2009 NPC Oregon Ironman
Shellie Duncan - Open Figure 5'3" to 5'4"
It's always nice to find that competitor who seemingly comes out of the blue and
makes an impression, most recently Northern California's Shellie Duncan. A 35 year
old Physician Assistant, this was her first competition - as a goal-oriented person,
she decided to participate in order to motivate herself to achieve a new level of fitness.
A lean, sculpted physique but not displayed to its full aesthetic potential onstage, as we were
discussing with a couple of the judges after the show. And with a combination 'Amy Fadhli, Denise
Richards, Cameron Diaz' thing going on (fill in your own celebrity look-a-likes), we had to
include some offstage photography!
In her own words, "I have always loved the outdoors. As a kid, I spent a lot of time racing around on my horse and playing in the creek that ran through our property. I was also an avid reader which helped me succeed academically. In high school I enjoyed playing sports and learned the value of keeping in shape. Although I was naturally fairly muscular, I didn't discover weight training until my first semester in college when I took a weight training class. I weight trained sporadically for several years after that. Jogging and hiking have been a regular part of my entire adult life, and I enjoy horseback riding, wakeboarding, skiing and backpacking. However, I didn't become committed to weight training until about 9 years ago. At that time I discovered that weight training was key for boosting my metabolism. It has helped tremendously in my efforts to maintain a healthy weight. Now I train because it is the hardest thing that I do in a day and comparatively, everything else is almost easy! It takes so much effort and determination to work out hard (I believe whole-heartedly in 'no pain, no gain') that the other challenges I face seem easier to bear. I love being strong and fit enough to take on any physical challenge that comes my way, whether it be a new sport or a wilderness backpacking trip. Another motivating factor for me is that as a health care provider and aunt, I want to set a good example for my patients and nieces/nephews by living a healthy lifestyle. Because I have experienced first hand the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise, I can share that insight with others and hopefully inspire them to achieve the same."
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