James Hergott took second place in the men’s welterweight division at the GNC Cobourg Naturals bodybuilding competition on April 20. Although a win would have been nice for the only hometown competitor in the event, to everyone who knows James this placement goes far beyond any victory.
On March 7, 2013, Hergott spent the day posing for photos with fellow bodybuilder Crystal Kenny, under the lens of photographer Grzegorz Kieszkowski. The shoot was fantastic, and the images of two primed athletes working with full focus and intensity came out brilliantly. Both were focused like a laser beam on the upcoming Cobourg Naturals. But for James, something wasn’t quite right.
Training had been intense, as it always was for Hergott. He assumed, as anyone would, that the twinge of pain was muscle-related; that he was somehow straining something in a way his body wasn’t quite used to. For several weeks ahead of the photo shoot, he’d been soliciting advice from friends on Facebook and elsewhere on dealing with the cramping in his abdomen.
Most of the advice hinged on hydration, electrolytes, and various minerals to stop cramping.
James Hergott at 7 weeks out.
At the same time, his career was on a high note. He had recently received good news from a major motion picture studio about his proposed project. Hergott, a successful film producer and founder of OWN3D Entertainment — whose work has included some now classic MMA documentaries (including “Fight for the Troops” and “The Striking Truth”) — was in every conceivable sense a man at the top of his game.
Then the Facebook feed went silent, and James Hergott, whose image appears on the promotional posters for the event, almost didn’t make it to the Cobourg Naturals.
In fact, he almost didn’t make it to March 8th. [read on...]