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Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 9:30 PM
PHOTO BY: RICK DREW PHOTOGRAPHY
Date of birth (or current age): 24
Home town: Wheaton, IL
Height: 5'5"
Contest Body Weight: 125
Off Season Body Weight: 135
Name of training facility:
Good Samaritan Health & Wellness Center
Tell us briefly about yourself. Any general information you want to provide about who you are, what you do, family life, special interests etc.
My name is Alicia Harris, I am a recovering track and field college athlete. Recovering meaning after college was over, there was a piece of competition missing from my life. I decided to partake in a different kind of competing where I could continue to work out and be rewarded for it. I entered in to the Grand Prix Bodybuilding & Figure Championship promoted by Kevin Noble in May. Despite my poor posing and my less than confident stage presence, I managed to get 5th place. Determined to place higher, I registered for back to back competitions with the October 27th 2007 NPC Natural Mid-States Muscle Classic XX Bodybuilding & Figure Championship placing 4th in Figure Tall Class and November 3rd 2nd Annual NPC Continental USA Body Building & Figure Championship placing 1st in Figure Medium Class.
PHOTO BY RICHARD NAGLE,
NIGHT OWL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.nightowlphotography.us
Soaking in critism like a sponge, I managed to change up many little aspects of my appearance to earn my highest finish in my one year career. The night of December 8th, 2007 at the Midwest Ironman, I was named Short class winner and Overall Figure Champion. The little things do count!!! Over the past year I have grown and become more confident and experienced on stage. There is always room for improvement. Next time I wonʼt eat so much peanut butter, as my mentor Chaundra Tangi, IFBB Professional would yell at me constantly for. Come the 2008 season, I am on a mission towards my Pro Card beginning with Illinois State Championships and then Jr. Nationals. To stray away from figure, I am strongly considering going over to Fitness for a different challenge. God has a plan for me and I look forward to what the future will bring!!!
PHOTO BY RICHARD NAGLE,
NIGHT OWL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.nightowlphotography.us
Family: I have always had great genes from my athletic family. My father was a football, track, and basketball athlete throught his career in college. My mother had an opportunity to compete in the Olympics for her country of Guyana, South America. Unfortunetly, the county did not have the funds so it never happened. I have two younger brothers, A.J. who is currently signed with the Canadian Football league after playing with Washington Redskins & Seattle Seahawks during preseason and overseas with Cologne Centerions. My younger brother Adam is a standout track & Field Athlete for the University of Michigan.
How many years have you been training?
I've been training for one year.
Why did you get into competing in figure?
My past track & field teammate and fellow co-workers were involved in competiting.
How many competitions have you done?
I've done four so far.
PHOTO BY RICHARD NAGLE,
NIGHT OWL PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.nightowlphotography.us
What is your main motivation to compete in figure?
To discipline myself and keep myself on a consistent workout schedule. It is invigorating and makes me feel and look great. It sets me apart from others.
Who did you work with throughout your contest preparation, if anyone, and how did they help you?
Chandra Tangi was a huge help with motivation factors. She structured my diet which helped tremendously. My former Track & Field teammate, Jennifer Cowan also gave me some advice from her experiences competing in figure and bodybuilding. Al Nance (NPC bodybuilder competitor) also helped with partner workouts and support throughout the shows.
What was the hardest thing about preparing for this most recent competition?
The hardest thing was probably increasing my cardio. For the last show I did cardio more than the past shows.
PHOTO BY RICK DREW PHOTOGRAPY
Why do you think you won over the competition in your most recent show?
My confidence level was at that upmost high level. I just went on stage smiled and had fun. I had to show off the hard work that I have endured through the weeks preparing for the show.
Tell us about your off season training, nutrition and supplementation program. What does that look like typically?
Off season training, I try to just maintain by keeping my diet under control. I have been blessed with a wonderful physique and I don't have to work to hard during the offseason. I do little workouts here and there and love to run.
How were you doing the day of the show? What were your main concerns and what were you thinking about?
The day of the show, I just wanted to eat. I felt like if I put any kind of food in my mouth it was going to mess up my physique for the show. I was just nervous.
Tell us about your in-season training, nutrition and supplementation program.
In season, I will do 45 minutes of cardio 6 times a week with concentration on a specific muscle group 5 days a week. My diet contains the usual protein, egg whites, chicken, brown rice.
In your opinion, what does it take to achieve a goal someone sets for themselves and to win? It takes alot of discipling.
I have been blessed with the determination to do well from my years of training for track and field. When I have my eye set on something I can acheive it with my own discipline.
PHOTO BY RICK DREW PHOTOGRAPHY
What advice would you would give to others working to compete in an NPC sanctioned show?
You have to remind yourself everyday that you are doing this for you own personal goals. You have to stick to the programs and enjoy what you are doing. It is a wonderful feeling to look and feel great for the shows.
What are your future plans? Are you preparing for any upcoming contests?
My future brings competiting in Nationals this upcoming summer. I plan on dieting a bit longer to become as lean as possible to compete with the big dogs.
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