It was a busy day for The Gym as it began well before sunrise. Lana Hofman, Erica Cobb, and Jesse Lehmen head to Chicago, IL with their coach, Chris Williamson, and The Gym support team to compete at NPC Junior Nationals. Upon sending them off, Erica met me with a gleam in her eye and a huge smile. "I just want Saturday to get here. I'm feeling really good." It was refreshing to see how pumped she was. What most people do not understand is this show is a qualifier for your Pro Card and by two weeks out; your body and mind are usually fighting themselves. They ache, feel sick, mentally & physcially are drained, and sometimes fight to keep motivated. It takes a lot for these competitors to compete let alone compete nationally. I commend these athletes for their time commitment, their motivation even if they have a few doubts, and their willingness to be vulnerable in front of thousands of people. They are some...