, the discipline, and the person you become getting to the stage.

In 2022, I took the Charlotte Cup stage with confidence and a genuine smile and had one of my favorite performances. I placed first in the Figure Open class and first in Figure 35 plus, plus second in Figure 40 plus, qualifying again for Nationals. After that, I chose to pause before another National run because I needed recovery. Five years of summer prep meant five years without a real summer. I wanted time to live, to breathe, to eat without measuring, and even to enjoy a car show without scheduling around cardio.

By late 2022, I was ready again. In 2023, I was four months out from the next National goal, still chasing the same dream: earn the pro card.

Through all of it, I have learned that bodybuilding is a sport that demands full dedication. There is no halfway. Food becomes fuel. Training becomes a schedule you honor even when you feel empty. Form becomes everything because injury can change your whole year in a second. I have corrected people in the gym because I learned the hard way what bad form can do long term. I have learned the value of belts, wraps, and protecting your joints. I have learned that the smallest mistakes can teach the biggest lessons.

I also learned that support matters.

I am fortunate to have a husband who never distracts me from the goal. He supports the early mornings, the expenses, the travel, the show day hours, and the day to day grind. He prepares my lunch bag, shows up before sunrise, and stands beside me when I am at my most exhausted. That kind of support is rare, and I do not take it for granted.

People ask me all the time how to start. My first recommendation is simple: hire a coach. Competition prep is precise. Nutrition, timing, conditioning, posing, peak week execution, and the mental side of the grind are an entirely different world than general fitness. I have been with Karyn for six years because she knows how my body responds. She knows my strengths, my weaknesses, and my patterns, including the stress that hits close to show day like clockwork. She always reminds me that I do this every year, and every year she is right.

I document everything. I journal my prep. I keep binders with progress photos, plans, receipts, and show flyers. I frame stage posters on my home gym wall. I store medals and competitor pins in shadow boxes. This is not just a sport for me. It is a timeline of who I became.

And through all of it, I still keep my post show traditions. The breakfast that tastes like heaven after months of discipline. The laugh with my husband about the food cravings that disappear the moment I can finally have them. The simple reminder that the grind changes you, not just on stage, but everywhere.

So if you asked me ten years ago where I would be today, I never would have said this. But here I am. Muscle driven in the gym, muscle driven on the stage, and muscle driven in the streets, building a legacy one rep, one show, and one season at a time.